While North Carolina State teammate Ryan Finley drew his first NFL start at quarterback Sunday at Paul Brown Stadium, rookie middle linebacker Germaine Pratt got his second against the Ravens as the Bengals begin to make some youth movements.
Pratt starts in place of veteran Preston Brown, the first time he hasn't started when available in his two Bengals seasons. But Brown may end up playing a bunch, too, against Baltimore's top-ranked running game. Last time out in Baltimore the Bengals started Brown, Pratt and Nick Vigil at linebacker. In another bow to Baltimore's ground attack the Bengals dressed all nine defensive linemen and de-activated cornerback Torry McTyer.
Slot cornerback Darqueze Dennard was back after missing the Rams game with a hamstring issue and went inside while B.W. Webb moved outside to take injured Dre Kirkpatrick's spot on the corner.
Bengals head coach Zac Taylor decided to stick with John Jerry at left tackle in the rookie Finley's debut and right guard John Miller returned after missing the last two games. With A.J. Green in sweats on the field during pre-game warmups talking to his old Bengals position coach, Ravens quarterback coach James Urban, the Bengals again lined up with Tyler Boyd, Auden Tate and Alex Erickson at wide receiver.
Green did some work before the game after he had been shelved when his ankle flared up following Monday's practice.
Joining Green, Kirkpatrick and McTyer on the inactive list were left tackle Cordy Glenn, third quarterback Jake Dolegala, injured right guard Alex Redmond and right tackle Fred Johnson.
