There was a lot of outrage this week when Ray Lewis made the Pro Bowl team over Brian Cushing.
Lewis missed four games with a toe injury, so that was a good argument against him. But it’s also worth remembering that Lewis was enjoying his best season in years before he got hurt and was on his way to earning that honor.
Unfortunately, Lewis has looked like a different guy since returning to the field two weeks ago.
“It’s obvious that the toe injury hasn’t healed completely and he can’t push off,” one opposing coach told Mike Preston of the Baltimore Sun. “The toe is not ready. If you look back over Ray Lewis’ career, one of his biggest assets was being able to get off blocks and run. Now, he can’t get off blocks because he can’t push off.”
Lewis has not looked like himself the last two weeks. The Ravens may have been better off resting Lewis more before the playoffs, but it’s too late for that approach now.
The best Baltimore can hope for is a win in Cincinnati Sunday, so that Lewis gets a week to rest. That may not be long enough to get the old Ray Lewis back again this season.
