Raiders key matchup No. 2: Curry vs. Rice

EDITOR'S NOTE: This is the second part in a series that spotlights three Raiders-Ravens matchups to watch Sunday, 10 a.m. (CBS), at M&T Bank Stadium.

Matchup No. 1: Carson Palmer vs. Terrell Suggs
Raiders LB Aaron Curry vs. Ravens RB Ray RiceTale of the tape
Curry (51): 6-foot-2, 255 pounds, fourth season, Wake Forest
Rice (27): 5-foot-8, 212 pounds, fifth season, RutgersLast week, the Raiders got a taste of Ray Rice's heir apparent in Tampa Bay rookie Doug Martin, who blew Oakland's doors off with 251 yards rushing.Aaron Curry did not play.This week, the Raiders get the original version of Rice. And Curry, who was activated off the PUP list on Tuesday, is expected to play. And he's expected to provide a spark after working at all three linebacker positions in practice the past three weeks. At least, that's the hope. And need, especially with defensive tackle Richard Seymour out with a hamstring issue.NEWS: McFadden, Goodson, Seymour out
"Ive been studying all positions across the D-line, across the linebackers, knowing the secondary," Curry said this week. "Ive had nothing else to do but study football, which has been good. Which I think was the purpose of all this, was for me to learn football more in depth, to give myself an advantage, that when its time to go, Ill be a step ahead of everybody."They can count on me, whether Mike (middle linebacker), Will (weakside linebacker), Sam (strongside linebacker), anything. Im just here to step in and just be energy and just be a positive energy."Rice, meanwhile, is averaging 6.1 yards per carry against the Raiders in his career, and has also caught seven passes for 56 yards in the two games.The Ravens have won 14 straight home games, 22 of 23 regular season games at M&T Bank Stadium, and they are 13-2 when Rice rushes for at least 100 yards. And, oh yes, he needs just one yard to join Jamal Lewis (7,801) as the only players in club history with 5,000 career rushing yards.So, yeah, the Raiders are going to need Curry's energy to combat that of Rice."If theres a football on the field and somebody needs a breather," Curry said, "Im out there."