The Dallas Cowboys may be getting a small break in an already tricky matchup with the Baltimore Ravens.
Zay Flowers, Baltimore’s explosive wide receiver, is expected to be on a pitch count Sunday in Rio de Janeiro at Maracanã Stadium, which could keep the Cowboys from seeing him at full throttle for every snap. Flowers missed Week 2 with a hamstring injury, and while he made the trip to Brazil, he is still set to test the hamstring before kickoff to determine how much he can handle.
That matters for a Dallas defense that has already had a rough start through the air. The Cowboys have given up 436 passing yards and five touchdowns over their first two games, and they enter this one with several injuries stacking up in the secondary.
The health issues hit early and often. Malik Hooker, the starting safety, went down in Week 1 with a fractured forearm.
P.J. Locke stepped in, then suffered a torn plantar fascia early in the win over the Washington Commanders.
Cornerback Cobie Durant also exited that game after friendly fire and is listed as out with a hamstring strain.
Even if Flowers is limited, Dallas can’t treat him like a non-factor. He showed exactly why in Week 1, torching the Indianapolis Colts for 150 yards and a touchdown on five catches. That kind of burst is a problem on its own, and it becomes even more dangerous when paired with Lamar Jackson and Derrick Henry.
Baltimore doesn’t bring the same overall offensive firepower as Dallas, but it still has plenty of punch. The Ravens are 1-1, as are the Cowboys, though Baltimore is favored in the matchup.
For Dallas, the hope is that someone in the secondary can seize the moment. A player like DaRon Bland or Shavon Revel would be a welcome spark, especially if Flowers is held to a lighter workload than usual.
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 🡒]