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Bullet Points: Ravens Are Strong Following Bye Week

Since 2002, the Ravens are 10-2 following their bye week.

By Kris Jones
Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports

The Ravens have a pretty easy schedule for the remainder of the regular season, but the NFL's schedule makers did them no favors prior to their Week 10 bye week aside from shipping them to London. Here's the crap the Ravens had to deal with:

  • Three straight games against the division.
  • Two games in four days to start the season, both against divisional foes.
  • Play five of six divisional games prior to Week 9

Having to play ten straight games without a bye week is tough, but for those teams poised for a long postseason run, it could be a major benefit. Now that the Ravens have weathered the storm of the brutal first-half of their season, it's time to reap the rewards.

When the schedule was first released, many would have had this week's primetime Monday Night Football matchup against the Saints as a loss because:

  • The Saints are usually really good.
  • The Saints typically win at home inside the Mercedes-Benz Superdome.
  • Primetime games are a toss up for the Ravens (27-25 all time during primetime, 5-3 on MNF under Harbaugh)
However, things are different this time around and this game is very winnable for the Ravens. Here's why:
  • Brandin Cooks broke his thumb and won't be able to torch the Ravens secondary.
  • The Saints are only 4-6 this season.
  • The Saints have dropped their last two games inside the Mercedes-Benz Superdome.
And most importantly....
  • Since 2002, the Ravens are 10-2 following their bye week.
Under head coach John Harbaugh, the Ravens are 5-1 coming off a bye in his six years of coaching. If the Ravens win on Monday, they'll join the Packers and Eagles as teams having the best win percentage following a bye since 2002. As is the case with the Eagles and Packers during that time period, there was minimal turnover on the coaching staff, meaning both the teams and game plans are well established.

Having a week to recharge and let your bodies heal should always bode well for a team coming off a bye week, but it's also safe to assume a team could lay an egg given how relaxed they were the previous week. Perhaps moreso this week than any other in the regular season, Harbaugh earns his money with a surefire way to best prepare his team when many distractions could take place.


For more Ravens bullet points, news and information, follow me on Twitter @RavenManiac.

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