Minutes after the Ravens wrapped up a 17-12 victory over the Carolina Panthers on Aug. 12, Jalen Parmele had a few unkind things to say — about himself.
"I apologize for my [poor] performance tonight," the running back wrote on his Twitter account. "I will bounce back."
Parmele had plenty of reason to be upset. He totaled minus-7 yards on seven carries against the Panthers and did not catch a single pass. Perhaps more significantly, he had one fumble returned 31 yards for a touchdown by Carolina cornerback C.J. Wilson in the third quarter.
"You've got to know when you mess up and you've got to know when you make mistakes and you've got to own up to them," Parmele said of his Twitter musings. "That's all I was doing. I know I made mistakes out there and I know that I've got to go to the next game and correct them."
Parmele has worked this week on strengthening his game in two areas. He acknowledged that he allowed a downpour that drenched M&T Bank Stadium to affect him mentally. He also said that he ran with his elbows away from his body, which allowed the ball to be stripped from his hand.
"I'm really making sure that I have my elbows in when I get the handoffs and making sure that I've got it secured," Parmele said. "That was the issue. My elbow was out right after I got the handoff. So that's something I've been really stressing on this week."
When informed of Parmele's critical self-review, running backs coach Wilbert Montgomery didn't seem surprised.
"In his eyes, his performance wasn't good enough, and if he feels that way, he knows what things he can improve on and what things he messed up on," Montgomery said. "In a critical eye, if he was that hard on himself, then he knows that he could've done better. Individually, I think all players do that and they know that they've got room to improve. I'm just hoping that improvement comes the next time he's out on the field."
Parmele will get a shot at redemption Saturday night, when the Ravens visit the Washington Redskins. He said he is anticipating the opportunity.
"It's another chance for me to show what I can really do," he said. "I've put the last game behind me and now I'm moving forward to show that I improved and to show them the running back that I know I can be."
Linebacker uncertainty
Jameel McClain, Tavares Gooden and Dannell Ellerbe have not been informed who will start at inside linebacker Saturday night.
"I don't know," said McClain, who started against the Panthers. "We don't ever know who's going to start. So we just go out there and be ready for whoever is going to get the call."
Gooden took reps with the first defense Tuesday but sat out Wednesday's session with neck stiffness and appeared to be limited Thursday. Ellerbe joined the first defense Thursday morning.
"It's always good to go out there and compete and have the competition bring out the best in you," Ellerbe said. "I'm just going to go out there and give my best. If I start, I start. If I don't, whenever I get into the game, I'm going to make some plays."
Coach John Harbaugh didn't shed any light on the situation Thursday. "Those guys, as we've said, they've been rotating and playing and competing all the way through camp, so this is a continuation of that," he said. "I think the competition has been good, and they've all played well, so we'll just have to see how it shakes out."
Webb closer to practicing
Cornerback Lardarius Webb is "very close" to coming off the physically-unable-to-perform list, Harbaugh said.
Webb tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee in December and hasn't practiced with the team since. But there were indications that he could come off the PUP list as early as Thursday.
"He's very close. He's right there," Harbaugh said. "That's up to the doctors to make the decision about when he practices. But he's right there, and I know he wants to practice."
Webb made significant progress this past week, when the team increased his number of workouts to twice a day. But the 2009
third-round pick has been cautious during his eight-month recovery.
"I'm just working on my confidence right now," Webb said.
F. Washington returns
While Webb's impending return remains shrouded in mystery, the team will welcome back at least one of its projected starting cornerbacks against Washington.
Fabian Washington declared his surgically repaired left knee healthy enough to allow him to play and start Saturday night. He practiced Thursday morning but rested in the afternoon.
"I've been feeling pretty confident in it for the last couple of weeks," said Washington, who tore his anterior cruciate ligament
Nov. 22 against the Indianapolis Colts. "You've just got to go out and play, and I've been doing everything you possibly can do on it. I've been falling, diving, everything. So I feel pretty confident about it."
Harbaugh said he is eager to see how Washington holds up. "Even when you don't go full contact, it's full speed for a corner and the things that he does, and Fabian has had no problems with that," Harbaugh said. "But a game is different."
End zone
Wide receiver Mark Clayton (ankle) and rookie tight end Ed Dickson (groin) sat out Thursday morning's practice at McDaniel College in Westminster, but their injuries are not expected to keep them out of the game against the Redskins. … With offensive tackles Jared Gaither (strained back/back spasms) and Oniel Cousins ( headache) missing another day of practice, Tony Moll lined up at right tackle with the first offense. … Center Matt Birk (neck tightness), fullback Le'Ron McClain (back tightness) and cornerback Chris Carr (left hamstring) returned to practice. Linebackers Tavares Gooden (neck tightness) and Prescott Burgess (unspecified) also participated. … Orioles pitcher Jeremy Guthrie attended Thursday morning's practice. … Linebacker Ray Lewis announced the opening of a commercial real estate group, RL52 Realty, based in Boca Raton, Fla.
edward.lee@baltsun.com
Baltimore Sun reporter Jamison Hensley contributed to this article.