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          NFL Nation

          Terrell Suggs will play against Broncos

          • Jamison Hensley, ESPN Staff WriterDec 16, 2012, 09:08 AM ET
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              Jamison Hensley is a reporter covering the Baltimore Ravens for ESPN. Jamison joined ESPN in 2011, covering the AFC North before focusing exclusively on the Ravens beginning in 2013. Jamison won the National Sports Media Association Maryland Sportswriter of the Year award in 2018, and he authored a book titled: Flying High: Stories of the Baltimore Ravens. He was the Ravens beat writer for the Baltimore Sun from 2000-2011.
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          BALTIMORE -- Last year, Terrell Suggs was named the NFL's top defensive player. Now, he has proven to be among the league's toughest.

          Suggs will play in Sunday's game against the Broncos just two weeks removed from tearing his biceps, team sources told ESPN. He was listed as questionable and was considered a game-time decision. This comes during a season in which he missed only six games after tearing his Achilles in the offseason.

          Because of the injuries, Suggs hasn't been the same dominant player from last season, when he led the AFC with 14 sacks. He has two sacks this season.

          But Suggs has made an impact on the field by drawing the attention of offenses, which has allowed others to pressure the quarterback. In six games with Suggs, the Ravens have recorded 17 sacks, an average of 2.8 per game. In seven games without him, they have 13 sacks, an average of 1.8.

          The amount of pressure the Ravens get on Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning is a major factor in this key AFC game. According to ESPN Stats & Information, Manning has been sacked or put under duress on 14.9 percent of his drop backs this season, the lowest rate in the NFL. Manning has a league-best plus-22 touchdown-to-interception differential when not under duress this season (minus-2 differential when under duress).

          While the Ravens get back Suggs, linebacker Ray Lewis (triceps) won't play Sunday because the team wants to give him another week to heal.