Ray Lewis Reportedly Expected To Return from Triceps Injury Before End of Season

Baltimore Ravens veteran middle linebacker and emotional leader Ray Lewis is reportedly expected to return from his devastating triceps injury before the end of the regular season. 

This according to Yahoo! Sports' Michael Silver:

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More than half a dozen sources told Yahoo! Sports that legendary linebacker Ray Lewis, believed to be lost for the season after suffering a torn triceps in mid-October, is expected to return before the end of the 2012 campaign, perhaps as early as the Ravens' Dec. 16 showdown with the AFC West-leading Denver Broncos at M&T Bank Stadium.

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Baltimore will host Denver in Week 15 before playing the New York Giants and Cincinnati Bengals in Weeks 16 and 17. If Lewis doesn't return for the Broncos game, he will have two more chances to get his feet wet before the Ravens begin their postseason run. 

The Ravens are 4-1 since Lewis went down in Week 6 against the Dallas Cowboys. They have won four in a row overall since the start of November. 

Without Lewis in the lineup, Baltimore's defense has remained steady, allowing just over 20 points per game in the five games Lewis has missed. But Baltimore hasn't allowed more than 15 in any of its last three road games. Jim Harbaugh's Ravens rank 23rd against the pass and 26th against the run, but most importantly rank seventh in the NFL in scoring defense, giving up a shade under 20 points per week.

With Lewis back in the fold, expect each of those averages to improve.

The Ravens hold an impressive three-game lead in the AFC North through 12 weeks and at 9-2 are second only to the 10-1 Houston Texans in the conference. 

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