Ravens linebacker Ray Lewis will miss the remainder of the season with an arm injury, an enormous blow to an already depleted defense that has uncharacteristically struggled this year.
Lewis tore his right triceps during Sunday’s 31-29 victory over Dallas. The 37-year-old Lewis leads Baltimore in tackles and is the voice of experience in the huddle.
Over a spectacular 17-year career, Lewis has been invited to 13 Pro Bowls, was named MVP of Super Bowl XXXV and is a two-time NFL defensive player of the year. He will turn 38 in May, so it’s possible Sunday’s game was his last.
Baltimore also lost cornerback Lardarius Webb for the year after he tore the ACL in his left knee Sunday.
* Jonathan Vilma might take the field Sunday for the Saints at Tampa Bay after again asking a federal judge to overturn his recently re-issued suspension in the NFL’s bounty probe.
The linebacker has been on the club’s physically unable to perform list since shortly after his initial suspension was overturned by an NFL appeal panel on Sept. 7, but now that the first six weeks of the season have passed, the Saints could activate him as early as today.
Vilma’s and the other three players’ suspensions currently are not being enforced, but that could change as early as next week. Saints defensive end Will Smith was docked four games, free-agent defensive lineman Anthony Hargrove seven games and Cleveland linebacker Scott Fujita one game. Commissioner Roger Goodell has scheduled the players’ appeal hearings for Oct. 23.
* Free-agent pass-rushing star Shawne Merriman is back in Buffalo after re-signing to bolster the Bills’ banged-up defense. The three-time Pro Bowler was cut by the Bills two months ago .
BROWNS: Rookie running back Trent Richardson sustained a rib cartilage injury in Sunday’s win over Cincinnati. Coach Pat Shurmur said yesterday Richardson “is fine and day-to-day.”