OWINGS MILLS - The Oakland Raiders will likely be without their top two running backs against the Ravens this weekend.
Darren McFadden and Mike Goodson both suffered high ankle sprains during Oakland's 42-32 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers this past Sunday.
Both missed practice Wednesday, but Raiders coach Dennis Allen said he won't make a decision on either player's availability until later in the week.
"The great thing for me is that I don't have to make that decision right now," Allen said during a conference call. "I'm going to let the week play out and see where they're at at the end of the week. We're taking off [for Baltimore] on Friday afternoon, so I'll know by then whether they're going to be able to play or not."
Even with both healthy, the Raiders' running game has sputtered behind a struggling offensive line.
Oakland is ranked second-to-last in the NFL in rushing offense.
The speedy and physical 6-foot-1, 220-pound McFadden is regarded as one of the AFC's most talented running backs, but he rushed for only 455 yards in the Raiders' first eight games while averaging just 3.3 yards per carry.
Goodson is averaging more than six yards per attempt, but he's carried the ball only 17 times.
If both are sidelined, Oakland will be forced to rely on a combination of fullback Marcel Reece and second-year running back Taiwan Jones.
The two have just two combined carries this year, although the versatile 6-foot-1, 255-pound Reece has 80 catches for 926 yards and six touchdowns in four NFL seasons.
The speedy Jones was a fourth-round of the Raiders in last year's draft.
"They are going to run their offense," Baltimore coach John Harbaugh said. "Whoever they put there at running back is going to run the same plays they are running. They're not going to change their whole offense. They may, obviously, lean in some direction based on which back is back there. Maybe they will sign somebody, but we'll try to defend the offense."
