Steelers-Titans postponement could benefit Ravens in a big way
By Mike Luciano
The Baltimore Ravens were helped out by the Steelers-Titans postponement.
The Tennessee Titans were the first team to have an outbreak of COVID-19 amongst their squad in the 2020 season, and it has forced the postponement of their Week 4 game against Ben Roethlisberger. The league is already looking into potential rescheduling options, and perhaps the most probable solution to this problem could indirectly benefit one of Pittsburgh’s greatest rivals.
One of the most likely scenarios the NFL will consider after Tennessee and Pittsburgh were essentially given Week 4 byes was playing the game in Week 7, which was the Titans’ original bye week. Doing so would push Pittsburgh’s matchup against Lamar Jackson and the Baltimore Ravens back to Week 8, which is a major benefit for Baltimore.
The easiest solution that people have thrown out there:
— JJ Zachariason (@LateRoundQB) October 1, 2020
Titans no longer have a Week 7 bye, so they play Pittsburgh then.
Pittsburgh moves their Week 7 game against Baltimore to Week 8.
Baltimore takes a Week 7 bye instead of a Week 8 bye.
The Baltimore Ravens could take advantage of an exhausted Steelers team
Pittsburgh and Baltimore are looking like the overwhelming favorites in the AFC North, and their head-to-head matchups could decide who ends up winning this division. Baltimore will go into that matchup rested after coming off of their new bye week.
Pittsburgh, who was supposed to play Cleveland before making the trip to Baltimore, will now have a matchup on the road against a team that started 3-0 and is coming off of an AFC Championship game appearance.
Against a Steelers defense that has one of the league’s best defensive lines and an All-Pro safety in Minkah Fitzpatrick, Baltimore will take all the added prep they can get.
There are not true “winners” in this scenario, as the NFL finally having an outbreak of COVID-19 is a bad situation no matter what team you root for. However, because of how the NFL will, in all likelihood, mess with their schedule to get this game played in a timely and efficient manner, Baltimore might be able to exploit a tired Steelers team as they to surge to the top of the division.