Yeah, two full seasons in 2013 and 2015, but in many seasons except for that awful Lisfranc halfway through 2014 out in Cincinnati, Jimmy has often been able to battle back, i.e. 2012. Meanwhile, I know most people have been picking on Dumervil & especially more so J. Smith this year as the modern day whipping boys, but suddenly the critics have silenced about Lardarius Webb. However, I'll just point out, despite being a fan of his as well, that he's been in the league since 2009, two years prior to his once-upon-a-time cornerback counterpart, and has played precisely the same amount of full 16-game seasons, TWO, just like Jimmy. That will change at the end of this season if Webb, who would have likely missed more time yet again this season if not for the luckiness of Lardarius' timing on that one (going into a bye week), can complete this season relatively healthy. I will also note his issues have been far more serious at times, what with encountering two ACL demons, including during the sixth game (vs. Cowboys, overshadowed by Ray Lewis' injury) of the 2012 season when the B4LT1M0RE RAVEN$ became Super Bowl CH4MP10N$.
At least Jimmy was a huge contributor that year, especially on that SB XLVII final drive, where he and Corey Graham kept Michael Crabtree from scoring on three consecutive passing plays by the 49ers. Also, I won't forget WHY or HOW he got hurt during his first game ever in the NFL, amid his 2011 rookie season: the season opener 9/11 game against Pittsburgh, a 35-7 Ravens win, in which for some strange reason our first round pick and defensive back standout hopeful suffered an injury while playing on special teams kickoff duties. Even still, in the AFC championship that year, Pollard's tip for the pick by Jimmy Smith is something I'll also never forget, meaning that Jimmy is a warrior who bounces and battles back! How many folks were critical of Ed Reed in the latter stage of his career following the 2007 season, when he dealt with many missed games as well, but always found a way to show up for the final stretch aka playoff run? My elephant-esque memory hasn't forgotten all the folks turning on him either!
Instead of spitting on important members of the team (I'm not saying the quoted person was, but some so-called fans have been), why don't we all just hope beyond his 2014 lisfranc injury issue that Jimmy remains relatively healthy with nothing too serious, a la Webb's early day ACL problems. Meanwhile, he and the team will continue going forward, while they are certainly not worrying about the past in the first place, whereas us fanatics harp on history. If he is maybe minus a few matchups at most here & there — like a majority of players in a violent league — and can get this muscular back ordeal currently bothering him in order, similar to what his best bud Shareece Wright was dealing with previously this season (a player who seems to be here for that reason alone, by the way, as he's had exactly one stellar game as a Raven in recent memory, the season/home opener vs. Bills), then I'll take that! After all, I think we all know just how vital of a cog #22 is to this and any year's RAVENous defense.
Obviously, moving ahead, a minimal amount of injuries is always key for any/every player/team. I for one will NOT pile on during one's darkest days. Imagine how players like Jameel McClain (who spoke of how alone you feel in those times away from your team) & Lardarius Webb must have felt to have to stand on the sideline and watch perhaps their lone opportunity to ever contribute in a Super Bowl contest! Hence, with that in mind, I won't kick these guys while they are down. We can hope they are merely fast healers and cheer for them to come back, but it's nonsense to go ragging on a guy just for the sake of it. So many were ready to abandon Elvis Dumervil, yet he came back with a vengeance, and if not for his fumble recovery in his own territory plus another forced fumble on the even more crucial, backs-against-the-wall, final Bengals drive this past Sunday, who knows what might have been? Thus, I'm gonna root for the team's best DB, if not defensive cornerstone as well (arguably second most pivotal player to lose after #5), to get back and help his fellow teammates on a tough stretch & playoff push!