Before the game:
After only two games, the Baltimore Ravens are fighting to save the season and their playoff lives.
Back in May, when Ravens fans saw the 2024-2025 season schedule, most assumed the team would be 1-1 going into week 3.
They would either beat the reigning Super Bowl champs in Kansas City and lose a “should win” game to the Raiders or they would lose to the Chiefs and beat Las Vegas.
Neither scenario put its cleats on.
No one guessed the purple and black would be 0-2 at this point and staring down the A gap of missing the playoffs.
According to ESPN’s flagship show “First Take,” 129 teams have started the season 0-3. Only 1 of them has made the playoffs.
The Ravens organization has hopefully done some soul searching heading into its do-or-die game against the Cowboys in Dallas.
Over the past two weeks, they have picked up where they left off last season—abandoning the run-and-play action, which has essentially been the lifeblood of this team since Ray Lewis first did the squirrel dance.
As irony would have it, this seems like a get-right game through the run.
Statmuse.com says the Cowboys have surrendered the most rushing yards so far this season.
Will the Ravens run the ball save their season, or will they go away from their identity and plummet into all but certain abyss of not playing in January?
Ravens vs. Dallas Highlights:
Ravens Score: Lamar ran it in for a TD from 9 yards out after a five-play 71-yard drive.
Score: 7-0
A Cowboy boot: Cowboys kicker Brandon Aubrey makes it look easy—a field goal from 65 yards out with some gas left in it.
Score: 7-3
Ravens Score: A short pass by Lamar and a catch by Agholor turns into a 51-yard gain. Derrick Henry punches it in for 6
Score: 14-3
Big Ravens rookie turnover: Nate Wiggins punches the ball out of Cee Dee Lamb’s hands. Ravens recover.
Big Screen: Lamar tosses it to Derrick Henry for a big screen. Henry bulldozes his way to the red zone.
Bateman sighting: Lamar hit Bateman in the endzone for a 13-yard TD.
Score: 21-3
Another Cowboy Boot: Aubrey is good from 51 yards away.
The Ravens are running through the King; Henry takes it to the house for a 26-yard touchdown.
Score: 28-6
Ravens came out of the locker room and just punched Cowboys defense in the mouth that drive. Henry rumbles in from 26 yards out and the Ravens now lead 28-6 at the 11:58 mark of the third quarter.
— Jeff Zrebiec (@jeffzrebiec) September 22, 2024
Henry now has 110 yards rushing and 2 TDs. Ravens have 191 yards rushing as team
Kicking conundrum: Tucker continues to struggle. He missed from 46 yards wide left.
Cowboys get their first touchdown: Prescott moves his offense methodically downfield and botches the 2-point conversion.
Score 28-12
Cowboys recover an onside kick. They march downfield and score a touchdown and botch the 2-point conversion again.
Score 28-18
Ravens fail to do anything with the ball.
Cowboys score again.
Ravens hang on to win.
Final Score: 28-25
The Ravens hold on for a 28-25 win in Dallas.
— Shawn Stepner (@StepnerWMAR) September 22, 2024
First win of the season.
Things get no easier...
Next up a Sunday night home game next weekend against the Bills. pic.twitter.com/QeaKU0SWvA
Immediate Thoughts:
At one point, this game was a blow out (28-6). The Ravens were sticking with the run game and getting big gains. Go Figure.
The play action plays were gorgeous. They were executing screens. When could Raven's fans ever say that?
However, they took their foot off the gas.
The Ravens seemingly let teams hang around week after week.
This is a trend consistent with this half of John Harbaugh’s tenure. This team simply doesn’t have a knockout punch.
They continuously squander double digit leads to bad teams. This game should have never been this close.
