Ray Lewis & Ed Reed reunion timed perfectly for Ravens

BALTIMORE (AP) — On the same day the Baltimore Ravens welcomed back members of the 2000 Super Bowl team, linebacker Ray Lewis — the lone remaining active player on that squad — celebrated a return of a different sort.

Lewis was joined in the Baltimore huddle by Ed Reed, who made his long-anticipated season debut Sunday against the Buffalo Bills. After missing six weeks recovering from hip surgery, the six-time Pro Bowl safety intercepted two passes, forced a fumble and made four tackles in a 37-34 overtime victory.

Just as important, Reed reclaimed his role as field general of Baltimore's defensive backfield.

"There's no greater leader back there to command," Lewis said. "Ed came in and made some great plays. And just him being back there, communication picks up and things like that. It's always big getting a personality like Ed back."

When the Ravens (5-2) return from Sunday's bye to host the Miami Dolphins on Nov. 7, Lewis and Reed — who own a combined 24 years of experience — will head the chain of command on one of the league's most feared defensive units.

"They are great leaders. And I'd put two more guys in that category: Haloti Ngata and Terrell Suggs," coach John Harbaugh said. "Those are four star players in this league that are great leaders and have great work ethic."

Ngata has become one of the premier defensive linemen in the NFL and Suggs is a formidable pass rusher, but Lewis and Reed are game changers. Lewis is on course to lead the Ravens in tackles for the 13th time in 15 years and Reed has a knack for converting turnovers into touchdowns.

"It was pretty cool to see Ed out there doing his thing," Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco. "He's been doing that for a while."

In an effort to reach the Super Bowl for the first time since that landmark season a decade ago, the Ravens worked this offseason to improve a passing attack that was lacking in 2009.

The maturation of Flacco, along with the addition of receivers Anquan Boldin and T.J. Houshmandzadeh, has made Baltimore's offense much more versatile. When injured speedster Donte' Stallworth — another newcomer — comes back in a week or two from a broken foot, the Ravens' air game should be even better.

"Everybody knows Donte' is a fast guy. He's able to stretch the field," said Boldin, who leads the Ravens with 38 catches and five touchdowns. "He just brings another playmaker to the offense."

But it is the defense, led by Lewis and Reed, that will ultimately be responsible for guiding the Ravens to the playoffs for a third straight season.

Such was the case against winless Buffalo. Even though the Ravens yielded more than 500 yards and 34 points, Reed repeatedly took the ball away from the Bills and Lewis forced a fumble in overtime that set up the game-winning field goal.

Reed expects to contribute even more after a welcome bye.

"It's kind of like I'm going through training camp right now," he said. "I'll take this week to get even more healthy."

The Ravens are playing this season without cornerback Domonique Foxworth (torn ACL) and top draft pick Sergio Kindle (fractured skull). But special teams standout Brendon Ayanbadejo returned Sunday from a leg injury, Stallworth is nearly ready to contribute and linebacker Tavares Gooden could be back from a shoulder injury as soon as next week.

"We're pretty much totally healthy as a team," Lewis said. "I think Tavares will probably be the last one that we've got to get back. Just sitting where we are, kind of what I told the guys, bottom line is, to go through the stretch that we went through and now to be sitting at 5-2, completely healthy, you can't ask for nothing more."

Over the first seven weeks, Baltimore beat the New York Jets and Pittsburgh on the road, lost away games to New England and Cincinnati by a combined eight points, and went 3-0 at home.

"We're right in the thick of things," Boldin said. "We're right at the top, so we're still in a position to achieve all the goals that we set out at the beginning of the season."

The main objective, of course, is to reach the Super Bowl. Then, maybe a decade from now, this team can have a reunion of its own at the stadium.

"It's good to see those guys come back," Ngata said, "because that's where we want to get to."

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(baltimoresun.com)