BYE-maggedon concludes on Monday night time with a recreation of nice significance. The Baltimore Ravens want a win to stay one recreation forward of the Cincinnati Bengals for first place within the AFC North. A victory for the New Orleans Saints at residence would give them the identical report because the Atlanta Falcons and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Sunday wins by division foes have made victory on this recreation much more paramount for each groups. A loss for both now leaves them weak with lower than half of the season remaining.
The Ravens, and beginning QB Lamar Jackson, have gained two consecutive video games and gave the impression to be properly on their solution to their first division championship since 2019. They’ve already defeated the second-place Bengals whose greatest participant, Ja’Marr Chase, is on injured reserve for no less than two extra weeks with a hip damage. Additionally, the Bengals bought smoked final Monday night time by a division rival, the sub-.500 Cleveland Browns.
Certain the Atlanta Falcons had been a recreation forward of the Saints for the NFC South lead, however we’re speaking in regards to the Falcons. A franchise with a singular functionality to lose in probably the most excruciating and ill-timed methods. It occurred once more throughout yesterday’s early slate of video games. Tied 17-all, with 34 seconds remaining towards the Los Angeles Chargers, Austin Ekeler fumbled, and Ta’Quon Graham scooped up solely to drop the ball on the bottom 19 yards later with out being touched. The Chargers recovered and went on to kick the sector purpose.
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That knocked the Falcons out of first place, and the Saints at present maintain the tiebreaker towards them. Sadly for the Saints, Tom Brady sprinkled what water he hadn’t already guzzled from the Fountain of Youth on that elbow, main the Buccaneers on a game-winning landing drive that staved off a fourth consecutive loss for Tampa and stopped the Saints from reaching first place.
Off of a brief observe week, the Bengals disposed of their Week 9 opponent by doing every thing moreover actually putting them in a dumpster. Following the Christian McCaffrey commerce, the Carolina Panthers appeared rejuvenated after a win towards the Buccaneers and an additional time loss to the Falcons. The Bengals moved as quick as attainable on Sunday afternoon to destroy any good emotions within the Panthers group by taking a 35-0 halftime lead. This victory pushed the Bengals report again over .500.
Now as a substitute of this Monday Evening Soccer matchup being for dominant positioning in a division, it has changed into a win that’s essential to set the desk for the again half of the season. The Saints have a monster schedule remaining with highway video games towards the San Francisco 49ers and Philadelphia Eagles. Whereas the Ravens schedule is far much less grueling, they’ve fairly a couple of divisional matchups remaining, together with a Week 18 rematch with the Bengals — in Cincinnati.
With each groups coping with accidents to key gamers, that is the kind of win that may purchase them a while whereas they try to get again to full energy to make that late playoff push.
An intra-conference primetime matchup at a rowdy Superdome towards two groups with reputable probabilities at a division. Not a foul solution to finish every week with six groups on a bye.
