OWINGS MILLS, Md. — The sacks and accolades keep mounting for Baltimore Ravens linebacker Terrell Suggs, whose relentless pursuit of quarterbacks has put him in the running for NFL Defensive Player of the Year honors.
Suggs shrugs off the attention as if it were a 235-pound rookie offensive tackle. He has a career-high 13 sacks, but Suggs still is chasing a prize that has eluded him throughout his entire career: a Super Bowl ring.
Asked Wednesday at the team training facility whether he’s enjoying the best season of his career, Suggs replied with a question.
Pointing at a giant-sized banner of the Lombardi Trophy, he asked, “How many of those I got? If we fall short, it’s all null and void.”
If the Ravens (10-3) don’t win a title this season, it almost certainly won’t be Suggs’ fault. He had three sacks and forced three fumbles Sunday against Indianapolis in a 24-10 win that kept Baltimore tied for the best record in the AFC.
Suggs is two sacks shy of matching Peter Boulware’s single-season team record and a big reason why Baltimore has won four straight despite the absence of middle linebacker Ray Lewis.
Maning increasing throws in rehab regimen
INDIANAPOLIS — Colts quarterback Peyton Manning has picked up his rehabilitation regimen, including more throws, though the four-time league MVP didn’t practice with teammates Wednesday.
It’s still unclear when or if Manning will return to the practice field and what the repertoire includes, though he acknowledged two weeks ago that throwing more was the next step in his recovery.
Manning hasn’t played this season because of a nerve injury that caused weakness in his throwing arm.
He had surgery in May, and when that didn’t alleviate the problem, Indy’s franchise quarterback had a more invasive surgery, a single-level fusion, Sept. 8. It was Manning’s third neck surgery in 19 months.
Around the league
• RAIDERS: Oakland receiver Denarius Moore took the field with his teammates for the first time since injuring his right foot. Moore practiced on a limited basis. Fellow receiver Jacoby Ford (left foot) ran on the side but did not practice, and running back Darren McFadden (right foot) also remained sidelined.
• STEELERS: Pittsburgh quarterback Ben Roethlisberger watched practice Wednesday to rest his sprained left ankle, and backups Charlie Batch and Dennis Dixon said they are preparing to play Monday at San Francisco. Roethlisberger injured the ankle during last Thursday’s win over Cleveland.
• JETS: New York defensive lineman Mike DeVito (sprained left knee) returned to practice on a limited basis after missing two games. He is expected play Sunday at Philadelphia. Running back Joe McKnight (hyperextended elbow), the league’s leading kickoff returner, was a full participant Wednesday…. The Jets signed veteran safety Gerald Alexander, adding depth to the position two days after Jim Leonhard was lost for the season because of a knee injury.
• COWBOYS: Dallas put put Jon Kitna on injured reserve, ending the quarterback’s 15th NFL season and possibly his career. Kitna, 39, in his third season as Tony Romo’s backup, hasn’t played since Nov. 13 because of a back injury. Kitna has thrown for 29,745 yards with 169 TDs and 165 interceptions in 141 games with Seattle, Cincinnati, Detroit and Dallas.
• BILLS: Wide receiver Stevie Johnson could be down to playing his final games with Buffalo after contract talks broke off a few weeks ago. Johnson has six touchdowns and leads the Bills with 63 catches for 790 yards.
• EAGLES: Michael Vick watched practice from the sideline, still sore from taking a beating in his first game back after breaking his ribs last month. Philadelphia’s quarterback participated in a walkthrough Wednesday morning, but was a spectator in the afternoon.
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