OWINGS MILLS, Md. -- Stuck on the sideline in full uniform, Willis McGahee was prepared to do anything to get into Sunday's game against the Cincinnati Bengals.
The Baltimore Ravens starting running back was only four weeks removed from arthroscopic surgery on his left knee, but he desperately wanted to play in the season opener.
Especially watching backups Ray Rice and Le'Ron McClain rip off huge gains against Cincinnati's porous defense.
"I saw Le'Ron and Ray getting those nice runs," McGahee recalled Wednesday, "and I had that itch."
So McGahee resorted to a move that's used in every football league from Pop Warner to the NFL. He positioned himself in front of his head coach, helmet in hand.
McGahee said John Harbaugh just smiled and told him, "We're only going to use you if something happens."
McGahee knew it was the right decision, but that didn't make it any easier to take.
"I just had to sit back, pace the sideline and eat sunflower seeds," he said.
McGahee expects to get his first action of the season Sunday against the Houston Texans, and if nothing else, he will be fresh -- and eager to make up for lost time.
"I want a full workload, but that's something the coaches have to figure out," he said.
"Even though we put up a lot of yards without Willis, what I'm saying is, how many yards would be have put up with Willis?" center Jason Brown said. "How many yards are we going to put up with Willis? All of us can't wait for him to get back out there on the field."
Filling in nicely
McGahee missed the entire preseason after undergoing knee surgery in Florida. He hoped to be back for the opener, but the Ravens opted to rest him for one more week before thrusting him back into action.
"I didn't think it was going to be as frustrating as it was," McGahee said. "The offense was looking good, we were moving the ball. I had to go sit down and not look at the game. I was like, 'Keep calm, keep calm."'
McGahee was obviously delighted that the Ravens won, but he couldn't hide his displeasure about not contributing.
"I knew it was hurting him," Brown said.
Rice started and finished with 64 yards, McClain had 86 and even quarterback Joe Flacco had a 38-yard touchdown run. Whether it was the generous Cincinnati defense, the game plan of offensive coordinator Cam Cameron or a stellar effort by the Ravens line, the addition McGahee can't do anything but make the Ravens running attack even better.
"Willis is a great back, hands down," Brown said. "He has extraordinary vision, he's going to be able to see those holes and go right through there, going north and south immediately."
Wide receiver Derrick Mason said, "We have all of our weapons healthy and ready to go. The only person we were missing was Willis. To have Willis, our main back, is good for the offense."
Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press
