AP

Despite being listed as questionable — technically, 50-50 — to play on Sunday against the Patriots, Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco remains expected to play despite a knee injury suffered Monday night in Detroit.

Per a league source, Flacco “feels strongly” about playing, and he won’t play only if “something happens” to the knee on Saturday.

It’s possible, but not likely, that Flacco could twist or wrench or bang the knee in a way that exacerbates the mild MCL sprain.

So why list him as questionable and not probable? Apart from the fact that “probable” technically means that it’s virtually certain the player will be available for normal duty, there’s a chance that the Ravens have opted to try to out-Patriot the Patriots.

New England routinely lists multiple players as questionable. Some believe that the Patriots know which of the players who are listed as questionable will play and won’t play, and that the Patriots use the “questionable” designation to keep the opponents guessing for as long as possible about a player’s availability.