The Baltimore Ravens came into Dallas like a team fighting for their lives. Their 0-2 start put them in a much more desperate situation than the Cowboys’ 1-1 beginning and in many ways, both teams played like it. Baltimore jumped to an early lead, seemingly putting things away by halftime. Despite poor body language and suspect effort all around, the Cowboys quietly fought back, narrowing the gap to three. But two clock-killing first down conversions by Baltimore sealed the deal preventing Dallas from mounting one last attack. What started out as an embarrassment for Cowboys fans, ended as a much more respectable heartbreaker. Dak Prescott essentially dragged the team into contention kicking and screaming. As the tide turned so did the mood on the sideline and the once-dejected faces began showing some fight. It didn’t result in a win, but it showed the team isn’t throwing in the towel yet. The Cowboys won the penalty battle, logging 61 fewer penalty yards than Baltimore in Week 3. But repeated pre-snap penalties stuck out like a sore thumb. Pre-snap penalties are inexcusable for a team playing at home. They are drive killers and a sign of an undisciplined team. But that’s not the only takeaway from the Cowboys Week 3 loss. Run-stopping woes Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images The Cowboys are a poor run-stopping team. There’s no other way to slice it and very few cures to fix it. While the broadcast booth and many disgruntled Dallas fans gushed over the awesomeness of Derrick Henry, the real reason Baltimore enjoyed so much success was the defense they were going up against. Three Ravens rushers averaged over six yards per carry on Sunday. Lamar Jackson, Justice Hill, and Henry. While Henry received the bulk of those carries, he posted the lowest per carry average (6.0). Jackson (6.2) and Hill (6.6) proved with their 19 carries it didn’t matter who was running the rock against this defense. It should be no surprise the Cowboys got better against stopping the run once their effort increased. Feeding off the offense’s success, the defense started to do the things necessary to be a good run stopping unit. While it’s clear the Cowboys need more talented players on their defensive interior, effort goes a long way in fixing their run stopping woes. Motion (Photo by Nick Cammett/Getty Images) Motion is a great way to manufacture space, change run blocking angles and identify coverages. It’s a cheat code for many offenses and a staple in some of the NFL’s best attacks. The Cowboys have at times been reluctant to use it, but on Sunday they switched things up. Upon first watch (subject to change) the Cowboys used motion before the snap 10 times and motion during the snap five times. The play was deemed successful 20 percent of the time when using pre-snap motion and 40 percent of the time when there was motion at the snap. The success rate for either wasn’t anything special but it does highlight how much more effective motion at the snap can be and should be something the Cowboys stick with going forward. [affiliatewidget_smgtolocal] First down issues . (Photo by Sam Hodde/Getty Images) First downs are typically the most fruitful down for an offense. Play options are wide open and circumstances don’t tip off intentions to opposing defenses. Yet the Cowboys have been struggling on first downs this season. Dallas came into their Week 3 contest ranked 29th in first down EPA and 28th in first down success rate. They were squandering their biggest opportunities. Upon first watch (subject to change) the Cowboys only posted successful first down plays on two of nine runs and on 5-of-14 passing attempts. It’s an ongoing issue that explains the overreliance on third downs this season. Brandon Aubrey is the early MVP Mandatory Credit: Jonathan Hui-USA TODAY Sports As if there was any question leading up to the day, the Cowboys second year kicker appears to be their early season MVP this year. Not only has Aubrey revolutionized the art of kickoffs under the new format but he just nailed a 65-yard field goal with relative ease in Week 3. As if that wasn’t enough, Aubrey was able to slip an onside kick through the Baltimore hands team, stealing a possession and prompting a fourth quarter scoring drive. If the Cowboys can just keep themselves in close games, Aubrey could be a major difference maker. Sloppy play ruins the day . (Photo by Sam Hodde/Getty Images) Play fakes ruled the day for the Ravens and ruined the day for Dallas. The final play of the game, a Jackson keeper, came off a fake sweep in the backfield. It sealed the win and highlighted why read-options, zone-reads, play-action and RPOs give this defense fits. Missed tackles were also an issue on Sunday. At the end of the third quarter the broadcast team pointed out 14 missed tackles from the Cowboys defense. That’s as inexcusable as the effort shown. Add in CeeDee Lamb’s drop in the second half and fumble inside the redzone in the first half and you have a lot to work on heading into the short week. Final thoughts Mandatory Credit: Tim Heitman-Imagn Images There is a lot still to unpack from the Cowboys Week 3 loss to Baltimore. Dak Prescott wasn’t as sharp as he’s been in the past, but he looked better than he has over the last three games we’ve seen him. Pass protection continues to be an issue in Dallas, and receivers continue to struggle to create separation which doesn’t help things a bit. Defensively it was nice to see the Cowboys willing to mix up their personnel packages. DeMarvion Overshown, typically just a nickel linebacker, and Marist Liufau, typically the base defense linebacker, were both on the field together at times in the Cowboys base defense. Maybe it was a reaction to the Ravens personnel or maybe it was a sign of more to come. Regardless, it
Cowboys vs Ravens: 3 reasons the home team lost 28-25
Andrew Dieb-Imagn Images What was the biggest reason for Sunday in your opinion? The NFL is unpredictable. For the first three quarters, you can do almost nothing right, but suddenly, everything seems to click. That’s how it was for the Dallas Cowboys against the Baltimore Ravens. Baltimore dominated Dallas on both sides of the ball and went into the fourth quarter leading 28-6. Dallas mounted a furious comeback, recovering an onside kick and scoring 19 unanswered points with a chance to get the ball back at the end of regulation for a game-tying/winning drive. Unfortunately, Baltimore sealed the win late with two crucial first downs to run out the clock . The loss is disappointing for the Cowboys as they slide to 1-2 to begin the season. Also, despite the thrilling finish, Dallas’ mistakes throughout most of the game dug them a hole they couldn’t dig themselves out of. Here’s where things went wrong for the Cowboys. Self-inflicted mistakes Forget that the Cowboys had only six accepted penalties for 44 yards. It doesn’t lessen the impact the penalties had on the game. To open the game, Dallas had numerous penalties on their first drive. It was not the start you wanted to get off to, taking the ball after winning the opening coin toss. This served as ominous foreshadowing. Instead of moving forward in the right direction, the Cowboys went backward. Several penalties negated possible points. After a CeeDee Lamb reception to the Baltimore nine-yard line, Tyler Smith would commit a holding penalty to drive the Cowboys back 10 yards. The penalty changed the dynamic of the team’s play calling, and on the ensuing play, Lamb fumbled the ball away to Baltimore as the offense walked off the field empty-handed. Then, with the offense desperate to answer after a touchdown pass to Rashod Bateman, a holding penalty on Tyler Guyton nullified what would have been pass interference on Lamb and set up the offense on the Ravens’ one-yard line. Without Guyton’s penalty, there’s a chance the Cowboys would have scored a touchdown heading into the locker room at the half and trimmed the deficit, but instead, Dallas settled for a long Brandon Aubrey field goal. Lamb’s turnover and team penalties stripped any momentum and confidence the offense could have had much sooner in the contest. Not stopping the run The formula is out for the Cowboys’ defense. Do you want to neutralize Micah Parsons and stop him from taking control of the game? Bludgeon him and the defensive line with the running game. You hate to say that a defense is one-dimensional and can only rush the passer, but with performances like Sunday, what is anyone supposed to think? Dallas could not contain the rushing attack against the New Orleans Saints last week and had trouble fitting runs and getting off blocks. This week, their problem was setting the edges and playing with good eye discipline. Lamar Jackson didn’t have to win the game from the pocket necessarily and threw just 15 passes. Once the run game was firmly established, it led to the play-action pass drawing in the defense, and the misdirection from the Ravens caused the defense to lose leverage and leave wide-open receivers in the secondary. The Cowboys missed over 10 ten tackles. Baltimore ran for 274 yards on the ground on 45 attempts (6.1 ypc) and converted 16 first downs rushing versus two for Dallas. The Dallas offense and defenses are bottom-five units when it comes to stopping the run and running the ball. Last week, we figured that the Cowboys rush defense was susceptible to allowing big gains. However, allowing this many yards inside and out and a vintage performance from Derrick Henry (151 rushing yards) may have illustrated that the run defense is far worse than anyone could have imagined. Lack of explosive plays Though Dallas had a late flurry, the reason they were so behind and unable to sustain drives, was because they could not produce explosive plays. We understand the running game wasn’t going to provide that spark, and it has yet to all season. The Cowboys running backs have only one run of 10 yards or longer, placing the burden on Prescott and the receivers to generate big gains. A few factors weighted the offense down against the Ravens. For starters, the offensive line is struggling to protect Prescott. Cooper Beebe and Tyler Guyton are rookies, so there is a learning curve, and they need time to get acclimated to the NFL. Guyton’s protection problems are rushing Prescott from the pocket, forcing him into premature throws, and tapering down the vertical attack. Veteran Terence Steele is also having comparable issues as well. Nnamdi Madubuike gave Steele fits with his strength and technique, capturing the edge on Prescott and flushing him from the pocket prematurely. Although Prescott had limited chances to throw the ball deep against a Ravens secondary that was hemorrhaging yardage in previous, there were a few occasions. Prescott took shots deep to Cooks and Tolbert, but the receivers could not make the play. The lack of a vertical threat early in the game condensed the offense’s spacing. Nearly every throw from Prescott through the first three quarters was tightly contested. The offense was shackled until it was too little, too late.
Sunday Night Football odds, pick and live discussion: Chiefs at Falcons
Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images Who wins tonight… Kansas City or Atlanta? The Kansas City Chiefs play the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday Night Football. Our partners at FanDuel have the Chiefs as three-point favorites in the game. The pick: Kansas City 27 – Atlanta 20. Check out FanDuel for all of your NFL betting needs. This is an open thread for game chat.
Cowboys run defense creates crater of a deficit, comeback falls short vs Ravens, 28-25
Cowboys run defense creates crater of a deficit, comeback falls short vs Ravens, 28-25 K.D. Drummond Is it officially time to panic? The Dallas Cowboys wanted to prove to the world, but more importantly to themselves that last week was an aberration. It wasn’t. The team was blown out in their home opener, 44-19 to the New Orleans Saints in Week 2 but they had a chance to reverse course seven days later with the Baltimore Ravens coming to town. After allowing 190 rushing yards to Alvin Kamara and the Saints, the two-headed monster of QB Lamar Jackson and RB Derrick Henry made that effort look ambitious by comparison. The Ravens rushed for 274 yards on the game, bludgeoning Mike Zimmer’s embarrassed unit in every way imaginable en route to a 28-25 win. The game came down to the wire, but this was after the Ravens ran out to a 28-6 lead they carried into the fourth quarter. Dak Prescott and the Dallas offense finally came alive, and aided by an onside kick recovery and some defensive stops, they gave themselves a chance scoring 19 points in the fourth quarter. Unfortunately, the defense wasn’t able to shut down the Ravens’ final drive, as a Jackson keeper on 2nd-and-9 gave themselves a fresh set of downs and the chance to run out the clock. The loss drops Dallas to 1-2 on the season, with a quick turnaround trip to New York to take on the Giants on Thursday night. Prescott finished with 373 passing yards, two touchdowns and no turnovers without much help from the running game. Once again Dallas had issues moving the ball on the ground and then game situation took the run off the table. They finished with just 51 rushing yards on 16 carries. Read all the best Cowboys coverage at the Austin American-Statesman and Cowboys Wire.
Cowboys vs Ravens 2024 Week 3 game day live discussion
Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images The Cowboys take on the Ravens in Week 3. The Dallas Cowboys are hoping to get back on track in Week 3 as they host the Baltimore Ravens. This is an open thread for game chat.
NFL Week 3 (2024) early games live discussion
Photo by Kevin Sabitus/Getty Images Check out some Sunday NFL action. We’re waiting for the Cowboys to play later, but in the meantime enjoy some other NFL games. This is an open thread for game chat.
How to Watch: Cowboys-Ravens square off in Week 3, updated betting lines
Cowboys vs Ravens Start Time, Game Information Dallas Cowboys (1-1) vs Baltimore Ravens (0-2) When: 3:25 pm CT, Sunday, September 22, 2024 Where: AT&T Stadium, Arlington, TX Referee: Ron Torbert All-time Series: Ravens advantage, 5-1 Last Matchup:12-08-2020, Ravens won 34-17 in Baltimore. Cowboys won last game at AT&T, in 2016, 27-17. What channel is Cowboys-Ravens on Sunday Red: Baltimore-Dallas | Blue: San Francisco-LA Rams | Green: Detroit-Arizona | Courtesy of 506Sports.com TV Channel: FOX Broadcasters: Kevin Burkhardt, Tom Brady FoxSports.com streaming Fox Sports App: Android | Apple Sunday Ticket on YoutubeTV Weekly, if your internet browser and comp’s GeoLocation shows you are within the normal viewing area of the Cowboys (or their opponent), you can also live stream the game.Live stream FuboTV (free 7-day trial) Local Broadcasts: Fans with IPTV services that broadcast local stations should be able to find one of the affiliates from an area that will see the game. Cowboys vs Ravens Radio Stations Satellite Radio Channels Cowboys Stream: Sirius 228, Internet 808Ravens Stream: Sirius 322, Internet 802 Local Radio Channels Cowboys: 105.3 The FanBrowns: 98 ROCK (97.9 FM) • WBAL (1090 AM/101.5 FM) Odds from Bet MGM (current as of 12:45 pm CT, September 22) Wagering information (Visit betMGM.com for all games) Current Point Spread: Cowboys +1.5 Over/Under: 47.5 Cowboys Money Line:+105 (Ravens -125) Remember there is help if you need assistance with gambling addiction. Click this link for resources. Pregame Links
Cowboys vs Ravens: How to watch, game time, team roster, odds and more
Photo by Perry Knotts/Getty Images Here is all of the information you need on how to watch this week’s Dallas Cowboys game. The Dallas Cowboys will host the Baltimore Ravens in Week 3 of the 2024 NFL season. Both teams could really use a win. The Cowboys are coming off a humiliating loss to the New Orleans Saints, a game that they were never really a threat to win. The Saints ran all over them, and hit explosives plays in the passing game in a beatdown. The Ravens enter the contest without a win. They just missed against the Chiefs, then somehow blew a late lead to the Raiders. Suffice it to say, this is an extremely important game for both teams. Cowboys vs Ravens game info Important links: Cowboys depth chart | Roster Date: Sept. 22, 2024 Game time: 4:25 PM EST Location: AT&T Stadium – Arlington, TX TV channel: FOX Coverage Map: 506 Sports Radio: 105.3 The Fan | SXM Streaming: FOX Sports, Sling Cowboys record: (1-1) Ravens record: (0-2) Odds: Dallas +1.5, courtesy of FanDuel Prediction: Cowboys 24 – Ravens 20 Enemy blog: Baltimore Beatdown Twitter: @BloggingTheBoys Facebook: Please Like us!
CeeDee Lamb injury update and status vs. the Ravens in Week 3 | Sept. 22, 2024
The Week 3 matchup for CeeDee Lamb and the Dallas Cowboys has them going head to head against the Baltimore Ravens at 4:25 PM ET on Sunday, Sept. 22. Watch CeeDee Lamb and the Cowboys vs. Ravens on Fubo! Will CeeDee Lamb play this week? Lamb is currently listed on this week’s injury report (did not participate in practice, ankle). His game status has not been listed. There are four other pass catchers on the injury report for the Cowboys this week: John Stephens Jr. (questionable/hamstring): 0 Rec Jalen Brooks (questionable/ankle): 2 Rec; 28 Rec Yds; 0 Rec TDs Jake Ferguson (LP/knee): 3 Rec; 15 Rec Yds; 0 Rec TDs Brandin Cooks (LP/rest): 6 Rec; 59 Rec Yds; 1 Rec TD CeeDee Lamb’s 2024 stats Lamb’s 17 targets have resulted in nine receptions for a team-leading 151 yards (75.5 per game) and one score so far this season. Cowboys’ next game Matchup: Dallas Cowboys vs. Baltimore Ravens Time: 4:25 PM ET Date: September 22, 2024 TV channel: FOX Live stream: Fubo (Regional restrictions may apply) Watch CeeDee Lamb and the Cowboys vs. Ravens on Fubo! CeeDee Lamb’s 2024 game log Week 1 at Browns: 10 TAR, 5 REC, 61 YDS, 0 TD, 3 CAR, 25 YDS Week 2 at Saints: 7 TAR, 4 REC, 90 YDS, 1 TD Watch CeeDee Lamb and the Cowboys vs. Ravens on Fubo! Gannett may earn revenue from sports betting operators for audience referrals to betting services. Sports betting operators have no influence over nor are any such revenues in any way dependent on or linked to the newsrooms or news coverage. Terms apply, see operator site for Terms and Conditions. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, help is available. Call the National Council on Problem Gambling 24/7 at 1-800-GAMBLER (NJ, OH), 1-800-522-4700 (CO), 1-800-BETS-OFF (IA), 1-800-9-WITH-IT (IN). Must be 21 or older to gamble. Sports betting and gambling are not legal in all locations. Be sure to comply with laws applicable where you reside. We occasionally recommend interesting products and services. If you make a purchase by clicking one of the links, we may earn an affiliate fee. Cowboys Wire operates independently, though, and this doesn’t influence our coverage.
Jake Ferguson injury update and status vs. the Ravens in Week 3 | Sept. 22, 2024
In Week 3, the Dallas Cowboys and Jake Ferguson meet the Baltimore Ravens at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. Kickoff is set for 4:25 PM ET on Sunday. Watch Jake Ferguson and the Cowboys vs. Ravens on Fubo! Will Jake Ferguson play this week? Ferguson is currently listed on this week’s injury report (limited participation in practice, knee). His game status has not been listed. The Cowboys have four other receivers on the injury list this week: CeeDee Lamb (DNP/ankle): 9 Rec; 151 Rec Yds; 1 Rec TD John Stephens Jr. (questionable/hamstring): 9 Rec; 151 Rec Yds; 1 Rec TD Jalen Brooks (questionable/ankle): 2 Rec; 28 Rec Yds; 0 Rec TDs Brandin Cooks (LP/rest): 6 Rec; 59 Rec Yds; 1 Rec TD Jake Ferguson’s 2023 stats Per game, Ferguson totaled 44.8 receiving yards on six targets last year. Cowboys’ next game Matchup: Dallas Cowboys vs. Baltimore Ravens Time: 4:25 PM ET Date: September 22, 2024 TV channel: FOX Live stream: Fubo (Regional restrictions may apply) Watch Jake Ferguson and the Cowboys vs. Ravens on Fubo! Jake Ferguson’s 2023 game log Week 1 at Giants: 7 TAR, 2 REC, 11 YDS, 0 TD Week 2 at Jets: 4 TAR, 3 REC, 11 YDS, 1 TD Week 3 at Cardinals: 7 TAR, 5 REC, 48 YDS, 0 TD Week 4 at Patriots: 7 TAR, 7 REC, 77 YDS, 0 TD Week 5 at 49ers: 3 TAR, 3 REC, 28 YDS, 0 TD Week 6 at Chargers: 1 TAR, 1 REC, 15 YDS, 0 TD Week 8 at Rams: 4 TAR, 4 REC, 47 YDS, 1 TD Week 9 at Eagles: 10 TAR, 7 REC, 91 YDS, 1 TD Week 10 at Giants: 7 TAR, 4 REC, 26 YDS, 1 TD Week 11 at Panthers: 5 TAR, 3 REC, 32 YDS, 0 TD Week 12 at Commanders: 3 TAR, 1 REC, 35 YDS, 0 TD Week 13 at Seahawks: 8 TAR, 6 REC, 77 YDS, 1 TD Week 14 at Eagles: 8 TAR, 5 REC, 72 YDS, 0 TD Week 15 at Bills: 8 TAR, 6 REC, 44 YDS, 0 TD Week 16 at Dolphins: 8 TAR, 4 REC, 45 YDS, 0 TD Week 17 at Lions: 6 TAR, 4 REC, 33 YDS, 0 TD Week 18 at Commanders: 6 TAR, 6 REC, 69 YDS, 0 TD Wild Card at Packers: 12 TAR, 10 REC, 93 YDS, 3 TD Watch Jake Ferguson and the Cowboys vs. Ravens on Fubo! Gannett may earn revenue from sports betting operators for audience referrals to betting services. Sports betting operators have no influence over nor are any such revenues in any way dependent on or linked to the newsrooms or news coverage. Terms apply, see operator site for Terms and Conditions. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, help is available. Call the National Council on Problem Gambling 24/7 at 1-800-GAMBLER (NJ, OH), 1-800-522-4700 (CO), 1-800-BETS-OFF (IA), 1-800-9-WITH-IT (IN). Must be 21 or older to gamble. Sports betting and gambling are not legal in all locations. Be sure to comply with laws applicable where you reside. We occasionally recommend interesting products and services. If you make a purchase by clicking one of the links, we may earn an affiliate fee. Cowboys Wire operates independently, though, and this doesn’t influence our coverage.
