WhoDat!656

METAIRIE, La. -- Keenan Lewis' first response when asked for an update on his knee injury Monday morning was, "I'll be ready. I'm just getting ready for the Bengals [on Sunday]."

But it sounded a little more like that's Lewis' desire than an official diagnosis. In fact, the New Orleans Saints' cornerback specifically said, "Y'all gotta ask coach [Sean] Payton. I don't want to diagnose myself. I'm pretty sure he met with the doctors and he'll give a better response than me."

Not quite. As usual, Payton declined to shed any light on Lewis' injury or any others, saying only, "We'll look at all those players with any potential injury and be smart."

Clearly, though, Lewis seemed optimistic he'll have a chance to play Sunday against Cincinnati in the Mercedes-Benz Superdome -- despite the fact his knee had swollen to an enormous size after he played through the injury during a limited amount of second-half snaps against San Francisco this past Sunday.

Lewis, who had been carted off the field late in the first half, suggested that there was no risk of serious injury when he returned to play in the second half, though an MRI was pending on Monday morning. The issue was whether he could manage to play through the pain and swelling.

"It's definitely tough (to sit out), but you also gotta be smart, use good judgment. You don't want to run out there and try to make it worse if it had been a season (ending) injury, but I felt that it was nowhere near that standard. That's what made me go back out there," Lewis said.

Lewis said he has been dealing with soreness in his left knee for most of the season. But clearly it was exacerbated by a collision with 49ers tight end Vernon Davis on a deep incomplete pass, which left Lewis in noticeable pain on the field.

ESPN injury analyst Stephania Bell also didn't want to offer a diagnosis from afar. But she said it is possible Lewis could return from the injury in the short term, even with the amount of swelling and stiffness he showed on Sunday. She said as long as the knee is stable and there are no major joint or soft tissue issues that would compromise stability, then it would become an issue of managing the swelling.

New Orleans Saints' Keenan Lewis : I'll be ready - ESPN

"A Veteran is someone who, at one point in his life, wrote a blank check made payable to "The United States of America" for an amount of "up to and including my life."

Papa Voodoo

Wear knee pads if you have a sore knee. It may have helped. So heat/ice, anti-inflammatory, drain knee before game and at half time, inject pain medicine.

Rugby Saint II

..........and repeat as necessary!

WHODATINCA

Dammit. Do we have to tell these guys EVERYTHING?!?!?