Ravens' Lewis still leads by example

The Baltimore Ravens defense had been bending but not breaking all game. Now with under 40 seconds to go, the group was determined not to give in.

Four times prior, the San Diego Chargers had reached the red zone against the Ravens defense, and all four times they had been held to field goals. With Baltimore up 31-26, the Chargers needed a touchdown in their fifth visit.

It was 4th-and-2 at the 15-yard line and San Diego already had nearly 500 yards of offense, most of that coming through the air. Yet the Chargers were about to try and sneak 5-foot-6 running back Darren Sproles up the middle.

No doubt, the hearts of Baltimore's defense were beating with authority. However, the heart of the Ravens' unit, Ray Lewis, was about to explode.

San Diego quarterback Philip Rivers dropped back and handed off to Sproles. Lewis was on him milliseconds later, darting through the line and dropping the Chargers back for a five-yard loss.

Game over. Ravens win.

Lewis' 12th tackle and third for a loss was his biggest, as it iced the Ravens' five-point victory and improved Baltimore to 2-0 for a second straight year.

"For my teammates, I told them we would not lose this game," said Lewis. "That was probably one of the greatest plays of my career, because of my team, because of what we did as a team. It wasn't a called blitz. I just read the play."

While the Ravens can't be too happy with their overall defensive performance -- 474 total yards allowed, including 81 on a touchdown catch by Sproles in the first quarter -- they were taken off the hook by Lewis, and not for the first time. After all, he hasn't gone to 10 Pro Bowls, won a Super Bowl MVP and taken home the NFL's Defensive Player of the Year honor twice by just making the small plays.

One day later, head coach John Harbaugh was asked if he still thought that Lewis' play was one of the best he has ever seen.

"I'm trying to think of a bigger one," he responded. "I guess it's as big as it is to the people involved in it. David Tyree's play [in Super Bowl XLII] was probably better for the Giants, but I wasn't on the Giants so I didn't really care. This game mattered -- that play mattered to us. It mattered to the Ravens."

Baltimore now gets ready for Week 3 and a home test versus Cleveland. The Ravens lost three straight after starting 2-0 last year, a stretch that began with a tough overtime defeat in Pittsburgh. While the Browns appear to be an easier opponent on paper, Baltimore does have two tough road games in New England and Minnesota around a home test with Cincinnati on the horizon.

Best believe Lewis will be ready, though.



(sportsnetwork.com)