We thought that it might have been the last we ever saw of the great Ray Lewis, when he went down with a torn triceps back on October 14.
The injury prompted head coach John Harbaugh to say that the 12-time Pro Bowl linebacker was out for the season.
Not so fast.
Reports out of the Ravens organization indicate that Lewis and the training staff in Baltimore have a target date to try and mae a comeback this seaso, just two months after we thought he might be done for. That date would be the December 16 In Week 15 matchup against Pyeton Manning and the Denver Broncos.
Lewis’s return would ertainly be welcomed. Baltimore has been banged up all season long on the defensive side of the ball. Despite the injury issues, the Ravens are in the front of the AFC North with a 9-2 record.
“He is not imminent to return to play (in a game) or anything like that, so to me it’s really a nonstory,” Harbaugh said. “He’ll go out there when he’s ready to practice when the elbow holds up. And when that happens, we’ll let you know.”
The Ravens are currently three games up on the Pittsburgh Steelers and Cincinnati Bengals in the AFC North. That will get a chance to increase this Sunday, when the two teams meet on the field. Baltimore has won four of their five games without Lewis so far this season.
Baltimore can potentially clinch the division title this week with a win over Pittsbugh, combined with a loss by Cincinnati to the San Diego Chargers. We won’t see Lewis in the lineup this week, but just the news that he could come back at some point should make NFL fans everywhere happy and excited.
The Ravens also find themselves into a dogfight with Houston for control of home field advantage in the AFC playoffs. Baltimore is one-game behind Houston for the best record in the conference, with just five games remaining on the schedule.