Ravens vs. Cowboys: three big questions ahead of the NFL’s first game at Rio’s Maracanã

The Baltimore Ravens and Dallas Cowboys meet Sunday at Rio de Janeiro’s Maracanã in the NFL’s first regular-season game in the city. Both teams enter the matchup at 1-1, and expectations are high, especially given their offensive firepower and the embrace of the local fans.

According to the NFL, the league is returning to Brazil for a third straight season, but for the first time it plays a regular-season game in Rio de Janeiro, at the historic Maracanã stadium. After two editions in São Paulo, this matchup kicks off Sunday at 4:25 p.m. ET and will unfold in a venue with a capacity of about 73,000 spectators, bringing practical and atmospheric changes compared to previous years.

1) Will Derrick Henry have another big day? The Ravens rusher, 1.91 m and 115 kg, has piled up 212 rushing yards and four touchdowns in the first two weeks, and remains Baltimore’s primary weapon in late-game situations. If the coaches lean on Henry in decisive moments, he could trouble Dallas’s line, which this season ranks 29th in yards allowed per game (391.5) and 30th in rushing yards allowed (173.5), as well as last in third-down conversion percentage (68.0%).

2) Can Dallas keep producing consistent offense? The Cowboys’ offense has shown two faces: a deep Week 1 loss to the Giants and a dominant Week 2 performance against the Commanders. The main scorers are CeeDee Lamb, George Pickens and tight end Jake Ferguson, while the key to success is pressure on Dak Prescott. Prescott has passed well against the blitz (78.3% completions, third in the league), but has dipped under pressure (50%, his lowest since 2019), while Baltimore’s defense has a 43.8% pressure rate this season, fifth-highest in the NFL, and has pressured 65.0% of third-down dropbacks, more than any other team.

3) Will Baltimore benefit from play-action? Lamar Jackson has wreaked havoc with passes off fakes: 13 of 18 for 229 yards, plus 36 yards on four play-action keepers, the league’s highest mark for that element. Dallas has allowed a receiver with more than 3 yards of separation on 70.6% of play-action attempts, and has also allowed 61 scramble yards off play-action, more than any other team. If Baltimore executes its run schemes and play-action well, Jackson has the tools to open up the game and damage the opposing defense.

Both teams come into this matchup needing confirmation after the season’s start, and the Maracanã game is expected to be a strong test of their strategies. As the NFL reports, the Rio meeting also offers a particular logistical and atmospheric challenge that could affect the game’s rhythm.