BALTIMORE RAVENS Jamal Lewis will sit out Sunday's game

Chester Taylor will fill in for the running back Sunday.
OWINGS MILLS, Md. (AP) -- Baltimore Ravens running back Jamal Lewis will miss Sunday's game against the New England Patriots with a sprained right ankle, the latest in a series of setbacks for the 2003 NFL rushing champion.
The injury occurred last Sunday during Baltimore's 30-10 win over Dallas. Lewis left in the first quarter and did not return after gaining 5 yards on two carries.
"He's definitely out this week," Ravens coach Brian Billick said Wednesday. "Bottom line, doctors are optimistic that he'll be able to go next week."
Lewis last year amassed 2,066 yards rushing, the second-highest total in NFL history. But this season he has endured one hardship after another.
His problems began with a federal case in Atlanta in which he ultimately plead guilty on Oct. 7 to using a cell phone to set up a drug buy. He received a two-game suspension from the league for violating the NFL substance-abuse policy and was also forced to forfeit an additional two paychecks.
Promoted to starter
Chester Taylor filled in for Lewis during the suspension, running for 89 yards on 21 carries in a win over Buffalo on Oct. 24 before gaining 78 yards on 18 carries in a loss to Philadelphia.
Taylor will again replace Lewis against the defending champion Patriots. This time he's better prepared for the task.
"I've got two starts under my belt so far this year. I'm just going to go out there like I did last time," Taylor said.
During Lewis' suspension, Taylor had Musa Smith as a backup. Smith broke his leg against the Cowboys and is lost for the season, so Taylor can expect a busy afternoon in New England.
"The biggest difference is, unlike before when we went through this, Chester's going to have to carry most of the load," Billick said. "That's the big challenge for Chester."
The Ravens were seeking to add a running back to the roster Wednesday, but didn't expect to get much of a contribution from any newcomer on Sunday.
"To throw them in there probably wouldn't be prudent," Billick said.
Contingency plan
Special teams player Harold Morrow, who doubles as a fullback, would back up Taylor if needed.
"I go out and practice every day with the running backs. I'm mainly a special teams guy, but who's to say I can't play running back?" Morrow said.
Nothing could have prepared Lewis for this kind of season. Little went wrong for the punishing running back last year, when he had 12 100-yard games. This season, he's topped that mark only twice and ranks 18th in the NFL in yards rushing with 651.
Lewis avoided the media Wednesday, but his teammates know it's been a trying year for him.
"He's just praying, working through it," Taylor said.
"He's fine. He realizes that injuries are a part of the game," left offensive tackle Jonathan Ogden said. "He's been through it before. He'll rehab and try to get himself better. We'll go out there with Chester. We have no choice. What are you going to do?"
The situation isn't as dire as it might have been a year ago, because Ravens quarterback Kyle Boller has improved dramatically since his rookie season. Boller has thrown only one interception in his last five games -- on a desperation pass -- and has tossed five TDs during that span.
"We've dealt with adversity all year. It's tough not having Jamal in there, but Chester is going to have to step up and make plays," said Boller, who expects nothing less from himself.
"This is a huge game for me," the quarterback said. "I want to play smart, not turn the ball over and make good decisions."
Copyright 2004 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.