(Updated: 3:15 p.m.)

OWINGS MILLS, Md. — The Ravens conducted their final full practice of the week in preparation for their Sunday night showdown with the New England Patriots and appeared to be working with their full 53-man squad.

Though they performed their traditional “jersey swap” for Friday’s practice, all players listed on Thursday’s injury report were present and working, including offensive lineman Jah Reid (calf).

Safety Bernard Pollard (chest), cornerback Lardarius Webb (knee), linebacker Jameel McClain (knee), and defensive end Pernell McPhee (knee) were all practicing during the portion of practice open to the media. All four defensive starters were listed as limited participants for Thursday’s practice after sitting out Wednesday.

Listed as full participants on Thursday, linebacker Paul Kruger (back) and left tackle Michael Oher (ankle) were both working and no longer appear to be a concern for Sunday’s game.

Reid was practicing — likely on a limited basis — for the first time since suffering a setback during training camp. The second-year offensive lineman injured his calf during the team’s mandatory minicamp in June and experience two different setbacks that kept him sidelined for nearly the entire preseason.

“As a coach-doctor — that we are as head coaches in the National Football League — you start learning about all these little injuries. I’ve learned that calves take a long time to heal. I was not aware of that. But he is getting back, he is getting closer. So, it will be good to have him back in the mix.”

The Ravens will wear their purple jerseys with white pants on Sunday night as the forecast calls for temperatures to be in the high 50s for the prime-time affair.

The referee will be Bruce Hermansen, who carries 37 years of experience officiating Div. II and III college football games as well as high school and semipro. However, he was responsible for awarding the Seattle Seahawks an extra timeout in the second half of their Week 1 loss at Arizona.

After every Baltimore Ravens victory, Ryan Chell and I take to the airwaves on “The Nasty Purple Postgame Show” on AM1570 WNST.net to offer “Pats on the Ass” to players who have done something to deserve the honor.

We give pats to two defensive players, two offensive players and one “Wild Card”-either another offensive or defensive player, a Special Teams player or a coach. We offer a “Pat on Both Cheeks” to someone who stands out, our version of a “Player of the Game.”

Here are our “Pats on the Ass” following the Ravens’ 44-13 victory over the Cincinnati Bengals at M&T Bank Stadium…

Glenn Clark’s Pats…

5. Bernard Pollard

4. Haloti Ngata

3. Ray Rice

2. Jim Caldwell

1. Joe Flacco (Pat on both cheeks)

(Ryan’s Pats on Page 2…)

As the Ravens begin defense of their AFC North division crown against the Cincinnati Bengals on Monday night and hope to embark on a journey to Super Bowl XLVII in John Harbaugh’s fifth year as head coach, they play the fourth-toughest schedule in the league statistically as their opponents held a .523 winning percentage (134-122) last season.

Expectations remain sky-high in Baltimore, even after a trying offseason than included key injuries and significant departures due to limited salary cap room.

Here are the five biggest questions weighing on my mind for the Ravens’ 2012 season:

1. Is the starting line good enough for the offense to take the next step?

Deemed a priority to upgrade at the beginning of the season, the offensive line remains a major question mark as the Ravens tinkered with various alignments throughout the preseason. Even determining which starting five will line up has been quite a challenge considering the circumstances the organization has dealt with since last January.

The Ravens knew Pro Bowl left guard Ben Grubbs — now with New Orleans — would be difficult to replace as they eventually settled on former Bengals guard Bobbie Williams. Playing with a surgically-repaired right ankle, the 35-year-old has dealt with swelling as scar tissue is still breaking up in the ankle, making you wonder if Williams will hold up over the course of a 16-game regular season.

The bigger surprise has been the uncertainty at the tackle position as the Ravens weren’t satisfied with Bryant McKinnie’s weight and conditioning this offseason and the tackle reported late to training camp, opening the door to the idea of Michael Oher returning to left tackle. All seemed to be straightened out when McKinnie started at left tackle and Oher shifted back to the right side in the third preseason game, but the Ravens surprisingly played hardball with McKinnie by cutting his pay last week, a tactic that nearly led to his departure.

In another twist, rookie Kelechi Osemele revealed Saturday that he expected to start at right tackle against the Bengals, meaning Michael Oher will play on the left side and McKinnie will hold a backup role for now. Osemele played well at the position in the preseason and is the most pleasant surprise of the 2012 draft class to this point, but his insertion in the starting lineup creates the question whether Oher can handle protecting quarterback Joe Flacco’s blind side, which led to the Ravens signing McKinnie in the first place last August.

The Ravens’ handling of their line is unsettling considering the offense is expected to take a significant step forward this season. The combination of Oher and Osemele is more athletic and better conditioned, factors worth remembering when you consider how much they expect to run a no-huddle offense, but much doubt remains about their ability as pass blockers. Though McKinnie is considered a below-average run blocker, he is still the best pass blocker among the Baltimore tackles, which should be the most important factor in trying to protect the most important player on the field.

It’s clear the Ravens have grown tired of McKinnie’s act, but they also didn’t have enough confidence in life without him or they would have pulled the trigger in releasing him last week when he balked at their original pay-cut demand. They appear set to try the younger duo against Cincinnati, but you have to wonder if it will work week in and week out, especially when considering Williams’ health and age at left guard and the fact that there’s no viable option behind him other than Osemele on the 53-man roster.

Even when finally appearing to settle on a starting five moving forward, the Ravens will need to show improvement in short-yardage run situations, an area in which they struggled immensely last season.

Regardless of the factors working against them, the Ravens deemed upgrading the offensive line a major priority in the offseason and even the optimistic takes on the current group couldn’t possibly feel more confident about it than last season’s group.

2. How will the defense find a consistent pass rush without Terrell Suggs?

No one knows if and when the Pro Bowl linebacker will return this season and whether he’ll display the same explosiveness he displayed last season on his way to the 2011 AP Defensive Player of the Year award. His absence has created a gigantic black cloud over a defense ranking among the NFL’s elite annually for over a decade.

The Ravens have used their “next man up” mantra since the news broke about the injury in early May, but they appear no closer to answering their pass-rush question than they were when first learning about Suggs’ partially-torn Achilles tendon. And it’s a sobering thought when you remember the defense will encounter 11 quarterbacks who have made at least one Pro Bowl this season.

Fourth-year linebacker Paul Kruger is being asked to play the strongside linebacker position in place of the departed Jarret Johnson and struggled setting the edge against the run in the preseason. However, an even more disappointing outcome of the summer was the slow development of rookie Courtney Upshaw, who dealt with a shoulder injury for much of training camp. Upshaw appeared overweight and lacked explosiveness coming off the edge and was beaten out by former practice squad member Albert McClellan for the rush linebacker spot.

While no one should have expected Upshaw to immediately enter the league as a poor man’s version of Suggs, the fact that he was unable to show any tangible signs of being a threat as a pass rusher in the preseason is disheartening after he was selected with the 35th overall pick in late April. To suggest Upshaw is a draft bust is absurdly premature, but the Ravens hope the light comes on quickly for the rookie from Alabama to be a bigger factor on passing downs.

In terms of maximizing their pass rush, the Ravens might be better served by scrapping the idea of Kruger at the “Sam” position and allowing him to move back to the rush linebacker spot where he can focus more often than not on simply getting after the quarterback. His 5 1/2 sacks in limited time last season showed he can put heat on the quarterback, but those also came with a healthy Suggs on the opposite side of the defensive line.

Defensive end Pernell McPhee will also be critical to the pass rush as his six sacks last year were a major surprise. The Ravens will elect to use him more extensively on first and second down given his pass-rushing ability, but McPhee also bulked up to 290 pounds to aid in playing the run. The second-year defensive lineman made positive plays in run support in the preseason, but you also wonder how the extra weight will affect the combination of strength and quickness he displayed as a pass rusher last year.

There’s simply no replacing the loss of Suggs and the secondary will be challenged in coverage much more without him tormenting quarterbacks for at least the bulk of the regular season. It’s difficult envisioning the defense maintaining the same level of excellence we’ve come to expect over the years, meaning the offense will be asked to be more productive if the Ravens are to remain a legitimate Super Bowl threat.

3. With the no-huddle attack expected to become a prominent part of the offense, how will it affect Ray Rice’s touches?

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(Updated: 1:30 p.m.)

OWINGS MILLS, Md. — Preparing to play his first NFL game on Monday night, Ravens offensive lineman Kelechi Osemele may play a much larger role than anyone anticipated.

The rookie from Iowa State said he expects to start and play tackle against the Cincinnati Bengals, which is an interesting development after veteran left tackle Bryant McKinnie was nearly released on Tuesday before agreeing to a restructured contract that reduced his 2012 base salary from $3.2 million to $2.2 million. Osemele worked extensively at right tackle this summer while Michael Oher moved to the left side as McKinnie worked with the second team after reporting late to training camp.

“I think so,” said Osemele when asked if he thought he would start. “It looks like it.”

The last extensive action for the starting offense came in the third preseason game against the Jacksonville Jaguars. In that contest, McKinnie started at left tackle and Oher played right tackle while Osemele played left guard and Bobbie Williams shifted to the right guard position in place of the injured Marshal Yanda.

Coach John Harbaugh and the Ravens have said all along that the best five offensive linemen would start and play, and Osemele’s comments would lead you to believe the team has identified the rookie as being part of that group. Of course, his remarks do not guarantee he will actually be in the starting lineup because no member of the coaching staff has confirmed the decision.

When asked on Tuesday about Osemele’s role on the offensive line and whether he might start over Bobbie Williams at left guard, Harbaugh would not reveal the team’s plans. We’ll learn Monday night whether he was hiding the possibility of the rookie starting at right tackle instead.

“I don’t think we will be disclosing that at this time,” Harbaugh said. “But, there will be five guys starting, and we do have a plan.”

It appears that plan may be different than most would have anticipated.

Most offensive lineman have trouble sleeping the day before a game against the Detroit Lions.  The combination of Ndamukong Suh, Nick Fairley, Kyle Vanden Bosch, and Cliff Avril is almost as scary as spelling their names.

Suh and Failey have all the talent in the world.  The sky truly is the limit for those two players.  If Detroit can keep them happy in regards to their contract situations, the two could become the next Williams Wall.

With the recognition Suh receives, Avril and Vanden Bosch often go unnoticed and dont receive the credit they deserve.  Both are high energy players with a lot of pass rushing ability.

Detroit’s defensive line is among the best in football and many Ravens fans were truly concerned after the woeful performance against the Falcons.  But the Ravens clearly made strides in a short amount of time.  In fact, none of the Lions starters registered a sack against the Ravens first team offensive line.

The only remaining question for the Ravens offensive line is Bryant McKinnie.  McKinnie has taken reps with the first team during practice but has yet to play a series with them in a preseason game.  If McKinnie can return, the Ravens offensive line can truly start to gell.

If and when McKinnie returns to the first team offense, Michael Oher will move back to right tackle where he is more suited to play.  The duo of Oher and Marshal Yanda on the right side will give Rice more holes to run through and Joe Flacco more time to survey the field.

If the Ravens want to make it back to the AFC Championship, and hopefully, the Super Bowl, the offensive line must perform at a high level throughout the season.  The Ravens will be facing very talented and proven pass rushers this season and Joe Flacco must stay healthy.

Counting down to their second preseason game on Friday night, the Ravens are still trying to find the perfect combination on their offensive line as they begin their fourth week of training camp.

With left guard Bobbie Williams sitting out Monday’s practice with a swollen ankle, Baltimore showed a new alignment up front as veteran Bryant McKinnie lined up at left tackle and Michael Oher moved back to the right tackle spot in the outside alignment the Ravens used last season. Even more intriguing was who took Williams place at left guard with rookie Kelechi Osemele shifting inside.

Osemele hadn’t worked at the left guard spot since organized team activities and had been used as the team’s starting right tackle with Oher on the left side and McKinnie receiving reps with the second-string line. Coach John Harbaugh downplayed the significance of the new alignment and chalked it up to simple experimentation, but the timing is interesting after Williams struggled against the Atlanta Falcons in the preseason opener last week.

“We’re going to work different combinations,” coach John Harbaugh said. “I think it’s important to look at guys in different spots. In the end, it will pay off for us, because guys will be more versatile, and we want to make sure we don’t miss anything. So, we have an opportunity to do that now.”

Most have predicted that McKinnie will eventually work his way back into the starting lineup, but Osemele has been the biggest surprise among offensive linemen and was complimented by Harbaugh for his play against Atlanta. The Ravens were expected to have Osemele and second-year tackle Jah Reid — who practiced Monday for the first time during training camp — compete for the starting left guard job before they signed the 35-year-old Williams in early June.

With Williams receiving rest and his durability likely coming into question, the Ravens appear to be re-examining their options to find the optimal starting five to protect quarterback Joe Flacco and to open holes for Pro Bowl running back Ray Rice. Despite his struggles in Atlanta, Williams has received positive reviews during camp and had practiced nearly every day this summer.

“That’s where we’re at right now,” Harbaugh said. “We just kind of work in some different guys and combinations and let them compete.”

Cundiff struggles

The rough days have been few and far between for veteran Billy Cundiff and rookie Justin Tucker, but the former experienced arguably his worst day of the summer Monday.

Cundiff went 2-for-5 on field goals including surprising misses from 24 and 34 yards. The 2010 Pro Bowl kicker hooked the 24-yarder wide left and pushed the 34-yard attempt to the right. Cundiff also missed a 52-yard field goal at the end of practice.

Meanwhile, Tucker finished the day going 6-for-7 with his only miss coming from 52 yards in the final portion of the workout. Unlike Cundiff, the rookie from Texas was awarded another try from the same spot and made the second one.

Harbaugh explained what contributed to Cundiff’s miss from 24 yards but also added that the try still needed to be converted.

“That was a real high snap, so that threw his timing off, and Billy was out in front of it,” Harbaugh said. “I think sometimes when you have bad conditions, the kicker will slow down to account for the possibility of a bad snap plus a plant foot sliding. So, a high snap like that [in] good conditions, he really didn’t expect that he was out in front of it, and that’s why he missed it. You still need to make it, but it makes it tougher.”

Defense shines

An impressive touchdown strike from Flacco to wide receiver LaQuan Williams highlighted the offense’s 11-on-11 work Monday, but the defense shined for much of the afternoon workout.

Cornerback Lardarius Webb stood out with an interception of Flacco and several other pass breakups. Safety Sean Considine also picked off a pass when a Flacco pass bounced off receiver Anquan Boldin’s hands on a quick slant pattern.

The second offense struggled just as much, as a Tyrod Taylor pass was thrown behind rookie tight end Matt Balasavage so badly that inside linebacker Jameel McClain began laughing and said, “He tried to catch it with his back!”

Rice clowning around

Perhaps the funniest moment of the day came when Rice was interacting with a young fan in attendance at the team’s Owings Mills facility.

With his backfield mate standing nearby, Rice insisted on trying to convince the spectator that Vonta Leach was his son. Even though the fullback is four inches taller, 48 pounds heavier, and five years older, Rice couldn’t help explaining how great it was to have his “son” playing with him on the same team.

For the record, the young Ravens fan wasn’t quite buying it.

OWINGS MILLS, Md. — The Ravens are getting healthier along the offensive line as veteran center Matt Birk returned to practice on a limited basis Saturday, but what the starting line will look like in September remains in question.

Following a shaky first-half performance in the preseason opener against the Falcons in which the Ravens failed to collected a first down on their first three offensive series, many wondered if we’d see the return of Bryant McKinnie to the starting group with Michael Oher sliding over to the right side to begin gaining continuity.

However, the Ravens continued to use Oher at left tackle with rookie Kelechi Osemele lining up on the right side during Saturday’s practice. Rookie Gino Gradkowski continued to work at center while Birk will increase his workload over the next few days.

Playing with the second unit well into the second half on Thursday, McKinnie continued to receive work with the second-team offense and occasional reps with the starting unit for Saturday’s practice. Coach John Harbaugh is pleased with McKinnie’s progress, but there are no clear signs that the veteran is on the verge of regaining his starting position.

“He’s practiced well,” Harbaugh said. “He’s been durable; he’s made it through all the practices that he’s been in. He played in the game a good number of reps. He’s competing like all those guys are right now, and it’s a competition on the offensive line.”

McKinnie appeared solid in pass coverage and did not seem to labor at any point against the Falcons. Though never regarded as a strong run blocker, the 32-year-old still appears to be the Ravens’ best option in pass protection on the left side.

While many assumed Oher would be the biggest factor in possibly unseating McKinnie in the starting lineup, the 2012 second-round pick Osemele has impressed at right tackle and fared well against the Atlanta starting defense. Not only was it Osemele’s first NFL action, but the Iowa State product had never even attended an NFL game before playing Thursday.

“He played well. He was a rookie, and that was a first experience for him but he handled it really well,” Harbaugh said. “He was calm, didn’t make mistakes, didn’t jump offside, had his assignments right, blocked people well for the most part. I thought he acquitted himself very well.”

While conventional thinking points to the Ravens ultimately reverting back to last year’s alignment at the offensive tackle position, Harbaugh has been adamant in maintaining there’s an open competition. He proclaimed Oher to be his starting left tackle until further notice when McKinnie didn’t report for the first four days of training camp and hasn’t made any comments to deviate from that ever since.

Harbaugh has complimented McKinnie’s work ethic since he reported for camp on July 29, but his general comments about competition during training camp sounded like they could easily have been directed toward last year’s starting left tackle.

“This program is built on competition,” Harbaugh said. “The best guys play, and the guys who are the best are the guys who play the best — presently. You go by what you see, not by what you remember or what you’re told.”

McClellan’s stock rising, Kindle still shaking off rust

Linebacker Courtney Upshaw practiced again on a limited basis Saturday after sitting out Thursday’s game. In his absence, Albert McClellan appears to be gaining ground at the rush linebacker position and started in Upshaw’s place at rush linebacker.

He and Sergio Kindle have rotated reps opposite Paul Kruger, who has primarily manned the strongside backer position, but McClellan fared better than Kindle against Atlanta on Friday. Possessing the ability to play all four linebacker positions as well as to put his hand on the ground as a pass rusher, McClellan continues to turn heads as a defensive player after becoming a special teams standout last season.

McClellan spent the 2010 season on the practice squad after being signed as a rookie free agent out of Marshall in 2010. Now, it appears McClellan is beginning to push Upshaw, who hasn’t practiced without limitations since spraining his shoulder on July 28.

“He’s competing for a starting job,” Harbaugh said. “He’s done nothing to make you think he couldn’t be a starter the way he played and the way he’s practiced. I mean, he’s played really, really well, so that makes it interesting.”

Kindle received extensive playing time against Atlanta but displayed poor positioning on several running plays and struggled to get off blocks when he was asked to rush the passer.

The Ravens will continue to evaluate the 2010 second-round pick, but it’s become apparent he’s fallen behind McClellan on the depth chart.

“He started off a little shaky [on Thursday],” Harbaugh said. “He had a couple missed assignments that led to some of their conversions a little bit. That was to be expected. We knew we were going to have that in this game. We’re going to play him a lot in the preseason. He hasn’t played much football in a long time, so he needs to play. He did pretty well.”

Pierce back at practice

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