Ravens Opponent Profile: Baltimore Goes Up Against Hottest Team In The NFL In The Dallas Cowboys
By Daniel Benjamin
The Baltimore Ravens will enter their Week 11 matchup against the Dallas Cowboys atop the AFC North standings alone. It marks the first time that the Ravens (5-4) have been in sole possession of first place since November 2012. Kick-off for the game against the Cowboys is set for 1 p.m. (ET) at AT&T Stadium. CBS will televise the game.
The Ravens are on a two-game winning streak after defeating the Cleveland Browns 28-7 on Thursday night at M&T Bank Stadium. This is the first meeting between the franchises since 2012. The Ravens lead the all-time series 4-0. Baltimore has lost both of their games against NFC East teams this year.
Opponent profile: Dallas Cowboys
Dallas is the hottest team in the NFL, winning eight straight games. The Cowboys are coming off a 35-30 come-from-behind victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers as running back Ezekiel Elliot scored on a 32-yard run with nine seconds left in the game. Elliot's touchdown capped a crazy last two minutes where three touchdowns were tallied—two by Dallas and one by Pittsburgh.
The Cowboys are 3-1 at home with a plus 31 point differential. Dallas is 3-0 against AFC North teams this season.
Cowboys on offense
The Cowboys are the fourth-highest scoring team in the NFL with 28.7 points per game. The Boys have scored 27 or more points seven times, and have produced 35 points in each of the last two games.
Two rookies, quarterback Dak Prescott and Elliot, lead the No. 1 rushing offense in the league. Elliot, an MVP candidate, has totaled 1,005 yards and nine touchdowns on the ground this season. Elliot has five 100-yard rushing games, and has not been held below 90 yards in a game since Week 2. Elliot is also a productive receiver out of the backfield.
Prescott has shown poise well beyond his experience. The fourth-round draft pick topped the 300-yard mark for the first time on Sunday as he completed 68.8 percent of his passes and tossed two touchdowns. Prescott is completing 66.8 percent of his throws for over 250 yards per game to go along with 14 touchdowns and two interceptions for the season. He has added 125 rushing yards along with four touchdowns.
Wide receiver Dez Bryant is always dangerous and tight end Jason Witten is very a reliable pass catcher.
Cowboys on defense
The Cowboys are very stout on defense, surrendering 18.9 points per game, which ranks fourth in the league. Dallas allowed 448 yards to the Steelers with 408 yards coming through the air. They have given up 23 points to Philadelphia and 30 to Pittsburgh over the last three weeks.
Overall, the Cowboys are ranked 12th in total defense (345.7). Dallas is third in the league against the run (82.6 yards), though they are 21st versus the pass. Linebacker Sean Lee leads the defense with 86 tackles and seven tackles for loss, five of the tackles for loss have come in the last three games. He has six double-digit tackle games this year.
Players to watch: Left Tackle Tyron Smith, Defensive End Benson Mayowa/Jack Crawford
The Cowboys have an excellent offensive line, they rank second in the NFL in run blocking and seventh in pass blocking. The Boys' o-line has given up 11 sacks this season. While the Ravens do not possess the most frightening pass rush, they have recorded 22 sacks. Granted, a lot of the Ravens' sacks are a result of them blitzing, but they do have a dangerous man in outside linebacker Terrell Suggs.
Suggs, who recorded one sack as well as a strip fumble against Cleveland, beat All-Pro left tackle Joe Thomas a couple of times. Suggs will likely match up against Smith, who is considered one of the best left tackles in the game.
On the opposite side of the ball, Dallas has recorded 19 sacks this season. And while most of their sacks have been from guys up the middle, Ravens rookie left tackle Ronnie Stanley has struggled mightily in his two games since returning from a foot injury.
Stanley will likely go against defensive end Benson Mayowa or Jack Crawford. Mayowa has registered two sacks along with six quarterback hurries. Crawford has 1.5 sacks this year.
Outlook
The Ravens will be well rested with 10 days off between games. It is going to be a tough match-up for the Ravens defensively as the Cowboys have several offensive weapons.They will have to try to confuse Prescott with different defensive front alignments.
Offensively, the Ravens should be able to move the ball if quarterback Joe Flacco gets the ball out of his hands quickly. The Steelers picked on Cowboys' rookie cornerback Anthony Brown a lot. Baltimore could possibly go after Brown with Steve Smith, Mike Wallace or Breshad Perriman. The Ravens will likely have a difficult time running the ball.
