The Ravens survived Sunday’s roller-coaster against the Cowboys, but the win came with a hit that could linger far longer than Tyler Loop’s 56-yard game-winner.
Baltimore got the kind of finish that makes a stadium shake: Lamar Jackson hit Zay Flowers for a 27-yard strike to set up the kick, and Loop finished the job. But the celebration was muted by what happened up front. The Ravens lost both centers, Jovaughn Gwyn and Ethan Pocic, and rookie guard Vega Ioane was forced into center duty.
On Monday, Jesse Minter said the situation does not sound short term.
"They both look like they'll be a little bit longterm."
Coach Minter on center: pic.twitter.com/BelQg2Uw3u
- Baltimore Ravens (@Ravens) September 28, 2026
That matters because center has already been a spot Baltimore has worried about since losing Tyler Linderbaum. It gets even shakier when you factor in Ronnie Stanley, who missed this week with a toe injury. If those absences carry into next week, the Ravens could be without two starters.
Ioane handled the emergency switch well after replacing Pocic in the fourth quarter, but he’s still a rookie and his natural spot is guard. That kind of midstream adjustment is never simple, and the first two weeks showed some of the growing pains that can come with playing him out of position.
The deeper problem is what happens if Gwyn and Pocic both miss time. That would likely open the door for Andrew Vorhees, and that’s a scenario Baltimore would rather avoid.
Vorhees, along with Daniel Faalele, repeatedly put Jackson in danger last season. His issues in pass protection and positioning are well known, and at this level that can become a problem in a hurry.
There is another option in Emery Jones Jr., the 2025 third-round pick, but he struggled in preseason and Vorhees played ahead of him Sunday. That makes it clear Jones is still fighting to climb the depth chart.
Baltimore’s line looked better overall in this game, but it remains the soft spot on a roster built to contend. If Gwyn and Pocic are sidelined, that weakness gets louder. At that point, it’s fair to say the offensive line could be the biggest obstacle between the Ravens and a Super Bowl run.
For now, the win stands. The concern does too.
In Other News...
Lamar Jackson Capitalized On A Cowboys Mistake Ravens Fans Wont Forget
The Ravens had already seen enough to know how thin the margin was in their Brazil matchup with the Cowboys, and the final kickoff decision only sharpened that lesson. Dallas chose to take the touchback instead of squibbing it away, leaving Baltimore with the full clock and a chance to make the most of one last possession.
Lamar Jackson and the Ravens did exactly that, turning the extra time into a quick scoring drive that sealed a win Baltimore fans are unlikely to forget. The call fell on a Cowboys staff led by Brian Schottenheimer and special teams coordinator Nick Sorensen, and the criticism has followed them ever since because one cautious choice ended up giving Jackson the opening he needed. [Read more 🡒]
Ravens Just Got The Response They Needed From Declan Doyle
After the Ravens took a Week 2 loss, offensive coordinator Declan Doyle was an easy target for the usual second-guessing that follows a disappointing result. His first year as a play-caller had already put him under a brighter spotlight than most, and the question hanging over him was whether he could answer it with the kind of sequencing and confidence Baltimore expects when the game tightens.
Against the Cowboys, Doyle delivered the response the Ravens needed. He put together a late drive that leaned into aggression and creativity, and it finished with Tyler Loop drilling a 56-yard field goal to seal a 34-31 win. For a coach still settling into the job, it was the kind of high-pressure series that can change the conversation quickly, even if the larger test of his play-calling is still ahead. [Read more 🡒]
Ravens Survived Absolute Chaos And Still Closed It Out
The Ravens trip to Rio de Janeiro was already going to stand out as a one-of-a-kind NFL event, and it turned into a finish worthy of the setting. Baltimore outlasted the Cowboys 34-31 in the leagues first game in Rio, with Lamar Jackson helping steer the late drive and Tyler Loop drilling a 56-yard field goal as time expired to end it.
Jacksons 27-yard strike to Zay Flowers late in the fourth quarter put the Ravens in position for the winning try, capping a night that also featured strong showings from Derrick Henry and Dak Prescott. It was the kind of chaotic, high-pressure opener that could have swung either way, and Baltimore left Brazil with a win it had to fight all the way to the final kick to secure. [Read more 🡒]