No time for Ravens’ Lewis to rejoice

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. – Ray Lewis(notes) was in full postgame sartorial splendor: a three-piece, multi-color, multi-pattern, multi-fabric suit with a fedora that matched the jacket, of course. Mere mortals can’t pull off such an outfit. Lewis somehow made it look professorial, a man in full.

He’d just delivered four solo tackles, nine assists and a sack in the Baltimore Ravens’ 33-14 humbling of the New England Patriots here. He was again and forever the centerpiece of the Ravens’ demolition defense, a seeming rite of January in the NFL. Playoffs come, playoffs go and Ray Lewis hits someone. He would waste little time afterward reflecting, let alone rejoicing, in his eighth postseason triumph though.

His mind was on what was next, a Saturday night showdown in Indianapolis; one star quarterback (Tom Brady(notes)) vanquished, another star quarterback (Peyton Manning(notes)) waiting.

“I will [study] film on the plane going home,” he promised. “I give my team the 24-hour rule, but for myself, it’s back to work.”

My team. As sure as Manning can make the same claim with the Colts, Lewis can with the Ravens. He sets the rules and in some way has for 14 seasons now, since he arrived from the University of Miami to give a fledgling franchise an identity in its new city. As always, the Ravens are about defense, trying to duplicate the 2000 season when a club shy on offense won a Super Bowl anyway.

Lewis is 34 now and clinging to his abilities. While he’s still very good, he’s not what he was a decade ago, when he played middle linebacker at a level few have ever achieved. He’s slower and not as strong, yet often he’s just as productive. To compensate, the future Hall of Famer works harder than the rest.

You can see why time is of the essence, why film study would begin before the wheels were up on the team charter plane. There are only so many chances left for Lewis and his Ravens, only so many playoff runs possible. The team missed the postseason four of six years in the middle of the last decade. He knows chances can be fleeting, that Super Bowl runs can come out of nowhere.

So the fact that few people are picking Baltimore to go into Indy and defeat a team they haven’t beaten since 2001 isn’t a big deal to him. Few thought they’d come to New England and crush the Patriots.

This is the era of offense, the playoffs of the quarterback – Manning, Brett Favre(notes), Kurt Warner(notes), Drew Brees(notes), Philip Rivers(notes), Tony Romo(notes) (heck, even rookie Mark Sanchez(notes) with the New York Jets) are the focus. It was the same way with Brady, Donovan McNabb(notes), Carson Palmer(notes) and Aaron Rogers until they were eliminated.

In Baltimore though, it’s old school. It would be that way even if Joe Flacco(notes) wasn’t nursing a contusion to one of his quadriceps that has severely limited him (he was just 4-of-10 for 34 yards against New England).

This team’s focus is on its ability to stop the ball and that unit’s focus is Lewis. He isn’t the best player anymore; Ed Reed(notes) and others are in their prime. He is the leader though – from giving one of his patented speeches in the huddle before a critical third down, to fanatical midweek preparation, to setting the tone on the postgame flight.

“We know what is going to be coming up next week playing in Indy,” Lewis said. “We know that [Manning] is probably best quarterback in the last 10 to 20 years. So here we go again.”

Indeed, here he goes again.

Around the Ravens, they marvel at Lewis’ consistency, his determination, his ability to remain motivated week in and week out, for years on end. They try to remind themselves not to take him for granted. For nearly a decade and a half the franchise hasn’t had to worry about the middle of its defense.

“I’d like to know if there has ever been a linebacker that has done it like this for this long and played this many snaps,” coach Jim Harbaugh said. “He never comes off the field. I just think he works hard at it. He’s in tremendous condition, and he knows the game probably better than any linebacker that has ever played – all parts of it – run game, pass game, the whole deal.”

Lewis’ reputation hinges on his intensity, yet he’s spent this postseason encouraging perspective. Maybe he’s getting nostalgic. Maybe he thinks playing loose is the only way for Baltimore. Whatever it is, he’s replaced those do-or-die pregame speeches with constant reminders to “have fun.”

“Grab those moments,” he’s told teammates. “Have fun with these moments.”

No one knows how many more moments there will be for Lewis. He doesn’t care right now. There is another, Saturday in Indy where a fresh challenge awaits, this time trying to force Manning into the same mistakes as Brady.

“Peyton will be their key,” Lewis said.

He didn’t look worried when he said that. He looked excited. It’s January, it’s the playoffs and Lewis is still prowling behind the line of scrimmage. He’s made many (although certainly not all) forget about off-field issues with on-field endurance. He comes to compete. He comes to play. He comes to win. Always.

“A great journey,” he called it, this season, this career. Now it’s onto Indianapolis – one more chance, one more playoff game for the old middle linebacker. One more here we go again for Ray Lewis.

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(yahoosports.com)