The Baltimore Ravens have signed Dez Bryant to their practice squad. The question now becomes: how does this impact the Ravens, and will he ever make the active roster? Personally, I think that if and when he gets called up to the active roster, he will have an impact, albeit not as big as Antonio Brown would have had.
The Ravens need a playmaker who can take the focus off of Lamar Jackson. That guy can’t be Mark Andrews because he has been shut down in multiple games this year. I’m talking about a guy who defensive coordinators will have nightmares dreaming about the night before a game. I’m talking about a guy who defenses will need to double every play and if they don’t then he will make them pay.
If AB came to the Ravens, teams would have to double-cover him, then that would open up Marquise “Hollywood” Brown down the field and Mark Andrews over the middle, which would also leave the rest of the field open for Lamar and the run game. But this isn’t about AB, this is about Dez Bryant, and I do think Lamar will benefit from a guy who can go up and get the ball. The Ravens also need to get Devin Duvernay more involved which I’ve been saying ever since they drafted him, but that’s a different story altogether.
Additionally, Dez is going to be very motivated to show people that he can still play, especially the Dallas Cowboys whom the Ravens face in week 13 on primetime. My prediction is that Dez will total at least two touchdowns in a revenge game for the ages, similar to how Le’Veon Bell will have over 100 scrimmage yards and a TD against his former team, the New York Jets, in what will also be one of the biggest revenge games in recent memory.
What is a revenge game you might ask? A revenge game is when a player who either got traded from Team A to Team B after a fight or had problems with Team A and was released or because the team thought that this player was too old comes back and plays his former team. In the game against his former team, this player balls out like he never has before, and has the game of a lifetime just to stick it to his former team that they got rid of him.
So let’s take a look at some of the most recent as well as some of the most memorable revenge games. Why not start with this past week’s MNF game featuring the Los Angeles Rams and the Chicago Bears, where Leonard Floyd faced off against his former team, the Chicago Bears. In 4 years with the Bears, Leonard Floyd totaled 154 tackles, 18.5 sacks, and 1 interception, for an average of 38.5 tackles and 4.5 sacks per year. On Monday Night, playing for the LA Rams against the Bears, Floyd totaled 2 sacks, 6 tackles, 2 tackles-for-loss, and 3 QB hits. That matches about half of his per season production with the Bears.
Here are some other memorable revenge games over the years.
Desean Jackson, WR
Current Team: Philadelphia Eagles (2019-present)
Past Teams: Philadelphia Eagles (2008-2013), Washington Redskins (2014-2016), Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2017-2018)
Desean Jackson has been in featured in quite the revenge games since leaving the Eagles in 2013. Jackson was on the Eagles from 2008-2013 where he compiled 356 receptions, 6,117 yards, and 32 touchdowns, with his best season coming in his last with the team in which he hauled in 82 receptions, 1,332 yards, and 9 Touchdowns. He would go on to sign with the rival Washington Redskins, where he played the Eagles twice a season for the next three years and would total 20 catches, 440 yards, and 2 touchdowns over five games against the Eagles.
Steve Smith Sr., WR
Current Team: Retired
Past Teams: Carolina Panthers (2001-2013), Baltimore Ravens (2014-2016)
Steve Smith‘s performance against his former team is the epitome of a revenge game. He spent the first 13 years of his career with the Carolina Panthers. In the offseason of the 2014 season, the Panthers decided to release Smith and they instead handed the reigns of the WR group to rookie sensation Kelvin Benjamin. Smith had quite a career with the Panthers, totaling 836 receptions, 12,197 yards, and 67 touchdowns. He would play with the Baltimore Ravens from 2014-2016 and in the 2014 season he had a matchup against the Panthers in Week 4 where he went off for 7 catches, 139 yards, and 2 touchdowns.
Andre Johnson, WR
Current Team: Retired
Past Teams: Houston Texans (2003-2014), Indianapolis Colts (2015), Tennessee Titans (2016)
This revenge game is one that many might not know about. Andre Johnson is known as a Texans legend alongside JJ Watt. In 12 seasons with the Texans, he totaled 1,012 receptions, 13,597 yards, and 64 touchdowns. He would sign with the division-rival Indianapolis Colts for the 2015 season. In week 5 of that season on a Thursday night primetime showdown against his former team, he would put up 6 catches for 77 yards and 2 touchdowns. That would be the only game that season in which he surpassed even 5 catches and the second game he put up 77+ yards.
Here’s one more revenge game that may not be so well known.
Cole Beasley, WR
Current Team: Buffalo Bills
Past Teams: Dallas Cowboys (2012-2018), Buffalo Bills (2019-present)
Cowboy’s career stats: 319 rec, 3,271 yards, 31 TD
Stats against the Cowboys in week 13 of the 2019 season: 6 receptions, 110 yards, 1 TD
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