"It's our responsibility to keep the center off Ray," Cody said. "We didn't do that good this past game."
At this time, the Ravens haven't started grooming a potential future replacement for Lewis. Inside linebackers Jameel McClain and Dannell Ellerbe have had their moments, but neither is close to dominant.
Determining what's next for Lewis and the Ravens' defense is hard to say. Making $4.95 million this season, he's under contract through 2015 with nonguaranteed base salaries of $7.3 million, $5.4 million and $6.5 million over the next three years.
"Can the Ravens win without Ray Lewis right now?" Bowen said. "I don't think so. Until you can win without him, you have to live with the ups and the downs."
Through five games, the Ravens (4-1) are winning primarily because of an offense led by quarterback Joe Flacco and running back Ray Rice and rank eighth in the NFL in total offense.
Where the defense has remained strong is allowing just 17.8 points per contest to rank seventh in the NFL in scoring defense and Baltimore ranks sixth in the NFL with a plus-six turnover margin with 12 takeaways on six fumble recoveries and six interceptions. However, they're allowing 379.8 yards of total offense per game.
Despite the changes, Lewis remains a vital part of what the Ravens are doing defensively. He never comes off the field.
The Ravens' win-loss record is Lewis' primary focus, not his personal accomplishments as he pursues another Super Bowl ring.
"I don't know the last time I've actually talked about me individually and how I play because I just go out there and do what I do," said Lewis, the Most Valuable Player of Super Bowl XXXV following the 2000 season. "I think for us to be where we are right now as a team, it's probably more important than anything individually. You look around the league and you always hear these personal stats by guys, and their teams are 1-4 or their teams are 1-3.
"So, I throw things out the window. The blessing is there is not an accolade or record I don't have. None of that impresses me. What impresses me is having my team ready to play every week to come out and get a 'W.'"
