Bengals LB Maualuga out 3-4 weeks
Cincinnati Bengals linebacker Rey Maualuga will miss at least three weeks with a sprained medial collateral ligament.
Maualuga, 26, is the team's second-leading tackler with 51 tackles this season. He suffered a concussion and left knee injury on a 3rd-and-1 collision with New York Jets running back Chris Ivory that appeared to be more serious at the time.
The Bengals (6-2) play the Miami Dolphins (3-4) on Thursday night. Safety Taylor Mays has also been ruled out due to a shoulder injury.
Both injuries happened during the Bengals 49-9 win over the Jets on Sunday.
The biggest effect will be at linebacker. Both Mays and Maualuga line up at linebacker during nickel situations. Michael Boley took Maualuga's place during the second half but he didn't practice on Monday due to a hamstring.
It is possible that J.K. Schaffer could be called up from the practice squad for the second time this season. The Bengals have a roster spot to play with as cornerback Leon Hall, who suffered a season-ending Achilles injury in the Oct. 20 win at Detroit, has not been placed on injured reserve.
Even with the run of injuries, Lewis is not using that as an excuse going into the Dolphins game.
"We've got to be the best team Thursday night, plain and simple. It's us and the Dolphins and, we've got to be the best team. There's no other challenge," Lewis said. "We knew the schedule. That's the way it is. There's no ifs, ands or buts about it. You come, be ready to go. We've got to get to work, be the best teachers, be the best executors, and best installers. That's what it's all about. It's a big football game for us."
