The Ravens head to Brazil on Sunday with a quick chance to shake off last week’s disappointment, and the simplest path to doing that is staring them right in the face: hand the ball to Derrick Henry and keep hammering away.
Baltimore ran for 274 yards and averaged 6.1 yards per carry against Dallas two years ago, when Micah Parsons was still on that defense. This version of the Cowboys looks different, but the Ravens still have no reason to get cute if Henry is available to do what he does best. With Zay Flowers looking doubtful, leaning on the ground game makes even more sense.
That matters because the offense may need to carry a little extra load. Jaxson Dart ran for 54 yards against Dallas in Week 1, and Jayden Daniels added 69 in one half last Sunday, a reminder that Lamar Jackson’s legs can still tilt a game in Baltimore’s favor. If Flowers can’t go, Jackson using his own movement becomes even more important.
There are also real personnel questions up front. Shutting down Ronnie Stanley to get his toe right is the sensible call, but it leaves 2025 fifth-round pick Carson Vinson in line for his first career start.
Baltimore already ranks 30th in ESPN’s pass block win rate metric, so the timing is less than ideal, even if the Cowboys’ pass rush doesn’t exactly overwhelm anybody. Dallas ranks 28th in pressure rate and 29th in sack rate despite blitzing at a 16th-ranked clip, according to Sharp Football.
On the other side of the ball, the Ravens are looking for more urgency after Anthony Weaver said he sensed “a little bit of stress” and “didn’t feel like we were ourselves ” in the fourth quarter against New Orleans. Coaching matters, but this is also on the highest-paid players to show up when the game tightens.
Baltimore should get a lift from Nnamdi Madubuike returning to a game for the first time in more than a year. Weaver called him “He’s a force multiplier.
There’s a reason why he commands the check he does.” That kind of interior disruption is exactly what the Ravens need, especially with Dallas leading the NFL in third-down conversion rate.
That matchup should tell a lot about whether Baltimore has cleaned up its late-game issues.
There are other moving pieces to watch, too. Minter said Chidobe Awuzie needs to play more, and that creates an interesting wrinkle with Marlon Humphrey playing well outside. Kyle Hamilton could also factor in if Baltimore wants to use him deeper more often.
Dallas, meanwhile, brings a quarterback who is rolling early. By just about any measure, Dak Prescott has been excellent. The Ravens will also try to keep George Pickens quiet after a sleepy start, but CeeDee Lamb has been productive.
Travel always gets attention in games like this, though Rio de Janeiro being only one hour ahead should soften the impact. Henry said he sleeps “like a baby” and explained his secret this way: “Close my eyes. Go to sleep.”
The field at Maracanã Stadium remains a concern, and the NFLPA made its position clear. The group said its “number one priority is the health and safety of our players,” and warned that the field could be “loose, patchy, and lead to…”
Prediction-wise, the temptation is to call this another “same old Ravens” spot after the Saints loss. But “same old Cowboys” has more weight here.
Baltimore’s offense hasn’t been sharp without Flowers, but it still moved the ball last week, and Dallas looks like the softer defense in this matchup by a wide margin. The Ravens should feed Henry, control the clock, and make Prescott play from behind.
It may not turn into the shootout some expect, but Baltimore pulls away late, forces a key interception, and leaves Brazil with a 27-23 win.
In Other News...
Ravens Brazil Game Just Got An Unexpected Halftime Twist
The Ravens trip to Brazil is getting a bigger spotlight than just the football itself, with Ricky Martin set to headline the halftime show when Baltimore faces the Cowboys. Hell be joined onstage by Brazilian funk star Pedro Sampaio, adding a local flavor to a matchup already notable as part of the NFLs push into an international market.
For Baltimore, its another reminder that this game is being staged as more than a regular-season date on the schedule. Martin brings worldwide recognition and prior NFL halftime experience, while Sampaio gives the event a distinctly Brazilian edge, making the midgame break one more part of a night designed to feel like a showcase. [Read more 🡒]
Cowboys Fans Already Have A Dak Problem Before Rio Kickoff
The NFLs first regular-season game in Rio de Janeiro is already drawing attention before kickoff, with the Cowboys and Ravens set to meet at Maracan Stadium in a showcase that feels as much about the setting as the matchup. Players who saw the field came away saying it was very soft, adding an immediate layer of uncertainty to a trip that was supposed to spotlight two of the leagues biggest brands on an international stage.
Off the field, the pregame presentation has also stirred conversation, especially among Cowboys fans who took issue with the caricatures of Dak Prescott and Lamar Jackson displayed around the stadium. Prescotts likeness in particular drew plenty of criticism online for how unflattering it looked, giving Dallas supporters something else to gripe about before the football even starts. [Read more 🡒]
Ravens Week 1 Opener Suddenly Has A Serious Brazil Problem
The Ravens Week 1 trip to Brazil is drawing some unexpected attention before either team takes the field, and it has nothing to do with travel or atmosphere. The Cowboys-Ravens matchup at Rio de Janeiros Maracana Stadium has sparked concerns about the condition of the playing surface, with league and union officials already weighing in on the work being done to improve traction and stability.
NFL Players Association executive director JC Tretter and NFL field director Nick Pappas have both addressed the efforts underway to get the surface ready, underscoring just how closely this one is being watched. Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott has said he feels confident about playing there, but for Baltimore, the bigger question is whether the field is going to be in acceptable shape by kickoff. [Read more 🡒]