[Blogs] No Player Tougher Than Yanda

[BR News]

Marshal Yanda hardly practiced last week because he was in so much pain. The Pro Bowl right guard has thigh and rib contusions, and the rib injury makes it difficult for him to breathe.
 

The pain was still there on Sunday, but Yanda decided to suit up and play through it, and it took no time to see how important he is to the Ravens’ offense.

On the fourth play of the game, Yanda came off the line and delivered a crushing block on Bengals linebacker Rey Maualuga to free running back Ray Rice, who took the carry 70 yards for the touchdown and early lead.
 
“Marshal Yanda shouldn’t even be playing,” Rice said after the game. “It was huge. The run game is different when he’s not in there. For him to say, ‘You know what, I’m going to tough this one out because I know what’s at stake,’ that shows what kind of guys we have on our team.”

Yanda played a key part in clearing holes for the running game that had another impressive performance, as Rice ran for 191 yards and two touchdowns.

“It was a huge boost,” Head Coach John Harbaugh said about Yanda playing. “He didn’t decide until today. We thought there was a chance he would play, but weren’t totally sure. There’s not a tougher player I’ve been around in 27 years of coaching.”
 
“For Marshal to come back and play when we thought he was going to miss two weeks showed toughness,” quarterback Joe Flacco added. “It really makes you look at those guys in a whole different light and say, ‘Wow.’”
 
Yanda, who was selected to his first Pro Bowl last week, signed a five-year, $32 million contract extension with Baltimore in the offseason. Since then, he’s arguably been the Ravens’ top lineman.
 
“There is a reason why he got paid the money he did. I’m not saying it’s about the money, but it’s well-deserved,” Rice said. “He’s a Baltimore Raven.”
 
The injuries forced Yanda out of the game last week against the Cleveland Browns, and earlier in the week it looked like he had a slim chance of playing in Cincinnati. He didn’t practice Wednesday or Thursday, but returned as a limited participant on Friday and the team rallied around his toughness.
 
“You see him after the game and you see him on Monday, you’re like, ‘We might as well prepare without Yanda,’” Rice said. “But then you get out there Friday, and you know he’s in pain but doesn’t complain, and he’s good to go. That’s the kind of guy he is.”
 
Late in Sunday’s game, Yanda aggravated the rib injury again by falling on it. Again, he played through the pain and helped the Ravens take the AFC North crown to secure a first-round bye and home playoff game.
 
The best part is that Yanda now has two weeks to recover before the Ravens play again
 
“I’m hurting right now, but it’s all good because we won,” Yanda told the Carroll County Times. “That was the goal. That was the objective to play because they needed me. I played and we won and it don’t get no better than that.”

[url=http://blogs.baltimoreravens.com/2012/01/02/no-player-tougher-than-yanda/]View the full article[/url]

[jrs034]

yeah Yanda is a tough SOB and he did really good yesterday for playing injured

[les humility]

Yanda went above and beyond "AFTER" he signed the huge contract. Unfortunately it seems that attitude is all too rare in pro sports these days.

[coreyadams]

@jrs034,

LMAO, a tough SOB! You are right players like him stand tall out of the cameras.

[Ravens♥Legacy]

I had a sigh of relief when they showed that Yanda was starting. So glad our players put the team first. Thanks Yanda!

[scrock]

i hope this extra week helps him recover enough for a playoff run

[ciro]

The whole ravens team performed awesomely. From Webb playing havoc for us in the secondary. Lewis, Suggs, Ngata crushing and batting down balls. RICE, Leach running all over them. Pitta and Smith going up in the air. They all performed at 100%. For Yanda to do the same in his condition? Priceless!! Rest up guys we got to the BIG leagues time to PERFORM!!

[Purple Dawg 96]

Thanx Marshal! Let me know if you need anything, will bring it right to you! Hahahahahahahahaha!!!

[SteadyEd20]

I'm looking at guys like Santonio Holmes who got a huge contract in the offseason and quit on his team yesterday. Then I'm looking at Marshal Yanda who got that big deal in the offseason and how he's out there earning his money and fighting through pain. This man truly deserves to be a pro-bowler and I'm proud he plays Baltimore football. Heal up this week Marshal!

[wgts001]

This is way more brave than what big ben does, yet he doesnt get half the media attention. But as ravens fans we respect him for that!!!

[biggytuffy]

I have been intrigued by a number of players from the day they were signed by the Ravens: Yanda, Reid, McPhee, Kruger and Pitta to name a few. None of them were top draft choices, but all of them fit Oz's Raven profile. I'm not sure, but did I see Pitta on special teams late in the game position himself perfectly to prevent a Cincinnati return? This, after making a number of key catches earlier. And it's great to see Dickson and Pitta down field blocking when Rice does his thing. It's a given that the 1st and 2nd round picks perform as expected, but these guys continually perform above expectations and it does my heart good.

[baltravens]

I am proud to know the players and the staff know how to approach the playoffs with the bye week intelligently. I predicted in August that we would make it to the Super Bowl, and I am sticking to that!

[RexGdubb]

yanda jus go home&relax u&the ravens deserve this bye.

[raylewisforprez]

yanda just went mans game. get well bro, were going to need ya.

[cobrajet]

IMHO, we have the best guard tandem in the NFL. They have both played through painfully nagging injuries and have performed at the highest level. I have mad respect for these guys.

[ZooDane]

Admittedly I was concerned last year when we signed Yanda to his big deal. I thought he was an above average guard, but I thought that Grubbs was head over heels better than Marshall. And with our cap issues I knew we likely wouldn't be able to resign Grubbs the following year. With Rice being the key to any offensive momentum we have, he will get a huge contract next year. So that all but ensures that Grubbs will not be back next year.

Now I'm beyond happy we stuck with Yanda. He is strong, smart, and a tough guy. The right side of our line will be solid for years to come with Yanda and Oher over there. We just need to spend some draft picks (as boring as it is) on OL this year. If our first round pick isn't spent on a safty or OL I'll be a bit upset (unless we trade back for some additional 2nds and 3rds).

Anyways... Yanda is a great player and we are very lucky to have him.

[Sylkk]

Proud to be a Raven (fan)

[Ravensdog]

Yanda's block to free up Ray Rice for the 4th play of the game TD.... priceless!

[DFence4ever]

Honestly, im not that worried about the AFC. Once we get to the superbowl, im kind of worried about the Saints and the Packers. I'm pretty sure one of those teams will be there, and the way Philip Rivers played around with our secondary, i think its fair to be a little worried.

[sami]

To ZooDane: You can be upset if we dont draft an OL or Safety but Im sure you'll be happy down the road with whoever Ozzie drafts and who he signs to plug any holes we have. This is the Wizard of Oz were talking about here!

[ZooDane]

@sami

Oh yea, I really don't look into any prospects and Oz always does what's right and takes the best player there. No doubt he'll pick us some great players. I just think our defense, even with possibly losing Ray, is still top notch. Rice is they key to our offense, if he doesn't get going no one does. So I'd like to see him get some big guys up front to open up even more lanes.

But no matter what happens I know we'll be getting quality players.

[hughw]

guy`s a beast....

[Mystigo_Dragon]

Yanda is the epitome of an old school football player!

We win in Indy and it will be worth all the pain and sacrifice players like Marshal Yanda Matt Birk, Ben Grubbs, Mike Oher and Brian Mckinnie make!

Rarely cited by the purchase of their numbered jerseys, often singularly maligned if the unit doesn't do well and never taking a play off!

The real heroes are in the "trenches" when a team like the Ravens accomplish what they are trying to do this year - finish as champs!

[RagingRaven52]

love how every one was oh he is getting overpaid and know they barely realize how good he is glad hes a ravens

[ravensfan216]

Knew at one point he was gonna hurt himself.. you always see him diving for blocks on run plays lol.

[creigle]

The blocks by Yanda on both Rice TD's were remarkable. He went to the LB's and took them out of the plays. Gurode is a good insurance policy, but without Yanda I don't see those to TD's happening.

[mettro79]

Yanda definitely gets Kudos for his effort. I hope this upcoming rest will give him enough time to heal.

[btfan2]

I was so worried that Yanda wasn't going to play, what a sigh of relief when he was in the line-up. No disrespect to any next man but; M Yanda is da man!!

Oh yeah to all those talking tv heads dissing the Ravens, you know who you are. So sure the Ravens were toast. The young talented Bengals at home would crush the crumbling black birds. There must have been an awful unexplainable mix up, seems we just didn't get the memo.

Even after we won all I hear is the praises of Dalton, gee 50% completion rate game losing fumble. All that talent and leadership and oops they still lost hmmm....... Seems no one even noticed that?? hmmm....

Joe played a great smart game, never lost composure. One of the jerks says Flacco is just to inconsistent. Do these guys watch any football. Do they see Rivers throwing the ball in the dirt, the stands to the defenders, or for that matter Romo, Brees, Brady, Rogers, Saint Tebow. Pay attention they all make bad throws, bad decisions, have bad days. Get over yourselves.

Does Ray Rice with a 190 day or Williams even get a nod after 10,000 yards. Disgusting.

My final Rant. Whats with Marvin Lewis?? How about some credit where credit is due. We beat you, on your turf with your wonder boy QB and your wonder boy WR in the cold and the wind. PS Marvin I saw more then one hold that wasn't called on you guys. YOU lost -- Man Up!!

Whew - I'm ok now, just needed to vent a little. sigh...

[CQ1]

Thanks Marshal ! Great Job....Get well soon !

[Yoonkeem]

that is a man