ARLINGTON, Texas – Running back Derrick Henry ran for 151 yards and two touchdowns on Sunday as the Ravens held off a furious comeback by the Dallas Cowboys and won 28-25, their first victory of the season.
The Ravens (1-2) led 28-6 at the start of the fourth quarter, but another late-game miscue gave the Cowboys (1-2) hope again at AT&T Stadium. Dallas scored three straight touchdowns in a six-minute span to cut the Ravens’ lead to 28-25 with less than three minutes left.
But the Ravens decided the game with two first downs on the ground, including a 10-yard run by quarterback Lamar Jackson to a read-option keeper that secured the win.
Henry, who was hampered by poor run blocking and limited action in close losses to the Kansas City Chiefs and Las Vegas Raiders, needed some time to get going at AT&T Stadium, but his breakthrough performance in the second and third quarters all but ended the Cowboys’ comeback hopes.
Henry, who is living in Dallas during the offseason but has not been pursued by the Cowboys, who are in need of a running back (and are constrained by the salary cap), accounted for 51 total yards on the Ravens’ touchdown drive just before halftime that extended their lead to 21-6. He ran for another 58 yards, including a 26-yard touchdown when the Ravens were up 22 yards early in the third quarter, showing off a handful of his trademark stiff arms.
With the Ravens’ running game gaining momentum (274 yards, 6.1 per carry) and their defense pressuring quarterback Dak Prescott (three sacks), Jackson was able to pick his passing spots early. He completed 12 of 15 passes for 182 yards, including a 13-yard touchdown to wide receiver Rashod Bateman, and completed passes to seven receivers.
The Ravens took control early. Jackson opened the game with a 9-yard run at the end of a five-play, 71-yard run. Henry’s 1-yard run increased the Ravens’ lead to 14-3 at the end of a seven-play, 70-yard run. And Jackson capped an eight-play, 88-yard run with his throw to Bateman late in the second quarter.
The Ravens were on their way to a clear victory until Prescott took over in the fourth quarter. He scored a 1-yard touchdown and found wide receivers Jalen Tolbert and KaVontae Turpin for 15- and 16-yard touchdowns, respectively, to keep things exciting. Prescott finished the game completing 28 of 51 passes for 379 yards and two touchdowns, adding to the Ravens’ problems in pass defense.
Next week the barometer is
Are the Ravens a good team? The answer I would have given you midway through the third quarter — “I think so!” — is very different from the answer I’m giving you now: “Um… maybe?” They held their own against the Kansas City Chiefs on the road, and we’re all pretty sure the defending Super Bowl champions are good. Then the Ravens lost at home to the Las Vegas Raiders, who had just been crushed by the Carolina Panthers. On Sunday, the Ravens looked dominant until they had chance after chance to win the game. Then they looked awful. Again.
If the Ravens are good, I think we’ll know how good they are by late Sunday night. The Buffalo Bills should come to M&T Bank Stadium with a 3-0 record, a Most Valuable Player-caliber quarterback in Josh Allen, and a defensive line good enough to shut down the Ravens’ running game. A win is more important than style points at this point, but the Ravens should at least know where they stand.
— Jonas Shaffer
Situational football is the downfall of this team
There are so many phases of the game that let this team down when the Cowboys came back that it’s hard to know where to start. But the biggest overall problem is that the Ravens don’t seem to do what’s required in situations where they need to perform.
As dominant as the team was early in the running game, the ground attack inexplicably stalled in the fourth quarter as time-consuming became more important. Secondary issues persisted even though the Ravens knew Dak Prescott was stepping back to throw. Getting so many penalties three weeks in a row speaks to a lack of discipline and coaching. The Hands team botched the first opportunity for an onside kick and Justin Tucker missed inside 50 yards.
On one hand, the Ravens were much closer to the team we expected from the start. On the other hand, they can’t be trusted even when they’re playing with a big lead. There’s a reason everyone in Baltimore is waiting for this team and waiting to be disappointed in the fourth quarter – inevitably, these guys take their foot off the gas.
— Kyle Goon
Not so special special teams
I’m pretty sure I’ve written this headline before. Last season, the Ravens’ special teams got off to a rough start before getting going. And those problems are back. They were evident in the first two games, but now they’re reaching a critical point.
Sure, punter Jordan Stout rebounded with a strong game after being taken out of the game for his 24-yard punt that helped the Raiders rebound. But Justin Tucker missed another field goal – this time from less than 50 yards. It was even worse when you compare it to Brandon Aubrey’s 65- and 51-yard field goals for the Cowboys.
And the biggest problem came when the Cowboys decided to go for an onside kick. Under the new kickoff rules, they have to announce the ball, so the element of surprise was lost. Despite that, Zay Flowers dropped the ball. The Cowboys’ ensuing drive helped the game to pick up momentum and make a comeback. The Ravens topped it off by nullifying a good return by Deonte Harty with a holding penalty in the final minutes.
— Giana Han
It’s a start (for a team that can’t finish)
Well, it took a while, but the Ravens have entered the 2024 season.
OK, that’s being frivolous. They were good against the Chiefs, and a few other jumpers could have turned the Raiders’ game around. They weren’t bad, just not very… dynamic. On Sunday, they began to work out some of their own problems (though a Cowboys team with extremely weak offensive AND defensive lines helped) and got Derrick Henry going. Todd Monken’s plays found a rhythm and relied on the offense’s diversity to work. The maligned right side of the offense held up, and the pass rush was relentless.
Of course, there is still plenty to worry about. The end-of-game woes are a problem. Same with Justin Tucker — should I really write that? The secondary seems unable to defend the middle of the field, drops assignments too often, and has been forced to rely on Nate Wiggins for big stops when he clearly wasn’t ready.
But 0-3 would have sent this team into a downward spiral. There is a foundation now to build on. I’m still not convinced it will be the kind of season a team with this level of talent should have, but it’s a start.
– Chris Korman
