History on the line for Cowboys against division-leading Ravens
9:19 AM CT
Todd ArcherJamison Hensley
Ravens reporter Jamison Hensley and Cowboys reporter Todd Archer take an in-depth look at Sunday's matchup between the Baltimore Ravens and Dallas Cowboys, who meet for just the fifth time.
BALTIMORE RAVENS
Record: 5-4
First place, AFC North
The Baltimore Ravens believe that beating the Dallas Cowboys would be a “statement win” for a team that isn’t getting much respect.
The Ravens (5-4) are on top of the worst division in the NFL. All of Baltimore’s victories this season have come against teams with losing records.
That perception can change if the Ravens upset the Cowboys (8-1), who own the best record in the league and the longest current win streak.
“It’s going to be a great environment down there [against] the top team in football at this point in time,” coach John Harbaugh said. “You can’t ask for anything more as a football team, to get a chance to go down there and play a team like that.”
RAVENS X FACTOR
QB Joe Flacco -- The Ravens aren’t going to be able to run against the Cowboys. It’s the 28th-ranked run offense against the No. 3 run defense. That means the game rests on the strong right arm of Flacco, who is on pace for his first 4,000-yard season but is one of four starting quarterbacks who doesn’t have more touchdown passes than interceptions. Flacco is the Ravens’ best barometer for success. In his career, Baltimore is 49-11 (.816) when Flacco has a passer rating over 90. The Ravens are 31-40 (.436) when Flacco’s rating is below 90.
WHY THE RAVENS WILL WIN
The Ravens' defense shows why it’s the top-ranked D in the NFL, making quarterback Dak Prescott and running back Ezekiel Elliott look like rookies for one of the few times this season. This is the first top-five defense that Prescott will face. Defensive coordinator Dean Pees has a way of frustrating young passers by using different coverages and blitzes. Baltimore has won five straight over rookie quarterbacks, and this defense is tied for second in the league with 11 interceptions. The Ravens also represent a big challenge for Elliott. Baltimore leads the NFL in fewest rushing yards allowed per game (71.3) and per carry (3.3). The Cowboys’ offensive line, which is considered the best in the league, has to figure a way to move powerful defensive tackles Brandon Williams and Michael Pierce.
WHY THE RAVENS WILL LOSE
Baltimore’s offense won’t be able to keep up with Dallas. The Ravens have struggled to get the ball in the end zone all season, and it’s been magnified on the road. Baltimore has scored five touchdowns in four games away from home. Only the Houston Texans have produced fewer. The Cowboys are vulnerable against the pass because of injuries in the secondary and the lack of a pass rush. Quarterbacks have a 100.5 rating against Dallas this season. But relying heavily on Flacco hasn’t been a successful formula for Baltimore. Since the start of the 2013 season, Baltimore is 4-15 (.210) when Flacco throws more than 40 times.
RAVENS PREDICTION
The Ravens can make a statement by beating the team with the best record in the NFL, but they’ll need a big game by Flacco to do so. He’s been too inconsistent, especially on the road. Flacco hasn’t thrown a touchdown pass in his last 13 quarters away from home. That’s not going to cut it against a Cowboys team that is averaging 26.7 points per game at home. The Ravens’ defense is championship-caliber, but their offense is far from it.
Cowboys 24, Ravens 17
DALLAS COWBOYS
Record: 8-1
First place, NFC East
In their illustrious history, the Dallas Cowboys have never ripped off nine straight wins in the same season.
A victory Sunday against the Ravens, who will be making their first trip to AT&T Stadium, would give the 2016 Cowboys a piece of history.
There is a lot of that going around the Cowboys these days. Elliott needs just 2 yards to break Tony Dorsett’s team rookie record for rushing yards in a season. Prescott already owns the team rookie records for wins, yards and touchdown passes and needs 24 completions to eclipse Troy Aikman’s record of 293.
But the Cowboys aren’t interested in history just yet.
“This is not a time to reflect back on anything,” coach Jason Garrett said.
They hope to do that sometime in February.
COWBOYS X FACTOR
DeMarcus Lawrence -- He led the Cowboys in sacks last year with eight, so he is not a traditional X factor. But he missed the first four games of the season because of a suspension and did not record a sack in his four games, though he finally got one Sunday. If the Cowboys' defense is going to continue to exceed expectations, Lawrence needs to return to the form he had in 2015, when he had seven of his eight sacks in a seven-week span. Affecting the quarterback is almost a euphemism for not being able to get any sacks. The Cowboys need Lawrence to go from affecting the quarterback to sacking the quarterback.
WHY THE COWBOYS WILL WIN
The Ravens have the best run defense in the NFL, giving up just 3.3 yards per carry. Of course, Cincinnati had a stout front and Elliott popped off a 60-yard touchdown run on his way to 134 yards. The Green Bay Packers were allowing 1.9 yards per carry before Elliott ripped them for 157 yards. The Cowboys eventually figure out the best way to attack a run defense. They will figure it out against the Ravens, and Elliott will close in on his sixth 100-yard game of the season.
WHY THE COWBOYS WILL LOSE
Ben Roethlisberger threw for 408 yards against the Cowboys last week. He was sacked just once. The Cowboys are having a difficult time generating a consistent pass rush. As much as Flacco has struggled this season, Steve Smith can move the chains and Mike Wallace can make big plays. Last year’s No. 1 pick, Breshad Perriman, recorded his first touchdown last week. Baltimore might not have Pittsburgh’s total package but can still make some plays against a Dallas secondary that will be without Morris Claiborne and Barry Church.
COWBOYS PREDICTION
All eyes will be on Prescott as he makes his first start with a now-healthy Tony Romo as his backup. Of course, all eyes have been on the rookie anyway, so to think his approach will be different now is kind of foolish. Prescott has had answers for every question. Dez Bryant has two 100-yard games in the last three weeks. Jason Witten is a big factor in the passing game again. Elliott can also make plays in the passing game. If the Ravens can slow down the Cowboys' run, the Cowboys have more ways to beat the Ravens. They will complete the AFC North sweep in 2016.
Cowboys 31, Ravens 22