Revenge games are one of the most exciting and anticipated games in an NFL schedule. It's not about just winning when it comes to these clashes, it's also about sending a message or proving a point. And with all 256 games now being released by the NFL, players, coaches, and fans alike can now start circling dates on their calendars as they count the days before they can get their much-awaited payback.
This season, with the stories behind these games, a few of these matchups stand out as the most compelling.
Here are the top 10 Revenge Games of the 2020 NFL schedule.
1. Frank Gore vs. all the teams he played for.
The New York Jets are slated to play the San Francisco 49ers, the Indianapolis Colts. And being in the AFC East, the Jets will also face rivals Buffalo Bills and Miami Dolphins, twice. Newly signed running back Frank Gore has played in each of these teams the Jets are scheduled to clash against, and could be looking to prove to them that even at age 36, he still has a lot left in the tank.
2. Tennesse Titans vs. Baltimore Ravens
The Tennessee Titans shocked the football world in the AFC Divisional Round when they pulled a massive upset and defeated the Baltimore Ravens. With the regular season schedule having the two teams pitted against each other in a week 11 clash, Lamar Jackson and the Ravens can get their payback against Derrick Henry, Ryan Tannehill, and the Titans.
3. Jason Garrett vs the Dallas Cowboys
Jason Garrett has served as the Dallas Cowboys head coach for a decade. After missing the playoffs last season, the Cowboys relieved him from his duties and replacing him with former Green Bay Packers coach Mike McCarthy. Now being part of the Cowboys' bitter rival the New York Giants as their offensive coordinator, Garrett should be looking forward to prove to his former team that the issues surrounding Dallas were more about something else and not with him.
4. Nick Foles vs the Jacksonville Jaguars
Then Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Nick Foles suffered a shoulder injury in their season-opening loss against the Kansas City Chiefs. In his place stood rookie gunslinger Gardner Minshew. The Jaguars decided to start Minshew for the rest of the season, and then traded Foles to the Chicago Bears last March. Foles now has a chance to show the Jaguars that they made a mistake in choosing Minshew over him as they pay their visit to Jacksonville, assuming he beats Mitch Trubisky for the starting quarterback spot, of course.
5. Teddy Bridgewater vs the New Orleans Saints
Teddy Bridgewater took over the starting quarterback job for the New Orleans Saints when regular starter Drew Brees went down with an injury. Bridgewater went 5-0 in his five starts before being relegated back to the bench. After being let go by New Orleans, Bridgewater signed a three-year contract with Panthers. In Week 7, the former Saints backup is ready to remind the Saints what they have lost.
6. Emmanuel Sanders vs San Francisco 49ers
The San Francisco 49ers traded for wide receiver Emmanuel Sanders from the Denver Broncos to bolster their receiving corps. The Niners elected to not resign Sanders in the offseason and instead chose Arizona State's Brandon Aiyuk to fill in his position. Now with the New Orleans Saints, Sanders is looking to prove what a mistake it is for San Francisco to let him go. It also features New Orleans getting payback from the Niners for their they suffered a defeat in Week 13 shootout last season.
7. Ron Rivera vs the Carolina Panthers
Ron Rivera once took the Carolina Panthers to the Super Bowl as their head coach. A paltry 2019 season prompted the Panthers to not only release their long time MVP quarterback Cam Newton, but also fire their coach of nine years. With Carolina slated to visit the Washington Redskins in Week 16, Rivera and his new defensive dynamo Chase Young can proceed to stick it to his previous team who are now undergoing a rebuild.
8. Minnesota Vikings vs New Orleans Saints
In the NFC Wild Card game, the Minnesota Vikings managed to stun the football world by defeating the 13-3 New Orleans Saints in overtime. Drew Brees and company will now get the chance to exact revenge as they will once again host Kirk Cousins and the Vikings in a Christmas Day showdown.
9. Melvin Gordon vs the Los Angeles Chargers
The Los Angeles Chargers might rule the day when Melvin Gordon signed within the division. Gordon was offered $10 million by the Chargers last season, but seeking a better deal, he chose to hold out. Gordon then chose to end his no-show and reported to the team in September. Gordon elected to leave the Chargers after the 2019 season and signed with their AFC West rivals Denver Broncos. Gordon now has the chance to show the Chargers that not only is he a big loss for them, but that he deserved to be paid. And he can do it twice!
10. Jimmy Garoppolo vs the New England Patriots
The former heir apparent to Tom Brady makes his return to Foxborough. With Brady signing with Tampa Bay, a case can be made that Garoppolo should now be the man under center for the New England Patriots. Now with San Francisco, Jimmy G steps back into Gillette Stadium and will try to get the upper hand against the Patriots and the man who traded him away in Bill Belichick.
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