Ray Lewis Just Keeps Going

Ravens linebacker Ray Lewis has won countless awards, set numerous records.

So one would think setting another – no matter how impressive – would almost slide off Lewis’ back.

But what Lewis accomplished Sunday against the Houston Texans truly hit home for the Ravens’ leader. It’s because at 36 years old, Lewis still takes a whole lot of pride in being an all-around linebacker.

With a sack on the first series of Sunday’s game, Lewis became the first player in NFL history to register at least 40 career sacks and 30 career interceptions. He now has 40.5 sacks and 31 picks.

“It’s a combination of playing with some great people, some great coordinators and me being very versatile and being on the field all three downs,” Lewis said. “Any time you’re called the complete linebacker, that’s the ultimate.”

“You play the game to one day leave a legacy. To set that mark, that’s one of those marks that won’t register to you until you sit back and think about it.”

It doesn’t look like Lewis will be kicking back to soak up his accomplishments any time soon.

He once again leads the Ravens in tackles (42) and has two sacks and one interception this season. Lewis was named the AFC Defensive Player of the Week after forcing a fumble and dominating the St. Louis Rams three weeks ago.

He hasn’t been coming off the field in third-down coverage, and is still intimidating opponents in pass coverage.

“I’m not done, that’s the thing,” Lewis said. “Those [sack and interception] numbers will only get higher.”

Ed Reed and Lewis were talking about their legacy before Sunday’s contest against Houston.

“It’s something we were born to do,” Reed said. “You do other things off the field, business-wise, but football is what we were born to do.
“We’re talking about Ray Lewis. Ray is an awesome player. One of the best football players of all time because he loves this game.”

Lewis looped around the right side of the Texans’ line to register his record-breaking sack for a seven-yard loss on Texans quarterback Matt Schaub. Head Coach John Harbaugh joked that Lewis owes Reed a thank you considering two Texans went to block him and left Lewis open.
“Our guys will joke about that,” Harbaugh said with a laugh.

“He is doing things that are just indescribable. I think he is the greatest linebacker who has ever played the game – I have said it many times. I think he proves it. You look at his [16th] year, he is playing as well as he had ever played, or at least that I have seen in the four years that I have been here. I am not sure that he has ever played any better than this. What kind of statement is that? It’s a big statement.”

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(baltimoreravens.com)