Ray Lewis sat out again Sunday versus the New York Giants, and he won't see the field next week in Cincinnati either.
With the Ravens sealing a home playoff game via Sunday's 33-14 victory against the New York Giants, Head Coach John Harbaugh immediately ruled Lewis out.
"We will not look at him again for this week. We'll look at him [for] the playoffs," Harbaugh said.
"It's an injury that is a 12- to 16-week injury. So, if you do the math going back, we thought there was a chance. He is progressing really well. I'm not saying he couldn't have played the last couple of weeks, but it would've been risky to reinjure it. The fact that there was some patience on Ray's part and our part, it turned out well."
Lewis injured his triceps* *on Oct. 14 versus Dallas. Next Sunday's game against the Bengals would mark 12 weeks. Returning in two weeks would put him right in the middle of the projected timetable.
Lewis said last week that he would play as soon as doctors opened the door, but the Ravens now have the luxury of waiting.
"It's hard," Harbaugh said. "He wants to play. Nobody wants to play more than Ray, but Ray sees it for what it is, and he sees the big picture."
Harbaugh was asked whether there's a chance Lewis might not play even once the playoffs roll around in two weeks.
"There's always a chance. We can't say right now for sure," Harbaugh said.
Inside linebackers Josh Bynes and Brendon Ayanbadejo continued to see increased snaps with Lewis out. Getting Dannell Ellerbe back allowed Bynes and Ayanbadejo to at least share the role.
In his first game back from an ankle injury, Ellerbe tied for the team lead in tackles with five. Ayanbadejo notched one of the Ravens' three sacks.
"I guess I'll be playing a lot [in Cincinnati]. Dear God," Ayanbadejo said with a laugh. "It's a positive thing. The coaches will come up with a great scheme and the players will go out there and execute it. The ones who aren't executing it will be chilling on the sidelines cheering like Ray does."
The Ravens didn't suffer any serious injuries, according to Harbaugh. Wide receiver Anquan Boldin suffered a shoulder injury after making a diving catch for a first down about midway through the third quarter. He was pulled from the game thereafter.
"Right now everything looks like it's minor," Harbaugh said.
