Ravens at Cowboys Preview: Lamar vs. Dak, Brazil and Can Dallas Be Trusted?

By Charles Harris, Ravori Sports

The Baltimore Ravens are heading to Brazil looking for a response.

After blowing a 14-3 lead and losing 24-17 to the New Orleans Saints in Week 2, the Ravens now get one of the biggest early-season tests imaginable: Lamar Jackson vs. Dak Prescott, Baltimore vs. Dallas, Jesse Minter's defense against one of the NFL's most explosive passing attacks, and a unique international stage at Maracanã Stadium in Rio de Janeiro.

Both teams enter the matchup at 1-1.

Both teams have something to prove.

And for the Ravens, this is about more than simply getting back in the win column.

It is about showing that the Saints collapse was an early lesson rather than the beginning of a pattern.

The Cowboys present a fascinating opponent because their Week 2 performance was impressive. Dallas destroyed Washington 37-20, with Prescott completing 26 of 31 passes for 279 yards and four touchdowns. CeeDee Lamb caught eight passes for 153 yards and two touchdowns. Prescott also became the Cowboys' all-time leader in touchdown passes.

But here is the question Ravori Sports wants answered:

Are the Cowboys for real — or are the Cowboys frauds?

Baltimore gets a chance to find out Sunday.

Lamar Jackson vs. Dak Prescott

This is the headline.

Lamar Jackson.

Dak Prescott.

Two accomplished quarterbacks.

Two very different styles.

And both are capable of taking over a football game.

Jackson enters Brazil with 559 passing yards, two touchdown passes and one interception through two games. He also has 74 rushing yards. The Ravens' offense is averaging 29 points per game through two weeks.

Prescott has completed 48 of 65 passes for 454 yards and six touchdowns through two games, according to current matchup data. His second week was particularly impressive, as he shredded Washington's defense for 279 yards and four touchdowns.

This is where Baltimore's defense has to be different.

The Ravens cannot allow Prescott to sit comfortably in the pocket and repeatedly find Lamb, George Pickens and Jake Ferguson.

That is exactly what Dallas wants.

And the Cowboys have already shown they can punish a defense that gives Prescott time.

But Lamar Is the Difference-Maker

Dallas has a major problem of its own.

How do you defend Lamar Jackson?

That is the question.

Jackson has already shown this season that he can hurt a defense without necessarily having a massive statistical day.

He can extend plays.

He can run.

He can make defenders miss.

He can turn a broken play into a 30-yard gain.

And if Dallas commits too heavily to stopping Derrick Henry, Jackson can make the Cowboys pay with his legs or with play-action passing.

That makes Baltimore's quarterback the central piece of this game.

The Cowboys cannot simply play normal football against Lamar.

They have to account for everything.

Derrick Henry Needs to Matter

The Ravens also need Derrick Henry to be Derrick Henry.

Baltimore cannot make this a 40- or 50-attempt Lamar game if it wants to control the tempo.

Henry rushed 16 times for 68 yards and a touchdown against New Orleans.

That's not terrible.

But it wasn't enough to close out the game.

The Ravens need to establish the run, stay ahead of the chains and force Dallas to bring defenders into the box.

That creates opportunities for Lamar.

And if Dallas backs off because it fears the deep ball, Henry needs to punish them.

This is supposed to be complementary football.

That was missing during the second half against the Saints.

Zay Flowers Is Probably Out

The Ravens' biggest offensive concern is Zay Flowers.

Flowers is officially listed as doubtful with a hamstring injury after missing the Saints game. He did not participate in Wednesday or Thursday's practice and was only limited Friday.

That makes it difficult to expect him to play Sunday.

And that is a major loss.

Flowers exploded against Indianapolis in Week 1 with five receptions for 150 yards and a touchdown before suffering the hamstring issue.

Without Flowers, the Ravens have to lean more heavily on Rashod Bateman, Mark Andrews and their other pass catchers.

Bateman stepped up against New Orleans with seven catches for 88 yards and a touchdown.

That's encouraging.

But Dallas is going to make Baltimore prove it can win without its most explosive wide receiver.

This could also be a major opportunity for the Ravens' young receivers.

Somebody has to step up.

Could Nnamdi Madubuike Return?

This is the other major storyline.

Nnamdi Madubuike has been working his way back from a neck injury and has yet to make his 2026 debut.

Minter said earlier in the week that Baltimore had a good chance of getting several injured players back against Dallas. Madubuike has participated in limited work, and the Ravens have been optimistic about his progression.

However, the latest official injury report lists Madubuike as out, so his return should not be treated as confirmed.

If he is ultimately cleared, that would be a massive boost to Baltimore's defensive front.

Madubuike changes the interior of the defensive line.

He can collapse the pocket from the middle.

He can force quarterbacks to move.

He can help free up the edge rushers.

And against Dak Prescott, interior pressure matters.

But even if Madubuike cannot go, Baltimore has enough defensive talent to make this a difficult afternoon for Dallas.

Jesse Minter Wants His Defense to Find Its Identity

The Saints game exposed some problems.

Minter admitted that Baltimore needs to improve its tackling, leverage and execution in critical situations.

He also emphasized that the Ravens need to play their style when the game gets tight instead of pressing and trying to make a spectacular play.

That is important.

Because this coaching staff is still establishing its identity.

Minter has repeatedly emphasized physicality.

Against Dallas, that identity has to show up.

Minter's message heading into Brazil is essentially simple:

Be Baltimore.

Don't panic.

Don't abandon the defense.

Don't chase the big play.

Don't lose discipline.

And when the game gets physical, embrace it.

Minter has talked about creating a mentality where the Ravens play their style in the biggest moments rather than becoming somebody else when the pressure rises.

That's where the phrase surrounding this team fits perfectly:

The Ravens have to choose to be violent.

Not reckless.

Not undisciplined.

Physical.

Aggressive.

Fast.

Relentless.

If Baltimore is going to establish what the Jesse Minter Ravens are going to be, Brazil is an opportunity to show it.

Can the Ravens' Secondary Hold Up?

This might be the biggest matchup on the entire field.

Dallas can throw.

Prescott is playing well.

Lamb is dangerous.

Pickens gives the Cowboys another explosive option.

Ferguson is a matchup problem at tight end.

And Baltimore's secondary has already had some shaky moments.

Minter acknowledged after the Saints loss that the Ravens need to improve their tackling and execution, particularly in situations where they pressured the quarterback and then failed to finish the play.

The Ravens cannot repeat that against Dallas.

If Prescott gets comfortable, this could become a shootout.

And that is exactly what Baltimore should try to avoid.

Are the Cowboys Frauds?

Now let's get to it.

Are the Cowboys frauds?

That is not something Baltimore can answer based on two games.

Dallas opened the season with a loss to the Giants.

Then the Cowboys scored 37 points against Washington.

That's a very different picture.

Their offense ranked second in the NFL in total yards last season, and Prescott's Week 2 performance showed why Dallas remains dangerous. But the Cowboys' running game has still been an issue. Through two games, Dallas has only 135 rushing yards, putting significant pressure on Prescott and the passing game.

That's the opening.

Baltimore needs to make Dallas one-dimensional.

If the Cowboys cannot run the football, Minter can make Prescott beat the Ravens through the air.

That's a dangerous proposition because Prescott is playing well.

But it's also the challenge Baltimore wants.

If Dallas is going to prove it is legitimate, beat the Ravens.

If Baltimore is going to prove it belongs among the AFC contenders, beat Dallas.

This game can tell us a lot.

The 2008 Connection

Ravens fans don't need much motivation when the opponent is Dallas.

Go back to December 20, 2008.

The Cowboys were preparing to close Texas Stadium in style.

Instead, the Ravens ruined the party.

Baltimore defeated Dallas 33-24 in the final game ever played at Texas Stadium.

That game has become part of Ravens history.

John Harbaugh was in his first season as Baltimore's head coach.

Joe Flacco was a rookie quarterback.

And the Ravens' defense was one of the best in football.

The game turned into a fourth-quarter shootout.

Baltimore eventually pulled away behind two unforgettable runs.

Willis McGahee broke a 77-yard touchdown run.

Then Le'Ron McClain followed with an 82-yard touchdown run.

McClain finished with 139 rushing yards, while McGahee added 108.

It was classic Ravens football.

Defense.

Physicality.

Running the football.

And finishing.

Now, 18 years later, Baltimore is going back to Brazil to face the Cowboys in a completely different era.

But the standard remains the same.

Brazil Is a Test of Maturity

This trip is unlike anything else on the Ravens' schedule.

The team will travel to Rio after Thursday's practice, arriving Friday morning before Sunday's game. Kickoff is scheduled for 4:25 p.m. Eastern at Maracanã Stadium.

The NFL has said there are no current concerns about the playing surface.

So now it comes down to football.

Travel.

Recovery.

Preparation.

Discipline.

Focus.

Minter cannot allow the international setting to become an excuse.

The Cowboys have the same trip.

The Cowboys have the same field.

The Cowboys have the same schedule.

Whoever handles the environment better gets an advantage.

This Is Lamar's Stage

Ultimately, this game comes down to quarterbacks.

Lamar Jackson vs. Dak Prescott.

The two quarterbacks enter with identical 1-1 records, but completely different circumstances.

Prescott just threw four touchdowns.

Jackson just watched a 14-3 lead disappear.

Now Jackson gets a chance to respond.

That's what great quarterbacks do.

They respond.

Baltimore needs Lamar to control the game, not necessarily dominate the box score.

Get the offense moving.

Take the easy throws.

Use his legs when necessary.

Protect the football.

And most importantly, finish.

The Ravens cannot afford another fourth-quarter collapse.

The Ravori Sports Final Word

The Ravens are not going to Brazil simply for the experience.

They are going to win.

And they need to show what this new Jesse Minter era is really about.

Physical football.

Discipline.

Execution.

Aggression.

And finishing.

Zay Flowers probably won't be there.

Nnamdi Madubuike's status remains uncertain despite his positive progression.

That means other players have to step up.

Rashod Bateman has to continue making plays.

Mark Andrews has to be a factor.

Derrick Henry needs to establish the run.

The offensive line needs to protect Lamar.

And the secondary has to survive CeeDee Lamb and company.

Meanwhile, Dallas needs to prove something too.

The Cowboys looked impressive against Washington.

But now comes the real test.

Are they contenders — or are they frauds?

The Ravens have an opportunity to answer that question.

And they have an opportunity to answer some questions about themselves at the same time.

In 2008, Baltimore went into Texas Stadium and ruined the Cowboys' farewell party.

In 2026, the Ravens are taking the fight all the way to Brazil.

Jesse Minter said the team has to play its style when adversity hits.

So this is the moment.

Choose physicality. Choose discipline. Choose aggression. Choose to finish.

The Ravens need to choose to be violent — the football way — from the opening whistle.

Lamar vs. Dak.

Henry vs. Dallas' front.

Lamb vs. Baltimore's secondary.

Minter vs. Schottenheimer.

Ravens vs. Cowboys.

Brazil gets the show.

Now Baltimore has to deliver.

Ravens Flock, it's time to find out who is real.