The Ravens are 4-0 since Ray Lewis was sidelined with a toe injury, but that doesn't mean the team isn't "very hopeful" he'll return for the stretch run. And, according to a report Wednesday, Lewis will be back on the field Sunday night in San Diego.
Lewis, who told reporters he's "feeling way better" Tuesday, is expected to play Sunday, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.
However, Lewis was non-committal on returning when asked Tuesday at a charity event near Baltimore.
"I'm feeling way better," Lewis said, per the Baltimore Sun. "Way better. I thought I had a good chance the last four weeks to play, but the coaches are going to make those decisions. They're just being smart. I don't mind being smart. The warrior side of me of course is always going to want to get back out there."
The Ravens, at 10-3, are in a dogfight with the Patriots, Texans and Steelers for the top spots in the AFC. And their battle with Pittsburgh is even tougher; both are 10-3 and the difference between winning the division and finishing second can't be overstated -- the fifth seed travels on the road and plays an extra playoff game.
Baltimore also got somewhat lucky with the timing of Lewis' injury, as they played the run-heavy offenses of Cincinnati and San Francisco before beating the neutered attacks of Indy and Cleveland in the last two weeks, each by a score of 24-10.
San Diego, who's in a must-win situation, presents a much more difficult problem for the Baltimore defense, particularly they way they've played the last two weeks.
It was previously believed Lewis could be kept out as long as Week 17, but at the time, the Ravens intimated that if the game against the Chargers was "big" then he could return. Clearly, this qualifies as a "big" game, particularly with the Steelers not playing until Monday.
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