There’s still no word from the Ravens, but the Giants are fully expecting to line up against Ray Lewis Sunday in Baltimore.
Coach Tom Coughlin said Friday his Giants prepared this week as if Lewis would be in the Ravens’ lineup, even though Baltimore had yet to activate their All-Pro linebacker and fiery leader last night from in-season injured reserve.
“I would expect that he would be made active,” Coughlin said. “That’s what I anticipated. It’s not my call, but that’s what I thought.”
Asked if the Giants had included Lewis in their game-planning, Coughlin said: “Yes, we’ve talked about it.”
Lewis, who has been sidelined since October by a torn triceps that many thought would end his season, was eligible to be activated last week and has practiced all this week. The Ravens also have been leaving a roster spot open for Lewis since putting Jameel McClain on injured reserve on Monday.
Indeed, Lewis suiting up tomorrow appears to be a forgone conclusion judging from the upbeat comments from the Ravens’ coaches about his play in practice this week.
Head coach John Harbaugh reportedly smiled when asked yesterday if Lewis had been progressing this week.
“Coming along, coming along — yes, he is coming along,” Harbaugh said.
* The return of Ahmad Bradshaw to practice wasn’t the only positive injury news for the Giants. They also welcomed back center David Baas and guard Chris Snee after the two had missed the first two workouts this week due to hip problems.
The presence of Baas and Snee would be crucial, considering the Giants’ offensive line has been banged up all season and they will be facing the Ravens’ fearsome pass-rush tandem of Haloti Ngata and Terrell Suggs.
“It could depend on whether I’m sore when I get out of bed [today], but I think I’ll be OK,” Snee said after practice yesterday.
Snee also said his hip injury could require surgery in the offseason, but he has no plans to think about that while the Giants are still fighting for their playoff lives.
* Bradshaw, Baas and Snee were all listed as questionable on the official injury report, where they joined a list that included defensive end Justin Tuck (shoulder), tight end Travis Beckum (knee) and safeties Kenny Phillips (knee) and Tyler Sash (hamstring).
Beckum was a late addition to the injury report, while Tuck doesn’t appear likely to play after missing practice all week with a shoulder injury. On the positive side, cornerback Prince Amukamara (hamstring) and wide receiver Hakeem Nicks (knee) are both probable.
The only player the Ravens are listing as doubtful is safety Bernard Pollard, who is nursing a chest injury.
* Strong safety Chris Hope of the Falcons was fined $30,000 by the NFL for his helmet-to-helmet hit on Victor Cruz. Hope was penalized for unnecessary roughness on the third-quarter play during Atlanta’s 34-0 win on Sunday.
Falcons WR Roddy White and Giants CB Corey Webster were fined $7,875 apiece for a skirmish during the game.