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The Beat with Aaron Wilson - Ravens Notebook: Suggs plays through the pain
All signs point to Ryan being named Jets' new head coach, could be announced as soon as today
PITTSBURGH -- All week long, the talk around the Baltimore Ravens' camp was about Pro Bowl outside linebacker Terrell Suggs' status.
Would his damaged right shoulder allow him to play in Sunday's AFC title game against the Pittsburgh Steelers?
Prior to kickoff, Suggs played the injury card to the max for gamesmanship purposes.
When it came time for the game, Suggs answered the bell with two sacks in a 23-14 loss at Heinz Field.
He sacked Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger for a 14-yard loss in the third quarter and a three-yard sack midway through the fourth quarter.
It wasn’t enough, though, and Suggs’ first AFC championship game ended with a painful defeat.
“It feels like s--t,” Suggs said of his shoulder injury that prevented him from practicing all last week.
The pain would have been forgotten had he been celebrating with his teammates instead of watching the Steelers.
“If I was out there on the stage, it wouldn’t hurt so much,” Suggs said. I didn’t feel limited at all. I wanted to be there for my team. I wanted to be there for my brothers."
Suggs was aware of the pain, though.
“I knew it was there,” he said. “I knew it wasn’t 100 percent.”
Nonetheless, he gutted it out.
"I don't know how he graded out or anything like that," Ravens coach John Harbaugh said. "I thought he competed and fought through it really well, and that's what he's about.
"That's what our guys have been about throughout the course of the year. We had a lot of guys who played through stuff. Terrell Suggs is a courageous guy."
Suggs will be a free agent as will fellow linebackers Ray Lewis and Bart Scott. It’s highly questionable that all three will be return, but Suggs definitely prefers to remain in Baltimore.
“I think we started something good here," Suggs said. "We got to the AFC championship. That’s a good start. Hopefully, they want to keep me around for a couple of years.”
RYAN UPDATE: Ravens defensive coordinator Rex Ryan is expected to be named the New York Jets' head coach today, barring any snags in final negotiations.
Ryan wowed Jets owner Woody Johnson and general manager Mike Tannenbaum during a five-hour interview in Baltimore last Sunday, impressing them enough that he became the frontrunner over Jets offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer and Arizona Cardinals assistant head coach Russ Grimm.
Ryan is expected to accept the position, but won't be introduced at a press conference until Wednesday because of the presidential inauguration on Tuesday.
"If I get that opportunity, that would be fantastic," Ryan said. "But, right now, this is tough. We just lost the AFC championship game."
Ryan emphasized that he didn't know when his next meeting will be with Johnson, but it's expected to be soon.
"I'm not sure when that will be," Ryan said. "Hopefully, I'll get that opportunity, but, as of now, I'm not sure what the plan is. I was blessed to be in this situation."
Outside linebackers coach Mike Pettine is expected to join Ryan in New York, and quarterbacks coach Hue Jackson is a potential offensive coordinator candidate.
"Rex Ryan is going to be a great head coach in the National Football League," Ravens coach John Harbaugh said. "If somebody is wise enough to make that decision here shortly, they will have a great head football coach. I just support him completely in that."
The Ravens could promote from within to replace Ryan with linebackers coach Greg Mattison, special assistant Vic Fangio and secondary coach Chuck Pagano considered the leading candidates.
There have also been rumors floated around the league about Baltimore being interested in Oakland Raiders linebackers coach Don Martindale, who's also a candidate for the Raiders' head coaching job and other openings around the league.
WHERE WAS MCCLAIN?: Pro Bowl fullback Le’Ron McClain hardly played at all.
The Ravens leading rusher had a sprained ankle, and he didn’t carry the ball until early in the second half. His only carry went for three yards.
Baltimore’s running attack suffered. Willis McGahee and Ray Rice saw more action, but Rice didn’t get a carry until late in the fourth quarter. McGahee was the game’s leading rusher with 60 yards and two touchdowns before being hurt in the game’s final minutes on a huge hit.
The Ravens rushed for just 73 yards with a 2.9 average per carry.
Rice was Baltimore’s leading receiver with three catches for 43 yards.
KOKINIS UPDATE: Ravens director of pro personnel George Kokinis is scheduled to talk with Cleveland Browns owner Randy Lerner again today regarding the Browns' general manager vacancy.
Kokinis is believed to be extremely interested in the position and is still regarded as the frontrunner for the job.
Kokinis is close friends with Browns coach Eric Mangini, and Lerner is looking to build chemistry in the front office after former coach Romeo Crennel and general manager Phil Savage didn't mesh well or see eye to eye.
TRAINING ROOM: Reserve safety and special-teams player Daren Stone absorbed a crushing hit on the opening kickoff, suffering a concussion. He had to be helped off the field, but did return.
Defensive end Trevor Pryce briefly left the game in the first half, limping off the field, but returned.
Cornerback Frank Walker left the game for a large portion of the first half with a dislocated shoulder, but gamely returned in the second half.
Steelers wide receiver Hines Ward left the game with a right knee injury and returned to the game, but then it was announced that it was doubtful he would continue to play.
Pittsburgh running back Mewelde Moore left the game with a right ankle injury.
LEONHARD A STANDOUT: One of the more overlooked Ravens this season was strong safety and punt returner Jim Leonhard.
Leonhard’s 45-yard second quarter return set up Baltimore’s first touchdown. He also had a 29-yard return in the Ravens’ 13-10 win over the Tennessee Titans.
BRING ON THE CARDINALS: Ravens fans with long memories might remember Ken Whisenhunt. The Arizona Cardinals’ coach worked under Ted Marchibroda in 1997 and 1998 as tight ends coach. He also spent many years with the Steelers under Bill Cowher.
A few may recall that Cardinals owner Bill Bidwell flirted with Baltimore before moving the Cardinals from St. Louis to Phoenix in 1988.
SITTING OUT: Cornerback Samari Rolle (groin) was inactive and was replaced by Walker. The other inactives were wide receiver Terrance Copper, running back Jalen Parmele, linebackers Antwan Barnes and Robert McCune and offensive linemen Oniel Cousins and David Hale. Todd Bouman was designated as the third quarterback.
CONSOLATION PRIZE: Instead of coaching in the Super Bowl in two weeks, the Ravens coaching staff gets a consolation prize. They’ll go to Honolulu to coach the AFC team in the Pro Bowl on Feb. 8.
Harbaugh will face Andy Reid, his former boss with the Philadelphia Eagles, who’ll coach the NFC.
It will be the last time for the foreseeable future that the game will be played after the Super Bowl in Hawaii . The 2010 game will be played a week before the Super Bowl in Miami.
WAIT UNTIL NEXT YEAR: Besides their highly anticipated rematches with the Steelers next year, the Ravens play their other division rivals, Cincinnati and Cleveland, twice each. They’ll also host Denver, Kansas City, Indianapolis, Detroit and Chicago. Baltimore will visit Oakland, San Diego, Green Bay and Minnesota.
QUICK HITS: Santonio Holmes’ 65-yard touchdown catch was the third longest play against Baltimore this season. … Two veterans from the 2000 Super Bowl Ravens participated in the coin toss. Tony Siragusa and the ailing O.J. Brigance watched them win the toss. Brigance is fighting a battle with ALS. Former Ravens safety Rod Woodson was an honorary captain for the Steelers, hugging Brigance after the coin toss. ... The Ravens' game captains were Ray Lewis, Derrick Mason, Mark Clayton, Pryce, Leonhard and Brendon Ayanbadejo… Travelers on the Pennsylvania Turnpike were greeted by a flashing sign that read, “Go Eagles, Go Steelers.” … The crowd of 65,350 was a Heinz Field record.
Aaron Wilson covers the Baltimore Ravens for the Carroll County Times and the Annapolis Capital.
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