It’s a must-win game for the Baltimore Ravens when they face the Dallas Cowboys in Week 3.
Baltimore enters the matchup still searching for its first win of the season after a pair of narrow losses, including a 26-23 loss to the Las Vegas Raiders in Week 2 after blowing a 10-point lead in the fourth quarter. Dallas is looking to bounce back after its 16-game winning streak at home in the regular season was snapped in a blowout loss to the New Orleans Saints 44-19.
Desperation is in the air for both teams, though, a Ravens loss could put them in a potentially insurmountable hole for their playoff hopes. Here are three things to watch in Ravens vs. Cowboys when they square off on Sunday at 4:25 p.m. ET.
How does the offensive line line up?
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The offensive line for the Ravens were their biggest question mark entering this season and through two weeks, it isn’t difficult to figure out why.
Through two weeks, Baltimore’s offensive line has allowed 20 pressures. It especially struggled against Raiders outside linebacker Maxx Crosby, who had two sacks, two quarterback hits and four tackles for loss en route to earning the AFC Player of the Week. The right side of the offensive line with right guard Daniel Faalele and right tackle Patrick Mekari has been particularly worrisome in the first two games.
With their struggles, head coach John Harbaugh hinted there could be changes along the front-five on offensive.
“I believe our offensive line is going to play great – you have to believe that and feel that way, and I’m looking forward to it,” Harbaugh said on Friday. “And you probably will see some different guys in spots, so that’s just part of it.”
If one had to guess, those changes would likely be rookie right tackle Roger Rosengarten seeing more playing time or even starting in place of Mekari. Ben Cleveland seeing playing time in place of Faalele likely isn’t out of the question either.
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Regardless of how they line up, Baltimore’s offensive line needs to improve, especially given how good the Cowboys pass rush is when they’re firing on all cylinders, which leads us to our next point.
Can Baltimore slow down Micah Parsons?
Baltimore will quickly find out if it can improve in its pass protection with pass rush extraordinaire Micah Parsons lining up on the other side of the line of scrimmage.
Parsons has been one of the league’s elite outside linebackers at getting after the quarterback since entering the league in 2021. Parsons has wracked up 41.5 sacks and 94 quarterback hits in three-plus seasons en route to being a First-Team All-Pro two times and making the Second-Team All-Pro Team once.
Parsons abused the Cleveland Browns offensive line in Week 1 with one sack and five quarterback hits, though, the New Orleans Saints were able to limit him to three tackles and four pressures.
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Crosby was able to wreck the game against the Ravens offense. Whether they’re able to learn from that and adjust against the Cowboys may be the difference between a win or a loss.
Can the Ravens slow down the Cowboys passing attack?
The Ravens defense is still trying to find their form, and they’ll have the difficult task of trying to find their footing against a Cowboys offense that has been one of the league’s best passing units in recent years.
Baltimore’s defense has allowed 257 passing yards, the most in the league through two weeks. Now, they’ll have to slow down All-Pro receiver CeeDee Lamb. Lamb has yet to have a breakout game, as he has nine catches for 151 yards and a touchdown this season. Lamb set career highs last season with 135 catches for 1,749 yards and 12 touchdowns.
Slowing down quarterback Dak Prescott is also of utmost importance and goes hand in hand with keeping Lamb from going off against the Ravens’ secondary.
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Whether it’s double-teaming Lamb or bringing the pressure against a Cowboys offensive line that has allowed six sacks so far this season, the Ravens defense needs to improve and force the issue. If it can’t get a couple sacks or force turnovers, they could be in for a long afternoon.
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Briauna Brown is a digital content producer for CBS Texas and the South region. A longtime and versatile journalist, Briauna writes, edits and produces social media content for all CBS Texas digital platforms.
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Dallas firefighters are battling a large fire at a Pilates studio in Uptown early Wednesday morning, officials confirm.
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Dallas Fire-Rescue said at about 4 a.m., crews responded after someone reported smoke coming from the second floor of Pilates Methodology, located in the 2600 block of Routh Street.
When firefighters arrived at the two-story business, they began an offensive attack, and by 4:50 a.m., a third alarm was called, bringing in dozens of crews to help fight the blaze.
No injuries have been reported as crews work to extinguish the fire.
This is a developing story. We’ll update as more information becomes available.
Despite heightened security around World Cup matches at Dallas Stadium, Arlington police say eight people have now been arrested for attempting to enter games without tickets.
The latest arrests occurred Saturday during the Argentina vs. Jordan match. NBC 5 Investigates found similar incidents have happened multiple times during the tournament.
Police said all eight people arrested have been charged with criminal trespass.
On Saturday, Arlington police arrested 32-year-old New Zealand national Catalina Gambadoro, 26-year-old Argentine national Alejo Melgar and 18-year-old Kareem Kakour, who has an Indiana address.
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According to police, the three were apprehended quickly and did not make it inside the stadium. However, police said at least four people arrested this month were able to gain access to the venue before being caught.
NBC 5 Investigates obtained police reports detailing arrests made on June 22 during the Argentina vs. Austria match.
According to the reports:
• Gerardo Nielsen, 46, of Cordoba, Spain, and Juan Ignacio Campoamor, 35, of Hollywood, Florida, unlawfully entered AT&T Stadium property without effective consent. Police said both had noticed that entry without a ticket was prohibited and pushed through a hole in a fence to gain access.
• Leandro Ayala, 46, of Buenos Aires, Argentina, allegedly jumped a fence to gain access to AT&T Stadium without purchasing a ticket. Police said he entered the property without the owner’s effective consent despite notice that entry without a ticket was prohibited.
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• Federico Llach, 45, of Plano, allegedly crossed ticketed barriers and trespassed into AT&T Stadium.
Earlier in the tournament, on June 14, police arrested Ryan King, 39, during the Japan vs. Netherlands match. According to a police report, King attempted to climb a security fence and enter the stadium before it opened to the public.
Officers quickly located and arrested him. The report states that officers determined he intended to watch the match without purchasing a ticket.
Security measures at the stadium include vehicle barriers, metal fencing around the perimeter, and a heavy police presence at entry checkpoints.
After the initial arrests, Arlington police said they were reviewing security procedures. It remains unclear whether any security changes have been implemented following the additional arrests.
