Corey Ivy having a good game for Baltimore [Archive]

Aries

11/27/2006, 11:23 AM

Big day for Corey yesterday...

http://www.baltimoreravens.com/news/

Covered With Ivy
By Brett Strohsacker

Perhaps it's no coincidence that the doctor who told Corey Ivy he might not play for the rest of the season was from Pittsburgh. Only seven weeks removed from emergency surgery to repair a torn kidney, Ivy not only played against the Steelers, he dominated.

The 5-9, 188 pound cornerback was all over the field on Sunday, recording three passes defensed, two tackles, a sack, an interception and a forced fumble in the Ravens' 27-0 blowout over the Steelers.

"I'm just grateful to be back out there playing the sport that I love," said Ivy. "God healed me really fast. It was kind of scary at first, but I was able to overcome that. I'm healthy now thanks to the good doctors in Pittsburgh and Baltimore."

Ivy's future was in question after suffering a torn kidney in a Monday night loss to the Denver Broncos on Oct. 9. During the flight home, Ivy felt a great deal of discomfort, and was rushed to the hospital after the team plane made an emergency landing in Pittsburgh.

"The doctors in Pittsburgh told me that I might have to sit out this year," he recalled. "I immediately called my athletic trainer here in Baltimore. He said, 'Don't listen to them. It will be about four-to-six weeks.' It was four to six weeks, and I was able to get out there and contribute."

The sixth-year player out of Oklahoma did more than just contribute to the Ravens' victory; he played his heart out.

"We have a lot of guys on this defense that can make plays, and Corey Ivy had a heck of a game out there today. He played his heart out, just like everybody else," said linebacker/defensive end Terrell Suggs, who added two sacks of his own.

Ivy, who plays primarily in nickel packages and on special teams, looked strong in every aspect of the game.

With 5:06 left in the third quarter and the Steelers threatening, Ben Roethlisberger was looking for his favorite target, Hines Ward. Ivy came out of nowhere and slammed into the 6-0, 205-pound receiver as the ball arrived, jarring it loose for an incompletion.

On the very next play, the speedy cornerback came around the edge on a blitz and pummeled Roethlisberger behind the line of scrimmage, knocking the ball free. Ravens linebacker/defensive end Adalius Thomas alertly recovered the ball and ran it 57 yards for a touchdown, putting the Ravens ahead by an insurmountable 24 points.

Ivy iced the game in the fourth quarter when he intercepted a Roethlisberger pass at the Pittsburgh 27-yard line. Four plays later, Matt Stover drilled a 40-yard field goal to put the Ravens up 27-0.

As much of his skill as Ivy displayed against the Steelers, he showed even more of his grittiness. And while the coaches were impressed, they certainly weren't surprised.

"I don't know that I've ever been around a tougher player than Corey Ivy," boasted head coach Brian Billick after the game.

"He's just a tough little guy," added defensive coordinator Rex Ryan. "He's one of the toughest cats in the league. He's a bulldog out there. He had to cover Hines Ward a few times and he stepped up to the challenge. We expect that out of Corey - he's just a tough guy."

Ivy's performance on Sunday certainly stands out, but it was in no way an aberration, nor was it the culmination of what Ivy brings to the Ravens.

"Corey Ivy is a warrior," said Thomas. "He's a dog. He comes every day to play. He has a pit-bull mentality and he fits right into our defense. Anything that you ask him to do, he's right there to do it."

Coming back from a torn kidney after missing only three games was not something anybody asked him to do; it was something that he wanted to do. It was a testament to his work ethic, his toughness and his heart.