Kick back and relax on Sunday, the Ravens are on their bye and there’s no reason to get those nerves worked up too much.
Head Coach John Harbaugh said he may be taking in some chicken wings and French fries this Sunday while he watches the Houston Texans take on the Oakland Raiders.
But that’s not the only game you should be watching. Here’s the top five for Ravens fans:
Raiders vs. Texans – Sunday, 1 p.m.
The Texans are the Ravens’ next opponent, so it’s a chance to scout. How will Houston adjust without wide receiver Andre Johnson, who won’t be playing due to a hamstring injury? The Texans’ potent offense temporarily stalled after he went down last Sunday versus the Steelers, but running back Arian Foster picked up the slack, running for 155 yards on 30 carries.
Steelers vs. Titans – Sunday, 1 p.m.
There’s the obvious reason to keep an eye on the Ravens’ rival, but there’s more than that. Two straight losses would be hard on the defending AFC Champions, and it could very well happen considering Tennessee looks to be for real with a 3-1 start to the season that has launched the Titans into a tie for first in the AFC South. How will the Steelers fare without James Harrison? How effective will quarterback Ben Roethlisberger be with an injured foot?
Jaguars vs. Bengals – Sunday, 1 p.m.
In the other AFC North game, the Bengals could move closer to the Ravens at the top of the division if they can handle the 1-3 Jaguars. Cincinnati lost to the Broncos (1-3) earlier this season, however, and is looking to build some kind of consistency with its young offense.
Bills vs. Eagles – Sunday, 1 p.m.
This one doesn’t impact the Ravens too much (unless the Bills end up in the playoff hunt), but it’s an interesting game. Are the Eagles really as cold as their 1-3 record suggests? Are the Bills, who just had their perfect start to the season end, for real? It’s two teams who have had polar opposite beginnings to what was expected.
Patriots vs. Jets – Sunday, 4:15 p.m.
The battle of two AFC playoff contenders has been compared to the Ravens-Steelers rivalry (although we all know it’s not close). The Jets are hoping to avoid taking three straight losses, which would put them in catch-up-mode in the early playoff picture. This game usually provides a look at how to attack Tom Brady and New England’s potent offense as well.