The Ravens have flown to Brazil for a Week 3 matchup with the Cowboys, and the setting at Maracanã Stadium isn’t the only wrinkle. Baltimore has to shake off an underwhelming Week 2 showing and do it against a Dallas team that can make life messy in a hurry.
This one feels like a game Baltimore should be able to attack, especially with a Cowboys defense that can be vulnerable. But Dallas also brings an offense loaded with enough firepower to turn the whole night into a track meet if the Ravens aren’t sharp from the jump.
For Baltimore, the formula starts up front.
Every football game gets decided in the trenches, and this matchup looks like one where that battle could tilt everything. On offense, Derrick Henry should be the centerpiece.
Offensive coordinator Declan Doyle said he didn’t forget Henry was on the roster, and Week 3 is the chance to show there are bigger plans for Henry in 2026. That said, none of it works without the line doing its part.
Dallas could load the box to slow Henry down. The Cowboys are 18th in the NFL in run-stop win rate, so they may feel the need to crowd the middle.
Baltimore, though, has the best offensive front in terms of run-block win rate. There is some uncertainty with Carson Vinson expected to make his first career NFL start, but he’s most comfortable when he’s helping pave the way on the ground.
Doyle should make sure his new starting left tackle is in position to stay comfortable.
The other side of the trench battle is just as important. Baltimore needs pressure on Dak Prescott.
Last week, the Ravens’ secondary got exposed late, and now it faces a much bigger challenge with CeeDee Lamb, George Pickens, and Jake Ferguson in the mix. Nate Wiggins and Marlon Humphrey can handle their business, but this can’t be put on their shoulders alone. The pass rush has to set the tone.
Trey Hendrickson, Mike Green, Nnamdi Madubuike, and Travis Jones need to live in Dallas’ backfield. If they can do that, Baltimore’s chances go way up.
The Ravens also can’t afford to let the Cowboys hit on the kind of explosive plays that can flip a game fast. Lamb and Pickens are dangerous at the catch point, and Lamb can turn routine gains into major damage in a hurry. Baltimore does have the secondary talent to slow that down, with Kyle Hamilton, Wiggins, Humphrey, and Malaki Starks all bringing real ability to the table.
That may mean Jesse Minter has to mix in some tricky looks. The Ravens will need pressure, but they’ll also need coverage help over the top. Fire zone blitzes could be part of the answer if Baltimore wants to keep the deep ball in check.
And then there’s the one thing Baltimore has to clean up no matter what Dallas does: the penalties.
Through two weeks, the Ravens have been flagged 17 times for 120 yards. Too often, it’s been the offense stalling itself out and moving backward. That kind of self-inflicted damage was a problem in the Week 2 loss to the New Orleans Saints, and it would be even more costly against a Cowboys offense that was second in the NFL in total yards last season and still has much of the same core in place.
If Baltimore keeps handing Dallas extra chances, it’s going to spend the night chasing. In this matchup, the message is simple: play smart.
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 🡒]