Dallas City News

The Dallas Cowboys and Baltimore Ravens are both desperate for a win on Sunday. The Cowboys want to erase the beating from the Saints, and the Ravens just want to get in the win column. We checked in with SB Nation site Baltimore Beatdown to get some info from the enemy.

Blogging The Boys: How did the Ravens end up 0-2? What happened in that Raiders game at the end?

Baltimore Beatdown: The Ravens started 0-1 against the Chiefs and lost by a toe. I think most had that game chalked up as a loss as the Chiefs are annoyingly good at football and it was going to be a challenge. The real misery was in Week 2 against the Raiders.

The Ravens have been so disappointingly mediocre or worse in the fourth quarter.

Most times, they hit their opponents early and pour it on in the first three quarters; but if they let their opponents hang around, they falter. It’s been the story of their lop-sided losing rivalry with the Steelers of recent years. It’s happened in many other instances, too.

Against the Raiders, they failed to score touchdowns in the first half, though they were soundly superior on both sides of the ball. Self-inflicted penalties, blocking miscues and good plays made by the Raiders’ defense kept them from putting the game out of reach. And in the fourth quarter, they hit their infamous 10-point lead with half the final quarter remaining and proceeded to collapse. An interception, a three-and-out, a bad penalty and a shanked punt handed the Raiders ample opportunity to storm back and the Ravens failed to lock the gates.

BTB: Given the slow start, how is the fanbase feeling? Is there a panic happening, or is there a confidence that things will get better?

BB: Panic. Despair. Calls for Head Coach John Harbaugh to be fired. Shameless posts attacking Harbaugh and the players have poured in. I’d share just how soulless some of the fanbase has been but I don’t want to give them more exposure for being so morally bankrupt.

Baltimore Beatdown’s fan confidence poll plummeted from 72% confidence after the loss to KC in Week 1 to 23% after the loss to the Raiders. It’s dismal.

BTB: Evaluate the play of Lamar Jackson in the first two weeks compared to how he normally performs.

BB: I feel Jackson’s been right about what you’d expect from him. Evading pressure, making downfield throws and involving himself more in the rushing attack than he’s done the past couple seasons. He’s made some poor throws or missed open receivers at times, but overall you can’t fault him too much, seeing as his offensive line is allowing pressure at a strikingly high rate.

BTB: How has Derrick Henry looked as a Raven?

BB: Henry looks solid and has made the most of what he’s being given. Of his 130 rushing yards, 99 have come after contact. He’s given little running room but has begun to get rolling more and more. We saw it on the first drive against the Chiefs. Then again when he bulldozed the Raiders defense in the second half after finishing the first half with only five yards, yet finished with 84.

There are plays to be made and he will find them, but the blocking must improve to give him greater chances.

BTB: Both teams desperately want to win Sunday. Who wins and why?

BB: I’ve gone on record that the Ravens are weakest where the Cowboys are strong. Ravens have struggled against elite pass rushers and they’ll be facing Micah Parsons. They’ve struggled against elite wide receivers and they’re facing CeeDee Lamb. On paper, this is a brutal game.

But my guess is this will be the game the Ravens put it together and win. The numbers say they shouldn’t, but it just feels like this is one of those games where Baltimore clicks and puts together a 60-minute game of sound, effective play. I hate doing the “vibes over data,” but it’s just been where my mind is all week.

Thanks for the knowledge, Baltimore Beatdown.