OWINGS MILLS, Md. — After returning to the practice field on Thursday, Ravens linebacker Terrell Suggs was listed as questionable on the team’s final injury report going into Sunday’s game against the Washington Redskins.

The 30-year-old linebacker worked on a limited basis two days this week after acknowledging a need to test out his torn right biceps. Suggs described himself as a game-time decision earlier this week.

Coach John Harbaugh was pleased with the progress of the 2011 Defensive of the Year in returning to the practice field and once again deferred to Suggs in determining whether he will play at FedEx Field.

“[His arm] held up real well,” Harbaugh said. “He practiced for two days partially. As far as if you are asking what he is going to do, I really don’t know yet. We’ll just have to see where it goes on Sunday.”

Suggs used the practices to test his range of motion as well as his ability to complete simple football moves such as wrapping with his arms to make a tackle and engaging with blockers at the line of scrimmage in his role a pass rusher.

Teammates were encouraged by the five-time Pro Bowl selection’s work by the end of the week.

“He’s just getting it back,” linebacker Paul Kruger said. “Practice at this point in the season is always going to be a little slower and more low-key for everybody. I think he’ll be back in no time.”

The news wasn’t nearly as good for tight end Ed Dickson and linebacker Dannell Ellerbe as both players were ruled out and will miss their second straight game after suffering injuries in the Ravens’ win over San Diego two weeks ago. Neither have practiced at all over the last two weeks.

“They’re working hard to get back,” said Harbaugh before the two were officially declared out. “We probably thought that they would maybe be back last week, and it didn’t work out. We’ll just have to see for this week.”

Cornerback Jimmy Smith practiced on a limited basis on Friday as he did all week but was listed as doubtful. The second-year defensive back was not expected to play this week in his first workouts since undergoing sports hernia surgery.

The 2011 first-round pick had the surgical procedure on Nov. 15.

“He’s out there practicing [and] did a nice job,” Harbaugh said. “[He] moved around pretty well, broke up some scar tissue and things like that. That’s really important.”

Though not listed on the injury report because he’s ineligible to return to game action until next week, linebacker Ray Lewis practiced again on Friday as it’s appearing far more likely that he’ll come off injured reserve next week against the Denver Broncos.

Originally feared to be lost for the season with a torn triceps muscle in his right arm suffered on Oct. 14, Lewis would be returning to action a little over eight weeks following surgery for an injury estimated to have a recovery time of four months or more. His return to the practice field this week provided a boost to a Ravens team trying to bounce back from a disappointing and rare home loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers last Sunday.

“He moved around really well,” Harbaugh said. “You know Ray is going to stay in great shape. It’s not that long since he’s played, so he moved around really well. It was fun to have him out there. I know I was uplifted by it.”

The Redskins have listed linebacker London Fletcher, cornerback DeAngelo Hall, and offensive tackle Trent Williams as questionable for Sunday’s game.

BALTIMORE
OUT: TE Ed Dickson (knee), LB Dannell Ellerbe (ankle)
DOUBTFUL: CB Jimmy Smith (abdomen)
QUESTIONABLE: CB Asa Jackson (shoulder), CB Chris Johnson (thigh), LB Terrell Suggs (biceps)
PROBABLE: CB Chykie Brown (ankle), LB Josh Bynes (thigh), S James Ihedigbo (calf), WR Jacoby Jones (ankle), FB Vonta Leach (ankle), DE Pernell McPhee (thigh), S Bernard Pollard (chest), S Ed Reed (shoulder)

WASHINGTON
QUESTIONABLE: LB London Fletcher (ankle), CB DeAngelo Hall (ankle/knee), T Trent Williams (thigh)
PROBABLE: WR Pierre Garcon (foot), P Sav Rocca (right knee), CB Josh Wilson (shoulder)

OWINGS MILLS, Md. — A day after acknowledging he needed to find his limit in order to determine how effectively he can play with a torn biceps in his right arm, Ravens linebacker Terrell Suggs returned to the practice field on a limited basis on Thursday.

Wearing long sleeves, Suggs wasn’t wearing a noticeable harness or apparatus on his upper right arm as he went through agility drills with the defensive line during the portion of the workout open to media. The 30-year-old linebacker said Wednesday he considered himself to be a game-time decision for this week’s game against the Washington Redskins.

“You just have to find your limit,” Suggs said. “You have to find out when you can do and what you can’t do. Like I said, right now, I would tell you I feel good and I was definitely playing. It’s not always the case on a Sunday. You have to know what it is you can do.”

The fact that Suggs is back on the practice field so quickly speaks to his determination to play this week, but Thursday will be telling in determining how realistic of an option that will be. The five-time Pro Bowl selection will need to test his range of motion in pads, ability to wrap to make tackles, and how well he can engage with blockers at the line of scrimmage.

As a result, his work on Thursday might as well be viewed as a science experiment in addition to his first attempt to play through a serious injury. And it could potentially loom large in terms of not only his status against the Redskins but moving forward through the rest of the season.

Linebacker Dannell Ellerbe (ankle) and tight end Ed Dickson (knee) were absent from practice once again as neither player as practiced since suffering their respective injuries in the Ravens’ Week 12 win at San Diego.

Cornerback Jimmy Smith (sports hernia surgery) and linebacker Ray Lewis (triceps surgery) were both practicing for the second straight day.

Wide receiver Jacoby Jones, safety Ed Reed, and cornerback Asa Jackson also practiced on a limited basis.

The Redskins upgraded cornerback DeAngelo Hall and offensive tackle Trent Williams to limited participants while linebacker London Fletcher missed his second straight practice this week.

BALTIMORE
DID NOT PARTICIPATE: TE Ed Dickson (knee), LB Dannell Ellerbe (ankle)
LIMITED PARTICIPATION: WR Jacoby Jones (ankle), S Ed Reed (shoulder), CB Jimmy Smith (abdomen), LB Terrell Suggs (biceps), CB Asa Jackson (shoulder)
FULL PARTICIPATION: LB Josh Bynes (thigh), S James Ihedigbo (calf), CB Chris Johnson (thigh), CB Chykie Brown (ankle), FB Vonta Leach (ankle), DE Pernell McPhee (thigh), S Bernard Pollard (chest)

WASHINGTON
DID NOT PARTICIPATE: LB London Fletcher (ankle)
LIMITED PARTCIPATION: CB DeAngelo Hall (ankle/knee), T Trent Williams (thigh)
FULL PARTICIPATION: WR Pierre Garcon (foot), P Sav Rocca (right knee), CB Josh Wilson (shoulder)

OWINGS MILLS, Md. — On the same day linebacker Ray Lewis returned to the practice field, the Ravens also saw second-year cornerback Jimmy Smith in action for the first time since undergoing sports hernia surgery.

Smith practiced on a limited basis Wednesday in his first on-field activity since before having the surgical procedure on Nov. 15. Coach John Harbaugh said earlier this week he expected the cornerback to increase his level of activity, but it was unclear whether he meant Smith would be on the practice field.

“Jimmy Smith continues to get better, so he will be moving around a little this week,” Harbaugh said on Monday. “We’ll see how that goes.”

The Ravens were without three starters as linebackers Terrell Suggs and Dannell Ellerbe and tight end Ed Dickson did not partake in Wednesday’s practice. Suggs declared himself a “game-time decision” against the Washington Redskins as he tries to play through a torn right biceps.

Ellerbe and Dickson were both given “a chance” to return to action this week after missing last Sunday’s loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers. Of the two players, Ellerbe is considered to be further along than the Ravens’ starting tight end.

Since Lewis has not yet been placed back on the 53-man roster, he was not listed on Wednesday’s injury report.

Meanwhile, Washington was missing three starters from its Wednesday workout as top cornerback DeAngelo Hall, middle linebacker London Fletcher, and left tackle Trent Williams all sat out.

Both Hall and Fletcher are dealing with ankle injuries but are expected to be ready to play by Sunday.

BALTIMORE
DID NOT PARTICIPATE: TE Ed Dickson (knee), LB Dannell Ellerbe (ankle), LB Terrell Suggs (biceps)
LIMITED PARTICIPATION: LB Josh Bynes (thigh), S James Ihedigbo (calf), CB Chris Johnson (thigh), WR Jacoby Jones (ankle), S Ed Reed (shoulder), CB Jimmy Smith (abdomen)
FULL PARTICIPATION: CB Chykie Brown (ankle), FB Vonta Leach (ankle), DE Pernell McPhee (thigh), S Bernard Pollard (chest)

WASHINGTON
DID NOT PARTICIPATE: LB London Fletcher (ankle), CB DeAngelo Hall (ankle/knee), T Trent Williams (thigh)
FULL PARTICIPATION: WR Pierre Garcon (foot), P Sav Rocca (right knee), CB Josh Wilson (shoulder)

(Updated: 10:15 p.m.)

OWINGS MILLS, Md. — Less than 24 hours after a disappointing 23-20 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers, the Ravens anxiously awaited the prognosis for injured linebacker Terrell Suggs and his availability for the final quarter of the regular season.

As first reported by ESPN’s Adam Schefter, Suggs suffered a torn right biceps in the fourth quarter of Sunday’s loss and is seeking a second opinion to determine whether he can continue playing with the injury. The five-time Pro Bowl linebacker provided an update via his Twitter account on Monday night.

“Waiting on 2nd opinion,” Suggs tweeted. “Will keep ya’ll posted. Don’t panic! We do this every year! The MISSION is still the same.”

Miami Dophins linebacker Karlos Dansby is currently playing with a torn biceps, but the extent of the damage will determine how realistic it will be for Suggs to stay on the field. According to sports injury expert Will Carroll, the key to playing with the injury will be how much pain Suggs can withstand.

In an ideal world, of course, the Ravens would like to be able to give Suggs time to rest the injury, but they may not have that luxury while fighting for a first-round bye.

“What you do with the biceps, you think of going to the gym and doing curls,” Carroll told WNST.net. “You pull things to you. With a triceps, you push things away. Maybe you can’t wrap a guy up with both arms quite as tight, but you can play a little bit more with a biceps tear. The trick, of course, is pain tolerance.”

Suggs declined to speak to reporters in the locker room following Sunday’s game, only saying he would be “all right.” He didn’t appear to be wearing a sling or other apparatus to protect the arm.

“He has an injury in his upper-arm area,” coach John Harbaugh said during his Monday afternoon press conference. “That’s being evaluated further today. We don’t know the extent of it. We’ve got an idea what it is. It needs to be evaluated as far as coming back and possibly playing this week or not going forward. We’ll just have ot see where that is. We should know by [Tuesday] or Wednesday at the latest.”

The Ravens head coach expressed optimism that it would not be a long-term ailment. Suggs missed the first six games of the regular season while on the physically unable to perform list as he recovered from offseason Achilles tendon surgery.

Reactions to Suggs’ injury were mixed in the Baltimore locker room following Sunday’s game as a few expressed concern that the injury was serious while others believed the 2011 Defensive Player of the Year wouldn’t be sidelined for long.

“I think we are encouraged that it may not be [serious], and we’ll just have to see,” Harbaugh said. “If I knew that for sure or could say it for sure, I would. I just can’t right now, but we have some encouragement there.”

After missing Sunday’s game with an ankle injury, inside linebacker Dannell Ellerbe is expected to have a good chance to return to action against the Washington Redskins in Landover on Sunday.

Listed as questionable, the fourth-year linebacker was declared inactive as Albert McClellan shifted to the inside and shared time with veteran Brendon Ayanbadejo and former practice squad member Josh Bynes. Linebackers struggled in pass coverage as they bit on screen-pass looks and lost receivers over the middle of the field, according to Harbaugh.

Ellerbe is regarded as the Ravens’ best coverage linebacker and is second on the team with 81 tackles this season.

“We anticipate he’s got a chance to get back this week,” Harbaugh said. “We were hopeful for this past game, but it just didn’t work out. [We] took him right to the game day and he was unable to go.”

The Ravens also struggled to replace tight end Ed Dickson, who missed Sunday’s game with a knee injury suffered in San Diego last week. Third-string tight end Billy Bajema was used in Dickson’s place in blocking situations early in the game, but the Ravens appeared to use pass-catching tight end Dennis Pitta in an expanded role as the game progressed.

Harbaugh expressed optimism that Dickson could return to action this week after testing out the knee on Monday.

“Ed Dickson did some running today, so we’re just going to see how the knee continues to develop,” Harbaugh said. “There’s no injury in there; it was kind of a hyperextension deal, so he has a chance [to play against the Redskins].”

Second-year cornerback Jimmy Smith continues to recover from sports hernia surgery and is still on target to return before the end of the regular season.

“Jimmy Smith continues to get better,” Harbaugh said. “He’ll be moving around a little bit this week. We’ll see how that goes.”

Harbaugh also provided a Ray Lewis update, saying the 37-year-old linebacker continues to rehab at the team’s Owings Mills facility.

Lewis was eligible to return to the practice field last Thursday and would be able to come off injured reserve to play against the Denver Broncos in Week 15, eight weeks after he was placed on IR with the designation to return. It remains unclear when the 17-year linebacker will return to the practice field, but media reports over the weekend offered more legs to the speculation of Lewis making his return against Peyton Manning’s Broncos.

“Ray is here rehabbing. We’ll see how that goes this week moving forward,” Harbaugh said. “Nothing to report there. When there is, we’ll let you know.”

I don’t have it in me.

Honestly, I combed over all of my usual spots looking for fun videos, GIFs, etc. for the 15-7-0. I wanted to have one more big roundup to close the college football season. I hope Roofing By Elite will be okay with sponsoring this diatribe instead.

As part of hosting a local sports talk show, I often find myself playing the role of civic therapist. After Baltimore Ravens losses, I’ll regularly hear things like “did you have to spend the day trying to talk everyone off the ledge?”

I’d like to think I’ve been fairly successful in that, although it was certainly come with my share of mini-meltdowns in the process.

I don’t think I’m going to melt down this time. I’m certainly not on the ledge myself.

I don’t think I’m on the ledge, anyway.

Am I on the ledge?

You know what happened. The Charlie Batch-led Pittsburgh Steelers invaded M&T Bank Stadium and used a Shaun Suisham field goal as time expired to pull off one of the more improbable victories of the 2012 NFL season. The Steelers snapped the Ravens’ lengthy win streaks both at home (15) and against AFC North opponents (12). They also prevented the Ravens from clinching a playoff spot in the AFC and pulled within two games of their longtime rival in the race for the division crown.

This one hurt.

With Ben Roethlisberger out again, this was a prime opportunity for the Ravens to vanquish one foe and focus on bigger goals. The Ravens are still in good position to claim the AFC North title this season, but everything the Ravens do this season is being measured by the fact that there is an expectation for them to reach the Super Bowl.

It was tough to imagine a team that struggled to a 9-6 win over the Kansas City Chiefs making a run to the Super Bowl. It’s equally difficult to fathom a team that lost at home to Charlie Batch making a run to the Super Bowl.

(This is the part where civic therapist Glenn Clark reminds everyone that they’re not moving up the date of the Super Bowl to December and it is absolutely impossible that the Steelers and Ravens will both be playing in the game. Sorry. I had to.)

The truth is that the concerns that stem from the Ravens’ loss aren’t dissimilar to those we had experienced earlier in wins and losses. The truth is that those concerns will likely pop up again, perhaps as early as next week in a visit to face Robert Griffin III and the Washington Redskins. The truth is that as long as the Baltimore Ravens were winning games, those concerns weren’t REALLY issues.

The Ravens simply needed to put themselves in the best possible situation to make a playoff run. If the Ravens continued to struggle offensively on the road but won, they’d still be in perfect shape to have to win no more than one road game in the postseason to get to New Orleans.

That’s the NFL. Your issues are only as significant as the record you carry them with. In that way, the Ravens are still in good shape at 9-3; but the nature of how this one went awry makes you worry about the ability for the team to keep winning through struggles.

In a game the Ravens only lost by three points, this one had a little bit of everything…

-Questionable play calling
-Poor clock management decisions
-Shaky quarterback play
-Offensive line lapses
-Inconsistent rushing
-Untimely drops
-Non-existent pass rush
-Awful tackling
-Secondary miscommunication
-Game changing turnovers
-3rd down struggles
-Red zone issues
-Potentially season changing injuries
-A partridge in a pear tree

Okay, maybe not the last one. But the rest were accurate at one point or another.

(Continued on Page 2…)

OWINGS MILLS, Md. — Making final preparations for their second meeting with the Pittsburgh Steelers in three weeks, the Ravens have once again gained the upper hand on their biggest adversary in terms of health as quarterback Ben Roethlisberger was ruled out by Pittsburgh on Sunday.

Tight end Ed Dickson was listed as doubtful for Sunday after missing three straight practices this week as he recovers from a knee injury sustained in last Sunday’s 16-13 win over the San Diego Chargers. The third-year tight end sustained no major ligament damage, but coach John Harbaugh anticipated his practice time to be extremely limited this week.

The Ravens coach offered nothing new on the status of Dickson or inside linebacker Dannell Ellerbe, who is listed as questionable after not practicing all week. Defensive end Pernell McPhee and cornerback Chris Johnson are also questionable against the Steelers after working on a limited basis throughout the week.

“Nothing really new to report on injuries,” Harbaugh said. “All the guys are in the same status as they were early in the week. We’ll just see how they get to Sunday.”

Ellerbe was present for Friday’s practice but did not participate, labeling himself a “game-time” decision on Sunday. He would likely be replaced by some combination of Brendon Ayanbadejo, Albert McClellan, and Josh Bynes in the lineup should he not be able to play.

The fourth-year linebacker injured his ankle in the first half of Sunday’s game against the Chargers and did not return.

“I’m getting better everyday,” Ellerbe said. “The swelling [is better]. They say it’s looking good. It’s just the strength and the pain.”

With Dickson unlikely to play, the Ravens are left with a conundrum at the tight end position in terms of blocking responsibilities as Dennis Pitta is considered a stronger receiver but does not fare well when asked to block. Third tight end Billy Bajema has been active the last two weeks and will likely see time as a blocker against Pittsburgh, but the veteran doesn’t offer much as a receiver. .

The Ravens have held out hope all week that Dickson would be available, but Friday’s designation did not paint an optimistic picture.

“[Dickson] is a quick healer. He is moving around good, so we’re really not going down that road yet,” offensive coordinator Cam Cameron said Thursday. “We’ve got plenty of guys that can block. Dennis can block, Billy [Bajema] can block. If you can’t block, you’re not going to be here. I’m glad we have depth at tight end.”

Meanwhile, Pittsburgh will not only be without Roethlisberger as outside linebacker LaMarr Woodley, right tackle Mike Adams, and backup quarterback Byron Leftwich were also ruled out. This means former New England quarterback Brian Hoyer — only signed last week — will serve as the backup to veteran Charlie Batch with the Steelers’ other two signal-callers sidelined against the Ravens.

The news of Roethlisberger not being available was no surprise after pessimistic reports about his practice work on Thursday, but Harbaugh offered a humorous and historical take on the Pittsburgh quarterback’s status before he was officially ruled out Friday afternoon.

“I’m expecting to see Willis Reed come jogging down the tunnel,” said Harbaugh, referring to the Hall of Fame center for the New York Knicks who made a heroic return from injury in the 1970 NBA Finals. “That’s the expectation. And if it doesn’t happen, it doesn’t happen.”

As expected, safety Troy Polamalu and wide receiver Antonio Brown were both listed as probable after practicing fully all week and will make their returns to the field after extended absences due to injury.

BALTIMORE
OUT: CB Jimmy Smith (abs)
DOUBTFUL: TE Ed Dickson (knee)
QUESTIONABLE: LB Dannell Ellerbe (ankle, knee, finger), CB Chris Johnson (thigh), DE Pernell McPhee (thigh)
PROBABLE: WR Anquan Boldin (knee), DT Terrence Cody (elbow), CB Corey Graham (illness), WR Jacoby Jones (ankle), TE Dennis Pitta (neck), S Bernard Pollard (chest), S Ed Reed (shoulder), WR Torrey Smith (thigh), LB Terrell Suggs (ankle)

PITTSBURGH
OUT: T Mike Adams (ankle), QB Byron Leftwich (ribs), QB Ben Roethlishberger (right shoulder), LB LaMarr Woodley (ankle)
QUESTIONABLE: T Willie Colon (knee), WR Jerricho Cotchery (ribs)
PROBABLE: WR Antonio Brown (ankle), DT Casey Hampton (illness), S Troy Polamalu (calf), T Max Starks (back)

OWINGS MILLS, Md. — The Ravens will enter Sunday’s game against the Pittsburgh Steelers having not lost a contest at M&T Bank Stadium in 727 days, possessing the longest active home winning streak in the NFL with 15 straight regular-season victories.

But ask anyone with ties to the organization and they’ll tell you the streak should be even longer, as it was the Steelers who last beat the Ravens in Baltimore on Dec. 5, 2010. A run of 23 wins in 24 tries at home is still an incredible feat in the parity-driven NFL, but the efforts of Pittsburgh safety Troy Polamalu helped prevent the Ravens from holding a flawless home record for well over three years.

As the 31-year-old defensive back prepares to make his long-awaited return from a calf injury on Sunday, the image of his sack-and-strip of quarterback Joe Flacco with just over three minutes remaining to set up the game-winning touchdown for the Steelers two years ago will undoubtedly be on the Ravens’ minds. Instead of collecting a couple first downs to run out the clock and collect a 10-6 victory, Baltimore fell victim once again to a big play by Polamalu and lost hold of the 2010 AFC North title and a first-round bye in the process.

“Everybody watching TV at home, everybody in the stadium, you all know you see 43 at the line, four-minute offense, he’s coming,” said linebacker Terrell Suggs in the moments following that 13-10 loss. “It was just like, I hope we have a plan. It just didn’t feel good when I saw that hair at the line.”

Two years later, the circumstances are dramatically different as the Ravens enjoy a three-game lead in the division and can eliminate the Steelers from AFC North contention and put their playoff hopes in serious peril with a win. Polamalu hasn’t played since Oct. 7 and has appeared in only two games this season while the Pittsburgh defense has still managed to remain first in the league in yards allowed.

But with a healthy Polamalu on the field, the Ravens know they face a unique challenge in addition to the already-stout defense that held them to no offensive touchdowns and just 200 total yards despite a 13-10 win at Heinz Field two weeks ago. Dropping into coverage or lining up to blitz at the line of scrimmage, Polamalu must be identified by Flacco and the Baltimore offense on every play.

“With Troy, you have to be aware of him at all times,” coach John Harbaugh said. “They’ve done a great job of playing defense back there without Troy. So, you add a guy like that in the mix, obviously, what a factor that can be.”

With it looking more unlikely that Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger will play on Sunday, it’s difficult to imagine many scenarios in which the Pittsburgh offense can provide enough punch with third-string quarterback Charlie Batch in line to receive the start. The Ravens offense must be smart with the football despite their preference for playing aggressively at home, and that’s where Polamalu’s return could be a factor.

Much like Ravens safety Ed Reed, health concerns have taken a toll on Polamalu’s play-making ability, but his presence on the field alone gives Flacco a significant headache he didn’t face two weeks ago when he struggled to make plays against Pittsburgh’s top-ranked secondary. Protecting the football will be paramount, and it was a failure to identify Polamalu late in the game two years ago that netted the Ravens their only loss at M&T Bank Stadium since Nov. 22, 2009.

“He just has a good knack for the game of football,” Flacco said. “He usually can figure out where the ball is going. He just has a feel for the game. While you try to combat that and account for him, there is always a certain amount that you really can’t account for what he is going to do. You just have to go out there, play your game, and take care of him by playing sound, fundamental football.”

Pees with good problem on hands

With linebacker Ray Lewis’ anticipated return before the end of the regular season, the questions have already been raised over how the Ravens should handle his workload with fourth-year player Dannell Ellerbe playing so well in the starting lineup.

A few have taken the extreme position that the Baltimore defense is better off without the 37-year-old, but most would at least agree it’s worth discussing the possibility of Lewis not playing every snap with the thought of keeping him fresh and hiding his suspect coverage in obvious passing situations. It’s not an easy discussion to have should coach John Harbaugh and general manager Ozzie Newsome decide on that course of action, but now might be the time to do it with Lewis making a quicker-than-expected recovery from a torn triceps.

It’s too early to speculate how the Ravens will act with Lewis not yet practicing, but it’s a good dilemma to have with Ellerbe and fellow inside linebacker Jameel McClain doing an admirable job filling in for the middle of the defense. The reality is they’d like to have all three on the field as much as possible to enhance their strengths and compensate for potential shortcomings.

“I’d rather have that problem than to try to figure out who the heck is going to be playing because we have a bunch of injuries, which we’ve had to do,” defensive coordinator Dean Pees said. “It’s always a good thing for a coach. It may not be a good thing for the players, but it’s always a good thing for the coaches.”

The better question might be whether the Ravens elect to keep Ellerbe at the “Will” linebacker spot over McClain, who has filled in at Lewis’ “Mike” backer position in the veteran’s absence. Ellerbe is stronger in pass coverage and has had the better overall season, but McClain has raised his level of play in recent weeks as well.

In the mean time, Pees appreciates having Lewis back at the team’s Owings Mills facility this week as he continues to rehab his right arm before returning to the practice field in the not-too-distant future.

“I’ve told you guys before that going in and coaching him and watching him in the meetings sit back there and take notes like a rookie, that’s why he is who he is,” Pees sad. “Really for the younger guys, but really for us older guys — to me — he’s a perfect pro.”

Jones continues to receive accolades

CONTINUE >>>

OWINGS MILLS, Md. — On the first day in which he could return to the practice field, Ravens inside linebacker Ray Lewis wasn’t ready to join his teammates just yet.

Placed on injured reserve with the designation to return on Oct. 17, the 37-year-old was eligible to begin practicing on Thursday after six weeks on IR. However, Lewis would not be allowed to play in a game for another two weeks, which would make him eligible to play in Week 15 against the Denver Broncos at the earliest.

Lewis returned to the team’s Owings Mills facility earlier this week to continue rehabbing from surgery on his right triceps tear as coach John Harbaugh described his status as “day-by-day” and did not project an imminent return for the 17-year veteran.

“He’s trying everything that he can to get back,” defensive coordinator Dean Pees said. “There are guys that would — with not even that many years [in the league] — say, ‘Oh well. I’ve had a great career. I’m going to the Hall of Fame. What the heck?’ It’s just not like that with him. That’s what pros do. There’s no quit.”

The Ravens were also without tight end Ed Dickson (knee), linebacker Dannell Ellerbe (ankle), wide receiver Jacoby Jones (ankle), and safety Bernard Pollard (chest). Pollard practiced on a limited basis Wednesday before sitting out Thursday’s workout while the other three have now missed two straight practices this week.

Cornerback Corey Graham returned to the practice field a day after being stricken with a stomach bug.

Wide receiver Torrey Smith (thigh), cornerback Chris Johnson (hamstring), defensive end Pernell McPhee (knee-thigh), and safety Ed Reed (shoulder) were also present and working after being listed as limited participants on Wednesday’s injury report.

The Steelers added starting nose tackle Casey Hampton to Thursday’s injury report as he was dealing with an illness.

Quarterback Ben Roethlisberger practiced on a limited basis for the second straight day, but reports continue to paint a dark picture for his status on Sunday afternoon. Ed Bouchette of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette says “it does not look good” for the Pittsburgh signal-caller to make his return against the Ravens on Sunday.

Safety Troy Polamalu and wide receiver Antonio Brown each practiced fully for the second straight day, making their respective returns to the field Sunday all but certain barring a setback.

OWINGS MILLS, Md. — With a chance to clinch the AFC North division title against the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday, the Ravens hit the practice field on Wednesday with four key players missing from action.

Tight end Ed Dickson, linebacker Dannell Ellerbe, cornerback Corey Graham, and wide receiver Jacoby Jones did not practice in the first full workout of the week while five other players practiced on a limited basis.

Dickson and Ellerbe are considered to be the biggest concerns in terms of their availability for Sunday’s game as the starting tight end is dealing with a knee injury while the inside linebacker suffered an ankle injury in the 16-13 win over the San Diego Chargers. Coach John Harbaugh said Monday he expected each player to be very limited in practices this week with the thought that they would both have a chance to play against the Steelers.

“I feel pretty good,” Dickson said prior to missing Wednesday’s practice. “I’m as far along as I can be on a Wednesday, and I want to continue to rehab it and get ready.”

Graham was listed as missing Wednesday’s practice with an illness while Jones rested the sore ankle that was re-aggravated during Sunday’s win.

Cornerback Chris Johnson, defensive end Pernell McPhee, and safeties Bernard Pollard and Ed Reed were all limited participants.

Harbaugh confirmed that linebacker Ray Lewis was in the building rehabbing on Wednesday, which is something he’d done away from the facility prior to this point, but did not practice. The 37-year-old linebacker is eligible to return to the practice field on Thursday, but the Baltimore coach gave no indication when he would begin working with the rest of the team.

“We’ll just play it day by day as far as whether he practices or not,” Harbaugh said. “He is not imminent to return to play or anything like that, so to me it’s really a non-story. He’ll go out there when he’s ready to practice when the elbow holds up, and when that happens, we’ll let you know.”

For Pittsburgh, quarterback Ben Roethlisbeger practiced on a limited basis as most media reports are giving him no more than a 50 percent chance of playing against the Ravens on Sunday. Head coach Mike Tomlin said Tuesday the plan is to prepare as if backup Charlie Batch will start this week while Roethlisberger tests out his injured right shoulder in practices.

Linebacker LaMarr Woodley was absent from Wednesday’s practice and is considered doubtful after sustaining an ankle injury in the Steelers loss in Cleveland.

The Steelers received good news, however, with the returns of wide receiver Antonio Brown and safety Troy Polamalu, who are both expected to play in Baltimore if they don’t suffer any setbacks.

BALTIMORE
OUT: CB Jimmy Smith (abs)
DID NOT PARTICIPATE: TE Ed Dickson (knee), LB Dannell Ellerbe (ankle, knee, finger), CB Corey Graham (illness), WR Jacoby Jones (ankle)
LIMITED PARTICIPATION: CB Chris Johnson (thigh), DE Pernell McPhee (thigh), S Bernard Pollard (chest), S Ed Reed (shoulder), WR Torrey Smith (thigh)
FULL PARTICIPATION: WR Anquan Boldin (knee), DT Terrence Cody (elbow), TE Dennis Pitta (neck), LB Terrell Suggs (ankle)

PITTSBURGH
DID NOT PARTICIPATE: T Mike Adams (ankle), T Willie Colon (knee), QB Byron Leftwich (ribs), T Max Starks (back), LB LaMarr Woodley (ankle)
LIMITED PARTICIPATION: WR Jerricho Cotchery (ribs), QB Ben Roethlishberger (right shoulder)
FULL PARTICIPATION: WR Antonio Brown (ankle), S Troy Polamalu (calf)

OWINGS MILLS, Md. — With plenty of buzz stemming from a Yahoo! Sports report saying Ravens linebacker Ray Lewis could make his return as early as Week 15, John Harbaugh was obviously going to receive questions about the injured star on Monday.

As you’d expect, the Ravens coach made no definitive statements to confirm or deny Mike Silver’s report, but Harbaugh did offer his strongest opinion yet on a potential return by the 37-year-old linebacker, who sustained a torn right triceps against the Dallas Cowboys on Oct. 14. The previous sentiment had been optimism that Lewis might return if the Ravens were to make a deep postseason run in January, but Harbaugh was asked whether he thought the 13-time Pro Bowl defensive player would be back before the end of the regular season.

“I think he will. That’s a best guess,” Harbaugh said. “He’s working hard to do that. We’ll see.”

Lewis is eligible to return to the practice field this week after spending the last six weeks on injured reserve with the designation to return. Under the rules of the new IR exemption, a player can begin practicing six weeks after being placed on IR and would be eligible to return to game action two weeks after that.

Harbaugh wouldn’t rule out the possibility of Lewis practicing this week, but he also didn’t provide much clarity in how far along the linebacker is in the rehabilitation process. Lewis made his return to the team’s Owings Mills facility on Nov. 9 and has been on the sideline at each of the Ravens’ last three games.

If Lewis is planning to get back on the field this week, the Ravens aren’t offering any kind of a warning at this point.

“We’ll know then. We’ll have to test [the arm] and see if it can hold up,” Harbaugh said. “I really don’t know where it’s at right now. Ray’s been in rehab mode, so he hasn’t been here from a football standpoint in terms of us seeing any of that yet. Just talking to Ray, it sounds like things have gone well. There have been no setbacks, so there’s a possibility.”

Fan response to Lewis’ potential return has been surprisingly mixed as some have pointed to the impressive play of Dannell Ellerbe and the overall improvement of the Baltimore defense without Lewis in recent weeks.

When asked whether the Ravens would be wise to show more patience before Lewis’ potential return, Harbaugh dismissed any notion or hint that they might be better off if he waited longer before trying to play.

“I think it’d be great to get Ray Lewis back,” Harbaugh said. “All of our guys would welcome Ray back with open arms if and when that happens. In the meantime, Ray is part of our defense just like Terrell Suggs is part of our defense. The whole thing is coming together — hopefully — better every week, and we could stumble at any time in this league. But adding a great player into the mix is only going to make us better.”

Dickson, Ellerbe “have a chance” to play against Pittsburgh

Harbaugh painted an uncertain picture for the chances of tight end Ed Dickson and Ellerbe returning to action against Pittsburgh after leaving Sunday’s game with injuries.

Dickson injured his knee in the second quarter against San Diego and didn’t return, leaving an expanded role to fellow tight end Dennis Pitta. Despite having a disappointing season as a receiver, Dickson is regarded as the better blocker as Pitta struggled on several occasions against the Chargers.

“Ed has a bruised knee — a sprained knee,” Harbaugh said. “It’s nothing major in terms of ligament damage or anything like that. He’ll have a chance to get back this week. It just depends on how it goes and how well it heals.”

Ellerbe also left Sunday’s game in the second quarter with a foot injury and was replaced by the combination of former practice-squad member Josh Bynes and veteran special-teams standout Brendon Ayanbadejo.

The latter performed well in Ellerbe’s absence, recording four tackles and a pass defense in the 16-13 overtime win.

“Dannell Ellerbe has kind of a foot-ankle thing,” Harbaugh said. “He’s got a little swelling in there. He’ll have a chance to get back this week too, and we’ll just have to see how it goes. The practice for those two guys will be very limited this week, and we’ll try to get them to the game on Sunday.”

After missing his fourth straight game on Sunday, defensive end Pernell McPhee is expected to practice once again this week as he continues to recuperate from knee and thigh injuries. The second-year defensive lineman hasn’t played since the Houston game on Oct. 21.

Starting in McPhee’s place, third-year lineman Arthur Jones registered the first two sacks of his NFL career against the Chargers and finished the game with five tackles.

“He should be at practice this week, and we’ll be hopeful that he can play,” Harbaugh said. “We’ll have to see.”

D. Reed activated from PUP list

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