Ravens v Steelers Volume I pushed back a week due to Titans COVID outbreak
The Baltimore Ravens will have to wait an extra week to face their archrivals for the first time this season. Their AFC North matchup with the Pittsburgh Steelers that was set to take place on Oct.25 at M&T Bank Stadium has been pushed back a week to Nov.1 and they will have their bye week moved up a week to Week 7 (Oct.25).
The reason for the amendment to the schedule is a result of the Tennessee Titans’ recent outbreak of the coronavirus that caused their Week 4 matchup with the Steelers to get rescheduled. They have had several players and team staff members test positive for the virus this week following their Week 3 game with the Minnesota Vikings.
Both the Steelers and the Titans will have their bye weeks this week since their game was postponed and they will face off in Week 7 in Nashville instead. Pittsburgh currently sits in first place in the AFC North standings with an unblemished through the first three weeks of the season.
An early bye is never considered a good thing because teams would rather have a week off later in the season when their teams are more banged up than earlier in the year when they are typically healthier. However, the San Francisco 49ers the earliest bye last year in Week 4 and still made it to the Superbowl.
Steelers Head Coach Mike Tomlin was asked about having to play 13 straight games as a result of the reschedule and he said his team will not use that as an excuse for anything.
“We do not care,” Tomlin told reporters.
The Ravens currently sit at 2-1 and sole possession of second place in the AFC North standings since they hold the head-to-head tiebreaker over the 2-1 Cleveland Brown who they thumped in Week 1. This reshuffling of their bye week means that they will have a little extra rest and preparation time before they face the Steelers for the first time this season.
