Preview for Baltimore Ravens @ Dallas Cowboys
The Baltimore Ravens and Dallas Cowboys will face off in the first NFL game to be held at the iconic Maracana on Sunday.
Both teams have endured mixed starts to the new season. Baltimore routed the Indianapolis Colts in Week 1 before being stunned by the New Orleans Saints last Sunday. Meanwhile, the Cowboys were upset by the New York Giants in the season opener, but bounced back by defeating the Washington Commanders.
As such, the Ravens and the Cowboys will each be seeking to build some momentum, and a victory in one of the most famous venues in world sport would be an ideal way in which to do that.
The game will be the third held on Brazilian soil, the previous two having taken place in São Paulo.
But the build-up to the historic occasion has been somewhat overshadowed by concerns about the field at the home of Brazilian football.
The NFL Players Association voiced concerns about the state of the playing surface, though the NFL’s field director Nick Pappas said it has passed league testing.
Doubts about the field may limit the number of snaps the Ravens are willing to give star receiver Zay Flowers if he makes his return from a hamstring injury.
Baltimore surrendered a 17-9 fourth-quarter lead against the Saints as they suffered 24-17 defeat, and head coach Jesse Minter is relishing the chance to get back on track as he seeks to build his team’s identity in his first season as head coach.
“This is a week-to-week league, and every week is a new opportunity,” Minter said in a press conference.
“It is really about going 1-and-0 every week. The teams that improve as the year goes on, learn from things that happen to them both good and bad, and get a little bit better each week, are the ones that ultimately at the end of the year are playing the best.
“It is a process. It is a process to learn exactly how we want to prepare and do things and operate. We are trying to speed that up and figure that out, create an identity. That takes a little bit of time. I am just really excited to get this group back out there and let it rip again.”
Minter was the defensive coordinator last season for the Los Angeles Chargers when they beat the Cowboys 34-17.
And Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott has returned to the tape from that game to help prepare for a Ravens defense that has surrendered an average of just 4.7 yards per play (fifth-best in the NFL) through the first two games.
“Being able to go back and watch what this head coach did against us in LA last year, that game has been huge for us just in our game plan and us trying to break down things,” Prescott said. “They make adjustments, we make adjustments.”
“We’re excited about our game plan, we’ve got answers for whatever they’re going to do. That just kind of goes into the rules of who we are, not trying to get outside of our box to combat anything they’re doing or counter them too much.
“We want to be the aggressors; we want to make them play on their heels and bring our best game to them.”
Prediction for Baltimore Ravens @ Dallas Cowboys
It is a very difficult game to predict, especially on a neutral field, but the early evidence suggests the Ravens’ defense is more likely to travel well than that of the Cowboys.
Prediction: Baltimore Ravens 24 – 20 Dallas Cowboys
How to watch Baltimore Ravens @ Dallas Cowboys
The Baltimore Ravens-Dallas Cowboys matchup kicks off at 4:25pm ET (1:25pm PT/9:25pm BST).
It will be broadcast on CBS and will be available to watch in most of the continental US as well as Alaska and Hawaii. A full broadcast map is here.
The game can be streamed via the NFL + subscription service.
As the game is being broadcast in the United Kingdom on Sky Sports Main Event and Sky Sports NFL, it will not be available on DAZN in the UK. Otherwise, the matchup can be streamed worldwide (excluding China) on DAZN.
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