Ray Lewis says he doesn't really worry that most people think the Ravens aren't playing their best football, or that they aren't playing up to their true potential. Winning ugly is still winning.
In fact, strange as it may sound, Lewis says he sees some similarities between the 2010 Ravens and the 2000 Ravens.
"We can go back 10 years ago," Lewis said. "I don't believe it's about playing your best game. I believe it's about [doing whatever you've got to do] to win. When you go back to 2000, there were games we weren't suppose to win, but we won. Think about the divisional round against Denver [in 2000]. Who draws up a play of Shannon [Sharpe] catching a ball off a bounce? You don't draw up those plays, but it happens. It happens because of what you've been through as a team, and how hard you feel that you've got to keep climbing that mountain. Whatever we feel about having our best game, I think our best game will come as long as we keep winning."
Lewis has been increasingly philosophical lately when talking to, or even about, his team. Each week, he mentions the journey he believes the Ravens are on and invokes themes of destiny and sacrifice. Before the Ravens played New Orleans, Lewis got up in front of the team the night before and gave an emotional speech about not knowing how many opportunities you have left as a player, and that his young teammates needed to realize this might be the best chance they'd ever have to make the Super Bowl.
"When you find yourself back [in the playoffs], the message starts to be simple," Lewis said. "What will you sacrifice for your team? What will you give up for that ultimate prize? In three weeks, there will be an NFC Champ, there will be an AFC Champ, and that's it. What will you give up to be one of those teams? ... We have that opportunity now. We're back in the dance for the third year. Let's finish now, because we've done everything else. We've been to the AFC Championship. We've been to the divisional rounds. We've done everything we're supposed to do. What's next for us? The next step is to finish."
Lewis said that, even though the Ravens haven't been perfect this season, the experience they have on their roster will truly count now that they're in the post-season.
"Talent is one thing," Lewis said. "Your first, second, third quarter, talent is great. But then the fourth quarter, experience and playoff knowledge on what you do in those tight situations, that's where it all clicks in."
Injury updates
Like most NFL teams, the more important the game, the more tight-lipped the Ravens are about injuries. That's especially true this week. Though they have several players hoping to heal in time for Sunday's game with the Chiefs, they'd rather not talk about how it's going.
Josh Wilson, who left the Ravens 13-7 win over the Bengals with what initially was described as a shoulder stinger, didn't look injured as he ran out to practice in full pads Wednesday. He jogged with a little bounce in his step, holding his helmet in his right hand. But the Ravens cornerback wasn't about to reveal what was wrong with him. When the injury report was released late Wednesday, Wilson was listed as having a concussion.
"I'm not answering any questions, man," Wilson said with a big smile on his face. "You'll have to ask Coach [John] Harbaugh how I'm doing. I just follow protocol here. I know who I work for."
Ravens left tackle Michael Oher was similarly tight-lipped. He had a noticeable limp as he walked through the locker room, and his right knee was bandaged and fitted with a brace, but he declined several interview requests, saying he was too busy. He then spent the next several minutes playing bean bag toss.
Oher did, however, did participate fully in practice.
Surprisingly, Terrell Suggs and Matt Birk did not. Both were held out with knee injuries. Haloti Ngata (thigh) and Ed Reed (chest) also missed practice, but that was less of a surprise. Ngata and Reed were pulled out of the Bengals game, but the Ravens said they could have finished the game under different circumstances.
Harbaugh didn't elaborate much on any of the injuries, other than to say he felt good about everyone's chances of playing.
"I'm always optimistic," Harbaugh said. "I'm an optimistic person."
Ed Reed opens up
Reed was one of the few Ravens open to talking about his injury. He said he was appreciative when the Ravens drew Kansas City and a Sunday date for the first round of the playoffs. That's because it meant an extra day for his bruised ribs to heal.
"I'm trying not to let it stop me," Reed said Wednesday, "but it's painful just dealing with it. We'll rehab up until this Sunday — and that was a good reason not to be playing Indy because if we'd have been playing Indy, we'd probably be playing Saturday. And that's the only thing, honestly, I was praying for ..."
The Colts host the Jets in a Saturday night wild-card game. If the Chiefs had not lost to Oakland on Sunday, it would have sent the Ravens to Indianapolis, most likely in the Saturday night time slot.
"Me, personally, I didn't want to go play against Peyton [Manning] in this first round," Reed said. "It's no so much it's Peyton, because I talk to my brother [Colts receiver] Reggie Wayne over there. Me and him are texting back and forth all season, just keeping up with each other. He told me it's got to go through them. So you've got to respect that. They're a great team."
Reed injured his ribs after his second interception against Cincinnati's Carson Palmer on Sunday. Asked if the injury was a bruise or a muscular ailment, Reed said: "It's probably both. I didn't see any fracture, so that was a good thing, but it's definitely both."
D. Reed may need surgery
A torn ligament in David Reed's left wrist may require the Ravens rookie kick returner/wide receiver to undergo surgery.
"It's not getting any better," he said Wednesday before the team's practice. "I might have to get surgery or something."
But Reed, who is wearing a hard brace around the wrist, is holding out hope that he will be able to play in Sunday's AFC Wildcard playoff game against the Kansas City Chiefs.
"It just depends on what they want me to do," he said. "I've never run with the ball in just one hand, and I won't be able to switch it over because it has to be casted up. I want to play. It's the playoffs. I want to play so bad. But I want to be able to contribute [long-term]."
Reed, who led the NFL in kick return average with a 29.3 average during the regular season, said no timetable for surgery has been set, but he is anxious to repair the tendon as soon as possible.
"I don't want this to bother me in the future," Reed said. "I want to get it taken care of as soon as possible, but I don't know."
End zone
The Kansas City Chiefs have signed free agent wide receiver Kevin Curtis and placed defensive back Donald Washington on injured reserve, according to the Associated Press. … Chiefs Pro Bowlers wide receiver Dwayne Bowe and guard Brian Waters were held out with illness Wednesday. ... Comcast SportsNet Mid-Atlantic announced Wednesday it will provide comprehensive postgame coverage of the Ravens' AFC Wild Card match-up at Kansas City with Ravens Postgame Live on Sunday at 4 p.m.
kevin.vanvalkenburg@baltsun.com
Baltimore Sun reporters Jamison Hensley, Edward Lee and Ken Murray contributed to this article.