The Baltimore Ravens are no longer winless. On Sunday afternoon, the Purple and Black rolled into AT&T Stadium in Arlington, TX, and walked away with a 28-25 victory over the Dallas Cowboys.
The game wasn’t as close as the final score suggested. The Ravens opened with touchdowns on their first two drives, and it was clear early on that the ground game was the recipe for success. Though Baltimore’s rushing attack set the tone, wide receiver Nelson Agholor, and tight end Charlie Kolar made key receptions to help the Ravens march down the field near the goal line.
This was the kind of start the Ravens had been waiting for. Dallas came into the game after being gashed by the New Orleans Saints 44-19, primarily through the run game. Baltimore took that formula and ran with it—literally—racking up 274 rushing yards and three touchdowns on 45 carries.
Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson delivered plenty of punishment, completing 12 passes for 182 yards and a touchdown while adding 87 rushing yards and another score on the ground. It’s safe to say Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy’s preparation for Jackson was exposed.
Lamar Jackson makes Cowboys Trey Lance-preparation look silly
Lamar Jackson is Lamar Jackson—there’s no one else like him in the NFL. His unique skill set makes him nearly impossible to prepare for. The Cowboys tried to ready themselves for Jackson and the Ravens by using backup QB Trey Lance to simulate him in practice. To say that strategy failed would be an understatement.
Mike McCarthy on facing Lamar Jackson:
— DLLS Cowboys (@DLLS_Cowboys) September 18, 2024
“Well, he's dynamic, No. 1. We feel really good about what Trey [Lance] can give us there as far as running those scout teams reps, and Cooper [Rush] will handle some of the other things too. Lamar is a dynamic, dynamic player.” pic.twitter.com/299eCqEOwv
Dallas had no answer for Jackson or the Ravens’ run game. Baltimore took control early and never let go. By halftime, Jackson had connected with Rashod Bateman for a 13-yard touchdown, adding to the Ravens’ first-half dominance.
The game was firmly in Baltimore’s hands from start to finish. No matter how much you prepare for Jackson, you can’t truly replicate what he brings to the field. While Lance may have a touch of Jackson’s athleticism, the comparison is nowhere close. Jackson, arguably the best dual-threat quarterback in NFL history, brings a level of unpredictability, decision-making, and field vision that’s unmatched.
Dallas’ preparation for the Ravens had three glaring issues. First, Trey Lance simply can’t emulate Lamar Jackson. Second, they seemed to view Jackson solely as a runner, overlooking his passing ability. Third, they underestimated Baltimore’s offense, thinking it all revolved around Jackson’s individual play.
Who could have guessed that prepping for Lamar Jackson with Trey Lance wouldn’t fully prepare Dallas for what was to come? And who would’ve thought that if the Ravens returned to their bread-and-butter ground game, they’d dominate offensively?
Although the Cowboys tried to make it interesting in the fourth quarter, the damage had already been done. The Ravens held onto their lead, avoiding the kind of late-game collapse that had haunted them earlier in the season.
Today showed exactly what this Ravens team is capable of when they’re focused and playing their style of football. They very well could be 3-0 heading into Week 4 against the Buffalo Bills, but at 1-2, they’re starting to find their stride.
If Baltimore keeps playing like this, they’ll be right back in the Super Bowl conversation.