NEW ORLEANS -- Keenan Lewis pointed out the startling difference between his two knees to reporters as he hobbled through the New Orleans Saints’ locker room Sunday night. He described the normal one as a “cornerback’s knee” and the massively swollen one as a “lineman’s knee.”
Lewis still didn’t know the full extent of the damage, though, as he said an MRI was planned for Monday.
“I’ll find out tomorrow, but it definitely don’t feel good,” Lewis said after the Saints' 27-24 overtime loss to the San Francisco 49ers. “I’ll try to speed up this recovery process so I can play next week.”
Losing Lewis for any stretch would be a severe blow to the Saints. He might be as hard to replace as any player outside of quarterback Drew Brees -- both because he's been playing at such a high level for the past two years as their No. 1 corner, and because the rest of the Saints' corners have been so erratic. (However, it should be noted that the Saints' defense -- and replacement cornerback Patrick Robinson, in particular -- did play very well after Lewis suffered the injury.)
As Lewis proved Sunday, he’ll do whatever it takes to get back on the field next week against the Cincinnati Bengals.
After being carted off the field and announced as out of the game with what was first announced as a quad injury, Lewis came back in the second half and convinced trainers and coaches to let him keep playing. He had a key third-down pass breakup and played for a few series before eventually calling it a day when he couldn’t bend the knee anymore.
“Even though I was in pain, I tell myself, ‘If I can walk, I can try to go.’ My team needed me, and I just gave what I could give,” said Lewis, who said it will be the same approach this coming week. “I’m pretty sure it’s gonna be hurting next week and I’ll be out there hopefully on one leg [again]. I’ll let the trainers evaluate me, we’ve got good trainers. And if I can walk, I’m going.”
Lewis ultimately agreed with the coaches Sunday, though, to “be smart” when he left the game for good.
“We still got seven games, we still gotta fight, so [defensive backs coach Wesley McGriff] doesn’t want me to go out there playing on an injured knee and I tear something and I’m out for the season,” Lewis said.
Lewis said he has been dealing with some knee pain since early in the season. But it obviously worsened after he collided with 49ers tight end Vernon Davis while defending a deep incomplete pass late in the second quarter.
Lewis was clearly in pain as he was down on the field for a while, then had the knee area examined on the training table. Eventually he was carted back to the locker room. But then he came out early in the second half with a knee brace on and worked to convince trainers he was ready by running, cutting and backpedaling.
That determined effort was praised by teammates, who said they know how much it means to Lewis. Lewis himself referenced his reaction to being taken out of the playoff game at Philadelphia with a concussion last season, when he had to practically be forced off the sideline as he kept pleading his case.
