Dallas looking to ground Ravens’ in Week 3

The Dallas Cowboys and Baltimore Ravens will meet for only the seventh time since 2000. That was the first year of the new Baltimore franchise’s existence.

Given the Ravens 5-1 record in the previous six meetings, Dallas would likely prefer to see the team fly off somewhere else.

There’s also the matter of the Ravens winning the last game ever played at Texas Stadium at the end of the 2008 season.

The Cowboys opened Texas Stadium in 1971 with a win over an AFC team – New England. But the conference got its revenge when it came time to close the doors 37 years later.

Adding insult to injury, the loss also proved costly in that the Cowboys missed the playoffs by a half game.

Against The Ravens

This will be the earliest in the season the two teams have met.

Prior to this year the earliest the two team had met was a Week 6 contest in 2012 – a 31-29 loss at Baltimore. A Tony Romo pass failed on a potential game-tying two-point play with 32 seconds left in the game.

The first-ever meeting between the two teams came in 2000. The Ravens blanked Dallas 27-0 at Baltimore.

Four years later – again at Baltimore – the Ravens rolled to a 30-10 victory.

Dallas finally hosted the Ravens on that fateful 2008 night – only to lose in spectacular fashion by giving up two late, long touchdown runs.

The 2012 loss made it four straight victories by Baltimore. But the Cowboys would get their revenge.

In 2016, at AT&T Stadium, Dak Prescott and Dez Bryant connected on two second-half touchdown passes.

Dallas went on to win the game 27-17 and snap the losing streak.

Just four years later, back in Baltimore, the Ravens rebounded with a solid 34-17 victory.

The win gave the Ravens a 4-0 record at home against Dallas. They have a 122-56 scoring advantage in those four wins.

The teams are 1-1 in games played in Texas with the Cowboys holding a slight 51-50 scoring lead in those games.

Week 3 History

Dallas will bring a 35-24 record all-time in Week 3 contests. They are 17-10 at home and 18-14 on the road.

The Cowboys have lost two games to strike seasons – 1982 and 1987 – and have had three byes – 1999, 2003, and 2006 — fall on the third week.

This will be their first home game in the schedule’s third week since 2021. In that game they walloped the Eagles 41-21.

Prescott threw for three touchdowns and Trevon Diggs returned an interception 59 yards for a score.

Dallas has won their last three home games in Week 3. The last loss came against Atlanta in 2015.

In that game, the Cowboys jumped out to leads of 14-0 and 28-14.

But despite leading 28-17 at halftime, the Cowboys fell 39-28 as Atlanta scored 22 unanswered points in the second half.

Dallas has lost three of its last four Week 3 road games – including last year’s inexcusable 28-16 loss to the Cardinals in Arizona.

The only win during that run came the year before with a 23-16 victory over the Giants.

The Eagles and Commanders are the Cowboys most common Week 3 opponent to date. Dallas has faced both teams eight times each.

But while the Cowboys are 5-3 against Philadelphia, they are 3-5 against Washington.

The Cardinals are just a game back with seven meetings and Dallas holding a 4-3 edge. The Giants and the Rams are next up at five games each.

My Prediction

(based on rosters as of today)

The Cowboys will be up late that night, pondering weak and weary, over yet another loss to the Ravens. As for when they might beat Baltimore again?

Quoth the Raven:

“Nevermore”

Predicted season record: 1-2