OWINGS MILLS 窶� Although Haloti Ngata is officially listed as questionable for Sunday窶冱 game against the Cincinnati Bengals with a sprained right ankle, the Baltimore Ravens窶� big defensive tackle expressed confidence that his impressive durability streak won窶冲 be stopped.  

In his first interview this week since getting hurt against the Denver Broncos, Ngata rated his prospects of playing as an 8 or a 9 on a scale of 1 to 10.  

窶廬t feels great, actually it feels pretty good,窶� Ngata said Friday after not practicing for the third day in a row. 窶弋here窶冱 not much swelling or anything, just stiffness and soreness. So hopefully, we can get it full to go and I窶冤l go for it.窶�  

If he窶冱 in the lineup, Ngata could provide a major boost to the Ravens窶� run defense against hard-running Bengals running back Cedric Benson.  

Ngata窶冱 ankle didn窶冲 appear to be swollen.  

窶廩opefully, I窶冤l be able to go,窶� he said. 窶廣ll that rest definitely helped my ankle.窶�  

Ngata has started 55 consecutive games, never missing a game since being drafted in the first round of the NFL draft in 2006.  

Naturally, Ravens coach John Harbaugh had no interest in making a prediction about Ngata窶冱 status for Sunday窶冱 kickoff.  

窶廬 wouldn窶冲 be interested in doing that,窶� Harbaugh said when asked to evaluate Ngata窶冱 chances of playing. 窶弋here is a chance.窶�  

If Ngata is sidelined then the Ravens will start veteran Justin Bannan in his place.  

窶弋his ain窶冲 my first rodeo,窶� Bannan said. 窶廬f I窶冦 starting and have to play the whole game, I窶冤l do fine. I窶冤l do what I do, I窶冤l play hard. Haloti窶冱 fine. I窶冦 not even worried about him.窶�  

Meanwhile, the Ravens tried out long snappers Joe Zelenka and Nathan Hodel on Friday as a precautionary measure in case long snapper Matt Katula窶冱 elbow takes a turn for the worse.  

Katula practiced Friday, is listed as probable and is expected to handle snapping duties against the Bengals.  

Harbaugh recalled a game when he was an assistant coach at the University of Cincinnati where kicker David Rowe had to snap against Penn State due to an injury to the regular long snapper.  

窶弩e had to go into a game one time where the long snapper was the kicker,窶� Harbaugh said. 窶廩e was the kicker for kicks and the long snapper for punts. They went after him. He survived.窶�  

Harbaugh doesn窶冲 expect an encore performance with running back Willis McGahee or someone else having to fill in for Katula.  

窶弋hat will not be the case in this game,窶� Harbaugh said.  

The Ravens also listed safeties Haruki Nakamura (strained abdominal muscle) and Tom Zbikowski (illness) as questionable.  

Nakamura was upgraded to full participation after being limited Thursday. Zbikowski was limited again.  

The Ravens listed the following players as probable: linebackers Jarret Johnson (left shoulder) and Prescott Burgess (shoulder), tight end Todd Heap (ankle), fullback Le窶儚on McClain (shoulder) and cornerback Frank Walker (illness).  

The Bengals listed strong safety Roy Williams (forearm) as questionable as well as rookie offensive tackle Andre Smith (foot).  

Cincinnati listed the following players as probable: fullback Jeremi Johnson (sprained left knee), defensive tackle Tank Johnson (foot), safety Tom Nelson (shoulder) and running back Bernard Scott (knee).  

THANKS FOR THE GIFT: Flamboyant Bengals wide receiver Chad Ochocinco窶冱 gift baskets of deodorant for the Ravens窶� defensive backs and linebackers Terrell Suggs and Ray Lewis haven窶冲 caused a big reaction in the locker room.  

If anything, the deodorant was well-received and taken in good fun.  

窶廬t窶冱 just Chad being Chad,窶� cornerback Fabian Washington said. 窶廬t was manly deodorant definitely, it was some Degree. We appreciate it around the locker room.  

窶弃eople borrow deodorant all the time. I gave mine to Willis McGahee. It窶冱 all in fun.窶�  

The last time Ochocinco sent a gift to defensive players was five years ago prior to a game against the Cleveland Browns. He only caught three passes and the Bengals lost the game.  

窶廬 remember that,窶� Washington said.  

Was Ochocinco trying to imply something about the Ravens窶� hygiene?  

窶廬窶冦 kind of stinky, I guess,窶� cornerback Domonique Foxworth said with a smile. 窶廬 wasn窶冲 important to get one of the gift bags.窶�  

HOMECOMING: When wide receiver Kelley Washington played for the Cincinnati Bengals, he had a hard time consistently staying healthy and getting playing time after being drafted in the third round.  

With the Ravens, Washington has developed into a key contributor on third downs.  

窶廨oing back and playing against a lot of the guys I played with, it窶冱 going to be exciting,窶� Washington said. 窶廬t窶冱 good to see them winning consistently and good to compete against them. This is one of those opportunities to show what I have and just try to make the most out of it.  

窶弋hat窶冱 what I窶况e been waiting my whole career for. I窶冦 not going to let this opportunity slip away.窶�  

Washington, 30, was eventually replaced by Chris Henry when he was with the Bengals prior to playing for the New England Patriots for two seasons and catching one pass.  

He窶冱 not looking for revenge on the Bengals as much as vindication.  

窶廬 would like to show them what I can do and what I could have done for them,窶� he said. 窶廬 just want to be productive and I want us to win.窶�  

The Ravens signed Washington after a minicamp tryout over Jerry Porter and Tab Perry.  

Half of Washington窶冱 24 receptions have generated first downs. He窶冱 coming off a four-catch, 58-yard game against the Broncos where he converted three third downs.  

Operating out of the slot, the 6-foot-3, 215-pounder has a distinct size advantage over smaller nickel backs.  

窶廬 like the matchups,窶� he said. 窶廬 can use my size and speed to my advantage.窶�  

Aaron Wilson covers the Baltimore Ravens for the Carroll County Times and the Annapolis Capital.