Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Steve Smith Sr. is expected to play Sunday against the San Francisco 49ers, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter.
"To be honest, my expectation of playing is very low," Smith Sr. said Friday, via the Baltimore Ravens' Twitter account. The Baltimore star receiver sustained small fractures in his back against the Pittsburgh Steelers back on Oct. 1. Smith missed last week's loss to the Cleveland Browns, and the Ravens are desperate for a win at 1-4.
Smith's return opens up the offense for Joe Flacco and gives him a legitimate deep threat weapon. In four games played this season, Smith has caught 29 passes for 373 yards with two touchdowns. He also has seven receptions over 20 yards and is averaging 93.2 receiving yards a game.
The Ravens will look to take advantage of a weak San Francisco pass defense on Sunday. The 49ers are ranked 30th in the league in terms of passing yards given up per game. The Ravens will look to establish the run first with running back Justin Forsett, as he had a huge game rushing for 121 yards last week.
It will be interesting to see how the Ravens use Smith on Sunday and if he will be limited by a snap count. Smith has consistently proved throughout his career the kind of tough player he is, but playing with small fractures in his back may cause him to play more cautious on Sunday.
