While the Steelers got the shaft with an unnecessary Week 4 bye, the Baltimore Ravens were gifted a slight schedule shift that conveniently put their bye the week before the Steelers-Ravens tilt.
On Thursday, the Ravens got an injection on defense with Pro Bowl defensive end Yannick Ngakoue. While the trade is still pending, since he played just last week with the Minnesota Vikings, there’s no reason to think the trade won’t go through. Ngakoue has five sacks and two forced fumbles this season.
The Ravens also signed former Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Dez Bryant to their practice squad on Thursday. Remember him? Now 31, the three-time Pro Bowler hasn’t played a down since 2017. Even then, he was three seasons removed from 1,000+ yard seasons and double-digit touchdowns. Nevertheless, with 838 yards and six touchdowns, Bryant was still productive in his final season with the Cowboys.
How nice of the NFL to help out the Ravens and only give a slap on the wrist to the Tennessee Titans for violating strict protocols set forth by the league.
Violations of the COVID-19 protocols included failure to wear masks, miscommunication on outside workouts, and not following distancing and mask regulations inside the facility.
Meanwhile, the Steelers have been following protocols, and they’re the ones forced to deal with the ramifications of the Titans’ violations. Hopefully, this will add even more fuel to Pittsburgh’s fire Sunday.
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