[Baltimore Sun] Ravens vs. Cowboys staff picks: Who will win Sunday’s game in Texas?
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Here’s how The Baltimore Sun sports staff views the outcome of Sunday’s Week 3 game between the Ravens (0-2) and Dallas Cowboys (1-1) at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.
Brian Wacker, reporter
Cowboys 20, Ravens 17: Cowboys outside linebacker Micah Parsons has just one sack so far, but the 25-year-old two-time All-Pro and 2021 Defensive Rookie of the Year is tied for third in the NFL in pressures with 14. So don’t be surprised to see him move around and pick on the right side of Baltimore’s offensive line.
The good news for the Ravens is that the interior of the Cowboys’ defensive line has been vulnerable against the run and Derrick Henry, who lives in Dallas in the offseason, probably hasn’t forgotten that the Cowboys didn’t even bother calling him when he was a free agent this offseason. But it won’t matter if Baltimore’s offensive line can’t create holes to run through and Lamar Jackson can’t get it in sync with his receivers against a defense that was shredded by Alvin Kamara and the New Orleans Saints last week.
Childs Walker, reporter
Ravens 27, Cowboys 23: This is an unusually high-stakes matchup for so early in the season. The Ravens can’t afford to start 0-3, and the Cowboys can’t afford to be licked on their home field two weeks in a row. If the Ravens can keep Micah Parsons out of Lamar Jackson’s face — a big if — they’ll score plenty. If they build an early lead, they’ll press on Dallas with a superior run game. Can their secondary do a better job on CeeDee Lamb than it did against the Raiders’ top two targets? The answer is yes. The Ravens will begin digging out of their hole with a bruising road win.
Mike Preston, columnist
Cowboys 28, Ravens 24: The Ravens have a great chance of winning if they can run the ball. Dallas likes to use small, fast guys on defense, so Baltimore should have success pounding away with running back Derrick Henry, assuming the offensive line can open some holes.
The outcome will be decided by which quarterback gets hot. When he is on his game, Lamar Jackson can dominate with his legs. Dallas’s Dak Prescott can light a team up with his arm. The Ravens are 0-2 and coach John Harbaugh has been successful in getting his teams out of holes, but the Cowboys got blown out at home by the Saints on Sunday. They will be an angry bunch and should win.
C.J. Doon, editor
Ravens 33, Cowboys 20: No matter what happens in this game, you can bet it’s going to lead the debate shows Monday morning. Lamar Jackson and Dak Prescott, perhaps the two biggest lightning rods for criticism in the NFL, fighting to keep their seasons alive? That’s catnip for everyone with an opinion on professional sports. But it’s harder for me to imagine the Ravens being the team under pressure to make significant changes after a disastrous 0-3 start. The Cowboys live in that world seemingly every season.
In a game decided by blocking and tackling, the Ravens have a decided edge here, despite what we all watched in the fourth quarter last Sunday against the Raiders. Dallas’ defense is paper thin right now, especially along the interior. The Cowboys’ offense isn’t as explosive as it might seem on paper, either, having recorded only four passing plays of 20 yards or more in two games. There’s a world in which Micah Parsons and CeeDee Lamb have the same impact as Maxx Crosby and Davante Adams did last week in Baltimore, but the Ravens should know how to adjust this time around. If they can’t run the ball effectively with Derrick Henry and tighten up in the secondary, the season might as well be over.
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Tim Schwartz, editor
Ravens 24, Cowboys 21: There’s no way Baltimore can start 0-3, right? Right!? The Ravens have too much talent and too much pride to fall into a hole that deep, and I think you’ll see a desperate group Sunday afternoon. Lamar Jackson is not the reason Baltimore is winless but he can certainly play better. His team needs him — and running back Derrick Henry — to become a closer, take care of the ball and rely on his legs when plays break down.
Special teams, a major issue for the Ravens so far, is a big disparity in this one with the Cowboys having some of the best specialists in the NFL. Avoiding the back-breaking return or somehow preventing the long field goal could be the key for the Ravens to win. Something’s gotta give, and I’d be surprised if Baltimore drops to — gulp — 0-3.
Bennett Conlin, editor
Ravens 27, Cowboys 24: Baltimore’s 0-2 start comes as a bit of a surprise, especially given how the team lost to the Raiders in Week 2. Even after the collapse against Las Vegas, Baltimore has more than enough talent to work through its issues and push for the postseason in the final 15 games of the year. In the shorter term, the Ravens should take advantage of a Dallas defense that ranks worst in the NFL in rushing defense, according to Pro Football Focus grades. Look for Derrick Henry and Lamar Jackson to create enough successful plays in the running game for Baltimore to pick up its first win of the young season.
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