Harbs: Ed Reed Ready For Comeback

As much as they could have used him against the NFL’s top passing attack, the Ravens are confident that safety Ed Reed will be ready to return to the defense as originally scheduled.

Reed participated in part of warm-ups before the Ravens’ 31-17 win over the Denver Broncos, and he ran and cut in a manner suggesting he is fully recovered from offseason hip surgery.

“I think he’ll be ready to go,” Ravens Head Coach John Harbaugh said of Reed after the game.  ”Obviously, you never know until the guy gets out there and starts practicing the football stuff.

“But based on the way he’s moving around now, I don’t see any way he won’t be ready to go.”

Reed has been doing more and more work on the sidelines of practice over the past several weeks. While he still cannot practice with the team because he is on the physically unable to perform list, Reed has stated his interest in returning before his six-game limit.

The six-time Pro Bowler actually lobbied the NFL Players Association to come back early, but was denied.  He must wait to officially rejoin his teammates and fully participate in any practice after the Week 6 deadline.

The Ravens did a solid job against Denver’s Kyle Orton, who leads a pass game that averaged 339.5 yards a week, limiting him to 314 yards built in part to two long bombs to receiver Brandon Lloyd (for 42 and 44 yards).

And even without Reed, entering Sunday’s game, Baltimore owned the league’s stingiest passing defense (119.0 yards per game).
Still, the sure-handed Reed could boost the interception total for the secondary.

Through five games, no member of the defensive backfield has an interception, although Fabian Washington might have nabbed one or two had he secured a few deflections on Sunday.

“When Ed comes back, it just adds more depth to us, and the bottom line is, whether Ed catches [interceptions] or whoever else, we just need to catch the ball,” said linebacker Ray Lewis.  ”We had too many dropped interceptions today.  People are making this big emphasis about turnovers; turnovers are just about catching the football. You’re going to have your opportunities, and we had many opportunities today.”

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(baltimoreravens.com)