Reaching the midway point of the season with a 5-3 record, the Ravens have positioned themselves to make a run at the playoffs.
But who exactly will be making that run for the Ravens: Willis McGahee or Ray Rice?
The pecking order in the Ravens' backfield became more clouded after rookie second-round pick Rice filled in for the injured McGahee and ran for 154 yards against the Cleveland Browns - the most by any running back in the NFL on Sunday.
So, should the Ravens go with experience and start McGahee against the Houston Texans? Or should they stick with the hotter runner and start Rice?
"I don't know if we know going into the game," coach John Harbaugh said yesterday. "We'll find out who is going to play more based on how we match up against this football team. Certainly, Ray has expanded himself with the things he can do and the confidence he builds in the coaching staff."
In Harbaugh's mind, it's not about McGahee or Rice. He said he thinks of the running game as McGahee and Rice.
Now that McGahee (knee, ankle and rib injuries) is expected to return Sunday, the distribution of carries will become a hot topic this week.
At this point, Rice and McGahee are running in opposite directions.
Rice averaged 7.5 yards a carry the past two weeks. Meanwhile, McGahee gained less than 3 yards a carry in three of his past four games.
Asked whether he has proven he can be a starting running back, Rice took a diplomatic approach.
"I'm embracing the role of my team. When I'm in there, I'm a starter," he said. "I do a great job of studying. I do a great job of watching. When it's my turn, I am always ready."
The two knocks on Rice coming out of Rutgers were his size (5 feet 8) and durability. But in Sunday's 37-27 win at the Browns, Rice showed his stamina when he broke a 60-yard run on his 21st carry of the game.
"He has a lot of tangibles that is bigger than his height and size," receiver Mark Clayton said. "He's going to be a great back for us."
Three reasons Rice should start
* Rice makes more big plays. One reason Rice lasted until the second round was that scouts pointed to his lack of breakaway speed. Really? Rice has yet to reach the end zone on a long run, but he has undoubtedly been the Ravens' most explosive running back.
In addition to two big runs Sunday (60 and 26 yards), Rice has had catches of 40 and 21 yards. With stiff arms and a low center of gravity, he is extremely tough to bring down in the open field.
