The 2026 NFL schedule release is here. It drops at 8 p.m. on May 14, and for the Baltimore Ravens, they’re eager to learn what an important slate will look like for the first season under new head coach Jesse Minter.
At this point, there’s one thing we know for sure. The Ravens will be headed to Brazil in 2026. In Week 3 on September 24, they’re scheduled to take on the Dallas Cowboys in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. It will be an away game for Baltimore.
It’s a highly anticipated matchup. Every game of the NFL’s International Series always gets a ton of hype, and one between the Ravens and Cowboys will demand all the attention in the world. However, according to BaltimoreRavens.com writer Clifton Brown, there’s a clear reason to be concerned about this matchup: Dak Prescott. Brown wrote:
“The Ravens last faced the Cowboys in 2024, beating them in Dallas. However, Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott passed for more yards last season (4,522) than anyone except Matthew Stafford (4,707) and Jared Goff (4,564). It will be an early-season test for the Ravens' new-look defense under Minter and Defensive Coordinator Anthony Weaver.”
Baltimore Ravens face clear danger in Rio matchup vs. Dallas Cowboys
The Jesse Minter era is set to be an exciting one. After a disappointing stretch under John Harbaugh and a disastrous defense in 2025, the Ravens really needed a change. The Minter hire was exactly what they needed. He’ll bring new leadership and defensive genius.
Beneath all that excitement, though, it’s fair to say there’s some worry, especially in the earlygoing. When you fire a Hall of Fame-caliber head coach and hire a first-year head coach, things could backfire quickly. Minter does have a ton of promise, but for both him and Anthony Weaver, fans are going to see just how good their defense is right out of the gates. They’ll have little time to iron out the kinks before they head to Rio to face the Cowboys in Week 3.
It can’t get much worse than what went down last year. At least you’d think. I mean, Zach Orr’s 2025 iteration of Baltimore’s defense was one of the worst units the franchise has ever seen. The pass rush was completely stagnant, and the secondary gave up big play after big play.
The cause for panic? Many of those starters will be returning in 2026. The secondary is almost exactly the same, and that’s what Dallas will look to attack. The trio of Dak Prescott, CeeDee Lamb, and George Pickens is one of the best passing attacks that the NFL has to offer, and if Minter and Weaver can’t take their guys to the next level and help them find a rhythm early, things could get bad in Brazil.
Thankfully, Minter and Weaver have an influx of talent on defense coming in. The front office went full throttle into finding upgrades on the defensive side of the ball this offseason.
On the defensive line, they signed Trey Hendrickson and Calais Campbell, and drafted Zion Young. They added one more piece to the secondary with the signing of Jaylinn Hawkins. Those additions to the pass rush should protect the secondary, and Hawkins helps create possibly the best safety group in the league.
In addition to all this, Minter’s scheming should simply be eons better than the product that was put on the field last year. Pass rushers should actually be generating pressure, and the secondary shouldn’t be as leaky as it was under Orr.
None of that’s guaranteed, though. We’re going to learn quickly what Minter and company are all about. The Cowboys' offense will be a tough animal to tame.
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