Baltimore Ravens

Top 5 Games To Watch During Ravens Bye Week

Updated Mar. 4, 2020 10:25 p.m. ET

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Oct 2, 2016; Baltimore, MD, USA; Baltimore Ravens linebacker Terrell Suggs (55) gets introduced prior to the game against the Oakland Raiders at M&T Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Evan Habeeb-USA TODAY Sports

Are you ready for some football? Here are the best games to watch on the Ravens bye week.

Week 8 gives the Baltimore Ravens a much needed break. The bye week comes amidst a four game losing streak. This weekend gives the Ravens a chance to rest their injured players and recalculate their game plan heading into a big match up with the Pittsburgh Steelers, but what are we supposed to watch this weekend?

Have no fear, the NFL provided several good games this week to replace the six NFL teams on a bye week. The great thing about the NFL is there is so much action. The great thing about the Ravens bye week, is that we get anxiety free football. The Ravens have taken us through a roller coaster of emotions this season.

So let’s get down to it. Here are five games that you should keep in mind this Sunday. These games will keep you entertained.

Oct 16, 2016; Nashville, TN, USA; Cleveland Browns head coach Hue Jackson during the second half against the Tennessee Titans at Nissan Stadium. Tennessee won 28-26. Mandatory Credit: Jim Brown-USA TODAY Sports

New York Jets at Cleveland Browns

Wait, what? The Browns and Jets? Did I just write that? I did, and I think this game will be fun to watch. You didn’t hit your head, these are still two of the worst teams in the NFL, but an angry Ryan Fitzpatrick takes on gritty Josh McCown in an offensive showdown.

With Cody Kessler in concussion protocol, the Browns might expedite the return of Josh McCown to the starting lineup. McCown began throwing at the Browns facilities on Wednesday.

With McCown back in the lineup, Terrell Pryor becomes a much larger threat down the field. This exposes a big weakness of the Jets defense this year as they have already allowed 16 passing plays over 25 yards.

The Jets quarterback also returns to the starting lineup. Unlike McCown who broke his collarbone in week 2, Ryan Fitzpatrick lost his job because he became a turnover machine. He currently leads the league with 11 interceptions. His quarterback rating is only 66.4 which is a stark contrast to last season, but now, he’s dusting off that chip on his shoulder to light up one of the worst defenses in the league.

Despite the bad teams in this game, expect a ton of points, and the first win of the Browns season. You heard me right. Browns win this game at home. Watch for nothing else than the historical significance of the only Browns’ win of the year.

Oct 16, 2016; New Orleans, LA, USA; Carolina Panthers quarterback Cam Newton (1) scores on a touchdown in the fourth quarter against the New Orleans Saints at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome. The Saints won 41-38. Mandatory Credit: Chuck Cook-USA TODAY Sports

Arizona Cardinals at Carolina Panthers

If I didn’t sell you on the Browns and Jets, here is another 1PM game that might get your attention. In a rematch of last season’s NFC championship, Arizona faces off with Carolina with both teams records lower than expected. The Cardinals started bouncing back, but the Panthers need to win this game as they sit at 1-5.

The Cardinals started the season 1-3, but since then, they have not lost a game. Of course, they tied the Seahawks on Sunday night which led to  head coach Bruce Arians throwing their kicker under the bus during the post game presser. Allow me to highlight the positive. David Johnson tallied 171 yards from scrimmage against the best defense in the NFL. Watching Johnson play is a high spot to every Sunday.

The Panthers spent their Sunday night doing whatever they wanted; they were on their bye week. Coach Ron Rivera spent his night at a Carrie Underwood concert.

Hopefully, the rest of the bye week was spent fixing the issues plaguing the defending NFC champions. This is a team that went 15-1 last year, and now they can’t get out of their own way. The defense continuously allows big plays through the air, and the return of Kelvin Benjamin failed to improve the offense. If anything, it too has regressed.

Let’s hope that the bye week refueled the Panthers. I know the Cardinals want a little revenge for the beat down they received in the NFC championship game last year. The Panthers need to step up and prove they are still the team from last year. The Panthers need to view this as a playoff type game. Losing on Sunday effectively ends their chances for the post season.

Oct 13, 2013; Baltimore, MD, USA; Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers (12) shakes hands with Baltimore Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco (5) after the game at M&T Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Evan Habeeb-USA TODAY Sports

Green Bay Packers at Atlanta Falcons

There are only two games at 4PM, and this is the better one. The Packers head down south to try and stop Julio Jones. This game features two flawed, but good teams. At least this game features teams with winning records.

Green Bay’s offense seemed to pulled it together against the Bears last Thursday, but that was against the Bears. The running back situation appears dire, and the Packers only hope falls to Knile Davis who arrived to the team last week. With Eddie Lacy placed on IR, Davis and WR Ty Montgomery will do their best in the backfield.

The good news for the Packers, the Falcons defense isn’t much better than the Bears; however, the Bears don’t have anyone that resembles Julio Jones or Matt Ryan or Devonta Freeman. Tevin Coleman might miss a couple of games, but the Falcons posses enough pieces to still put on a show.

This game features serious playoff implication as both of these teams are in the hunt. The Falcons lost their last two games and can’t afford to lose a third. The Packers, on the other hand, need to keep pace with the Vikings who lost their first game this week. Should be a fun game coming out of the Georgia Dome.

Oct 23, 2016; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Carson Wentz (11) at the line of scrimmage against the Minnesota Vikings at Lincoln Financial Field. The Eagles defeated the Vikings, 21-10. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-USA TODAY Sports

Philadelphia Eagles at Dallas Cowboys

How great are division rivalry games when both teams actually matter? I don’t like either of these teams, but I’m stoked that this is the Sunday night game. The Thursday and Monday night games have been brutal to watch for the most part this year, but NBC keeps getting the winners.

The Eagles travel to Dallas after beating up their former quarterback Sam Bradford in a win against the Vikings. Rookie quarterback Carson Wentz throws a pretty deep ball, and Darren Sproles still entertains with the ball in his hands. It is surprising how quickly this team recovered from Chip Kelly.

There is a coming storm brewing on the Cowboys horizon. Signs of it began circling today.

I’m not weighing in one way or the other on who should start once Romo is healthy. Dak Prescott has looked good, and the Cowboys continue winning. It is hard to walk away from a player like Tony Romo. All of his haters will jump in and talk about every game he lost since 2006, but they never mention his 25 come from behind victories (14th all time) or that his career passer rating is 97.1 (3rd all time). If Prescott wins this week, it makes it nearly impossible to put Romo back in, but how short will Prescott’s leash be?

Unlike the other games I’ve listed, there might be some defense in this game. The Eagles front seven bring pressure as good as any other team, and Dallas’ defense isn’t great but they have over performed for most of the year. These teams hate each other which always makes the game better.

Sep 1, 2016; Detroit, MI, USA; Buffalo Bills head coach Rex Ryan puts his arms up during the third quarter against the Detroit Lions at Ford Field. Lions win 31-0. Mandatory Credit: Raj Mehta-USA TODAY Sports

New England Patriots at Buffalo Bills

The best game of this week 8 belongs to the a rematch of week 4. Not only will this be the best game, but the week leading up to the game is always interesting when Rex Ryan gets to face his man crush Bill Belichick. Twice a year, this game is full of one sided media bravado and trash talking responded by some gruff, blase response from Bill Belichick.

So far this week, Rex Ryan hasn’t said anything crazy, but the week is still young. The Bills did get some good news this week.

That’s right, the Bills get back one of their best defensive players. Marcell Dareus hasn’t played yet this season due to a  four game suspension followed by an injury. The Bills defense has played well for most of the season without him, so how much better will they be with him? The Bills defense did shut out the Patriots in week 4.

However, New England got Tom Brady after that 16-0 game. Not only is Brady back, but Gronk is healthy. The Patriots’ attack will look nothing like it did the first four weeks of the season. As always, Belichick will come out and attack the most dominant players on the opposing roster, forcing them to rely on fringe players.

Some of the Ryan v. Belichick games have been lopsided blowouts, but they are always interesting. If the Bills manage to pull off the sweep, it will be the first time they sweep the Patriots since 1999. Plus, the Bills move within a game of the Patriots, and they obviously would own the tiebreaker. Enjoy the trash talking and the game.

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