Rio de Janeiro is about to host its very first NFL game, and what a show the league is bringing to Maracanã Stadium. We’re talking about Lamar Jackson’s Baltimore Ravens facing off against Dak Prescott’s Dallas Cowboys in a Week 3 showdown that looks absolutely primed for fireworks, especially with both defenses still trying to figure things out. This is only the third NFL game ever in Brazil, and it’s a superstar-level matchup, trust me.
Prescott Is Cooking, But Can That Defense Hang?
Both the Ravens and Cowboys are sitting at 1-1 right now, which tells you everything about the early season chaos. The Ravens looked like world-beaters in Week 1, crushing the Colts 41-23. Jackson was ridiculous, dropping 324 yards and a passing touchdown, plus 40 rush yards and a rushing score. But then Week 2 hit, and they struggled on both sides of the ball in a 24-17 upset loss to the Saints, with Jackson being far less effective. What’s the real Ravens team?
The Cowboys, on the other hand, had a rough Week 1, losing 28-20, but Prescott went absolutely off in Week 2. He bounced back with a massive 37-20 romp over the Commanders, tossing four touchdown passes and even passing Tony Romo for the most passing touchdowns in Cowboys history during that rout. This dude was tearing it up, nearly as many touchdowns as incompletions in that game! Prescott has plenty of firepower to match anyone, with CeeDee Lamb already off to a terrific start with 13 catches for 197 yards and three touchdowns. And George Pickens, coming off a monster 1,429-yard season in 2025, has only 68 yards through two games, so it’s only a matter of time until he gets going.
Defensive Woes Set the Stage for a Scorefest
Here’s the rub: both defenses are looking pretty shaky, and that’s why this game has “high-scoring affair” written all over it. The Cowboys’ defense is giving up a league-high 6.1 yards per play and is clearly still figuring things out under new defensive coordinator Christian Parker. We’ve already seen Jayden Daniels and Jaxson Dart carve them up, and the Cowboys have ruled out four players on defense. That’s not good, especially with Lamar Jackson heading their way, ready for a bounce-back opportunity. And if Jackson isn’t doing the damage, the ageless Derrick Henry is ready to plow through an iffy run defense, with his 212 rushing yards through two weeks being second-most in the entire NFL.
The Ravens’ defense isn’t exactly ironclad either. They showed some good signs, but they’re also adjusting to a new play caller in Jesse Minter, who was one of the best in the business with the Chargers for the last two years. It should come around, but for now, there’s vulnerability. When these two teams last met in 2024, the Ravens edged out the Cowboys 28-25, so we know they can deliver a close, high-scoring contest.
This Sunday, September 27th, at 4:25 p.m. ET, all eyes are on Maracanã Stadium. With the Ravens favored by 3.5 points and an over/under of 52.5, get ready for an offensive showcase. Will Lamar exploit the Cowboys’ defensive struggles, or will Prescott keep slinging it against a Ravens unit still getting comfortable?
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by CBS Sports.
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