The Baltimore Ravens are off to their season finale in style after clinching the No. 1 seed in the AFC. They are set to clash with the Steelers next Saturday, and the management has decided to bench some of the key starters like Lamar Jackson to avoid any unnecessary injuries before the postseason. Reacting to this, Oilers legend Warren Moon voiced his concerns, as the Ravens have a bye week in the first round of the playoffs.
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Earlier this week, head coach John Harbaugh revealed that Lamar Jackson and a few other starters would be benched on Saturday. However, Warren Moon felt that this could hinder their chances of winning the Super Bowl during his chat with TMZ. He added that there’s a ‘far greater chance’ of the squad getting ‘rusty’ by the time they kick off their divisional round game on January 20th or 21st.
“As a football player, you want to stay within that routine and that habit of what you’ve been going through the whole season to make you successful,” Moon told TMZ.
Warren Moon says if he were coaching the Ravens, he wouldn't sit Lamar Jackson, Odell Beckham Jr. or any other starter this week. 👇 https://t.co/SYxmIq8udo
— TMZ (@TMZ) January 5, 2024
Moon further noted that a unit should remain consistent with their routine throughout the whole season, or they could very easily falter. He didn’t advise the Ravens to use their key players for the entire matchup, but for a few snaps to keep the momentum going.
Which Players Are Taking the Bench Alongside Lamar Jackson?
As it turns out, Smiley Face is far from the only player in the Ravens’ squad to sit out the season finale. Alongside the top MVP contender, star WR Odell Beckham Jr. was also listed as a rest/coach decision in the reports, as per CBS Sports.
Starting right guard Kevin Ziegler, who sat out their win against the Dolphins last week, is also on the list. Moreover, Marlon Humphrey has been ruled out with a calf injury and also missed Wednesday’s practice. LB Malik Harrison and DB Daryl Worley are also out with groin injury and ankle injury, respectively.
The Ravens flock might feel a tinge of tension with Moon’s comments, but it’s worth noting that there are several other teams that have secured their playoff spots and have gone on to bench their starting quarterbacks. For instance, 49ers QB Brock Purdy, Rams QB Matthew Stafford, Browns QB Joe Flacco, and Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes are also benched for the season finale.
It’s quite a common practice and will surely not affect any of the teams in the postseason. While the spotlight will be on the backups in the next few days, there are also a few teams like the Packers, Bills, Colts, and Texans that will be fighting for their seeding.
