NFL Game Odds: Ravens vs Cowboys | After losses to the Kansas City Chiefs and the Las Vegas Raiders, the Baltimore Ravens find themselves in an 0-2 hole to start the season.
Since 1990, when the playoff field grew to 1990, 279 teams have started 0-2. Only 32 (11.5%) of those have bounced back to get to the playoffs.
In 2020, the playoffs expanded to 14 teams. Despite the potential advantage for 0-2 teams, only 2 out of 41 have reached the playoffs since 2019.
Since 1990, only three of 279 teams (1.1%) have come back from an 0-2 start to win the Super Bowl: the 1993 Dallas Cowboys, the 2001 New England Patriots, and the 2007 New York Giants.
Ravens struggle on defense, fifth-worst in points allowed. Offensive line still gelling, Derrick Henry’s arrival hasn’t boosted rushing as expected by sports betting experts.
However, the Ravens have only missed the playoffs once in the last six seasons, and they visit a Dallas team that got run out of their own stadium by New Orleans last week.
How will things turn out in Week 3? Don’t miss our preview.
NFL Game Odds: Ravens vs Cowboys in Week 3 | NFL 2024/25 Season
When: Sunday, September 22, 2024, 4:25 pm ET
Where: AT&T Stadium, Arlington, TX
TV: FOX
Live Stream: Prime Video
Opening NFL Game Odds Subject to Change: Baltimore -1 / O/U Totals 48
Baltimore Ravens -118
If the Ravens can run the ball, they should be able to control this game. The problems for Dallas begin with run defense. Their D-line is undersized, built more for the pass rush than for stopping the run. Their linebackers face similar problems, and so opposing tailbacks find it pretty easy to get to the third level. We saw this last week when New Orleans tailback Alvin Kamara turned back the clock to rumble for 115 yards and three touchdowns (with a fourth touchdown coming on a pass play). The Saints ran for almost 200 yards as a team, and the Ravens rank seventh in the league with 336 rushing yards after two games.
The Cowboys do like to bring pressure on the quarterback. Lamar Jackson has made a career out of extending plays with his legs, and using draw plays and other forms of misdirection should blunt the speed of the Dallas pass rush and help the Ravens extend drives. If you like Dallas, you see their defense stiffening against the run and forcing the Ravens into more third-and-long situations where they can bring pressure, a strategy that worked for the Raiders last week.
^"Our guys aren't doubting each other." pic.twitter.com/W1uNSTnAuV
— Baltimore Ravens (@Ravens) September 18, 2024
Dallas Cowboys -104
Since 2021, Dallas is 12-2 in the week after a loss (an .857 winning percentage). That is tied for the top percentage in the NFL over that time frame. The passing game has paid off big for Dallas the past two seasons. In 2023, Dak Prescott led the league in touchdown passes with 36, and CeeDee Lamb was the top producer in terms of catches (135). Both of these players got immense extensions in the off-season, and this could be the week this starts to pay off. Baltimore’s pass defense has permitted a league-worst 567 yards through the air in two games. Ten of those plays have gone for 20 or more yards.
The Ravens have a hard time finishing games right now. They were going toe-to-toe with Kansas City in the opener before losing, and they had a ten-point lead on the Raiders at home last week in the fourth quarter but could not hold it. That trend extends back to last year’s AFC Championship, which they lost at home. If the Cowboys can exploit this by getting some key sacks or turnovers, they can make the Ravens 0-3.
^Ravens vs Cowboys Final Score and Prediction
I see the Ravens abusing the Dallas defense with the running game after making some improvements in their blocking schemes. While Dallas has the talent to hang with the Ravens, Baltimore has proven to be a better team as far as implementing systems and adjustments over the course of the season.
I predict a final score of Baltimore 27, Dallas 20.
^Here is the Wednesday practice report for the Dallas Cowboys and Baltimore Ravens:
— Nick Harris (@NickHarrisFWST) September 18, 2024
– It’s a back injury for Cowboys DT Mazi Smith who was seen walking off the practice field
– CB Trevon Diggs (foot) and WR CeeDee Lamb (ankle) DNP
– Multiple key Ravens defenders listed as DNP pic.twitter.com/jABvrjZqab
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