Tavius Robinson had never missed a practice – let alone a game – before he suffered a foot injury on Oct. 12 against the Los Angeles Rams.
So, watching his team play without him the past seven games piled onto the pain for the gritty outside linebacker.
"There were two ways I could look at it," Robinson said. "I could either be frustrated and mad at it or just attack rehab, and really, that's what I did."
Now in his second week of practice, Robinson expects his wait to end this Sunday. Asked whether he anticipates playing, Robinson said, "I do, yeah."
Robinson said he feels great and that his foot feels normal now. Joining forces with Dre'Mont Jones, who the Ravens traded for to help offset the loss of Robinson, will get the Ravens even more physicality up front. Robinson led the Ravens with two sacks in his first five full games played before going down.
His return would be a big boost to Baltimore's defensive front, which will be critical in getting after Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow and slowing down their run game in what is quite close to a must-win game for the Ravens.
Robinson was on the shelf when the Ravens won five straight games to claw back from a 1-5 start. With Baltimore now trying to turn around a two-game losing streak against division rivals, Robinson can't wait to help out.
"It feels so good to get back out there," Robinson said. "It's a blessing to be back out there with my brothers. Excited to go out there and ball with them, for sure."
The Ravens went on a three-game road stretch while Robinson was rehabbing, which meant that he had to watch games from home.
"Honestly, the first few games were hard for me to watch because I felt, truthfully, like I was letting my team down not being out there," Robinson said. "So, it was hard to even just stomach watching my guys go out there.
"I was saying when I was hurt, I would die to just go out there and play a field-goal block snap, like anything. So, it's, like, just a reminder of never to take it for granted and every play, every snap has to be full effort, full everything, because you know it can be taken away."
Isaiah Likely Talks More About His Controversial Overturned Catch
Isaiah Likely was still being asked about his overturned touchdown against the Pittsburgh Steelers following Wednesday's practice.
He has moved on and is preparing for Sunday's game against the Cincinnati Bengals. However, Likely was asked why he kept the ball extended away from his body instead of tucking it after he made the catch, like he did on his earlier touchdown grab.
"Knowing the type of DB it was, Joey Porter, he's a physical, long DB," Likely said. "Knowing he was going to try to play through the catch point at the end, I felt like he was still close. In my mind, [it was] a split decision – keeping the ball away from him [and] getting two feet down would probably be a touchdown."
Likely doesn't want to keep rehashing the play.
"I thought just putting the ball away from the DB was a football move," Likely said. "I guess now [I know] what a football move is in their terms.
"I watched it, probably a little bit, before, and then we watched it on film [and] talked about it. That's pretty much it. I'm trying to get ready for the Bengals now."
Mark Andrews Doesn't Appreciate Being Criticized for 'Trying to Make a Play'
Another late-game opportunity for the Ravens went awry when a fourth-down pass from Lamar Jackson deflected off Mark Andrews' outstretched hand and fell incomplete.
DeAndre Hopkins was in the end zone behind Andrews, and the ball was possibly headed toward Hopkins when Andrews deflected it. Andrews believes he was the intended receiver and wasn't aware that Hopkins was behind him.
"I felt like his eyes were pretty much locked on me," Andrews said.
Andrews has seen some of the negative comments directed at him on social media but knows he was trying to make a game-winning catch.
"I saw that, and obviously the classic hate comments," Andrews said. "It's crazy. But I'm just trying to make a play. I was working to get open. I felt like I was dragged on a little bit, so I went up to go get a ball.
"How am I supposed to know D-Hop's back there? It's pro football."
Andrews said he remained confident the Ravens would get on the right track offensively down the stretch.
"There's been mistakes, it's everybody," Andrews said. "I think if we just clean those things up, good things are going to happen. We haven't played our best ball. That's going to come."
Ravens Will 'See Where it Goes' With New Guard Laken Tomlinson
On Tuesday, the Ravens signed former Pro Bowl guard Laken Tomlinson to their practice squad.
Tomlinson started seven games this season with the Houston Texans earlier this season, but it remains to be seen what role he could earn in Baltimore.
Head Coach John Harbaugh said he had a "great" conversation with Tomlinson Wednesday morning.
"We'll have to see where it goes. I'm just kind of getting to know him," Harbaugh said. "Obviously, [he's had] a great career [for] a long time. Very physical, tough, and hard-nosed player … and had played some football this year; he played quite a bit. So, we'll see how quickly he gets up to speed and kind of how it falls in with what we're doing."
The Ravens needed guard depth with Ben Cleveland suspended for the next three games for violating the league's substance abuse policy. Cleveland was a healthy scratch the past three weeks.
