Dallas takes its reshaped defense to Brazil on Sunday for the NFL’s first game in Rio de Janeiro, facing a Baltimore Ravens offense built around Lamar Jackson’s dual-threat skill set and Derrick Henry’s punishing rushing style.
The Cowboys have had early trouble containing mobile quarterbacks, an issue that becomes more urgent against Jackson. Dallas has surrendered an NFL-high 126 rushing yards to quarterbacks on 19 attempts, a 6.6-yard average.
Quick facts
- Jackson enters Week 3 leading the NFL at 10.0 yards per pass attempt.
- He has added 74 rushing yards and one touchdown on 11 carries.
- Henry has rushed for 212 yards and four touchdowns through two games.
- Dallas is allowing 173.5 rushing yards per game and opponents have converted 68% of third downs.
- Baltimore was without receiver Zay Flowers in Week 2 because of a hamstring injury.
Dallas gave up 54 rushing yards on 11 carries to Jaxson Dart in the opening two weeks, then allowed Jayden Daniels to gain 69 yards on seven attempts last Sunday. Daniels left that game at halftime with an elbow injury, limiting what could have been an even larger quarterback rushing total.
Rookie pass rusher Donovan Ezeiruaku said the Cowboys understand the challenge presented by Jackson, who has been highly efficient as a passer while showing more burst as a runner than he did a year ago.
“Everybody knows the kind of player he is,” Ezeiruaku said. “He can beat you throwing it and he can hurt you running it. Talking about stopping him is one thing; going out and doing it is what we have to handle.”
Defensive tackle Kenny Clark said Dallas must be more disciplined with its rush lanes and communication. He pointed to setting edges, controlling blockers with extension and closing interior gaps as keys to preventing Jackson from escaping the pocket.
Baltimore’s ground game creates another major concern. Henry received only five second-half carries last Sunday, yet he still ranks second in the league in rushing behind Kenneth Walker III, who has 290 yards. Henry’s four rushing scores are tied for the NFL lead.
Ezeiruaku said Henry’s size and running power make him a different kind of assignment, even for a defense preparing for Jackson’s scrambling. “You have to get to his legs,” Ezeiruaku said of the Ravens running back. “That is how you have to bring down a back like that. It is a tough assignment, but it will be a good test.”
Dallas enters the matchup still searching for defensive improvement under coordinator Christian Parker. The Cowboys have been hurt by communication errors, a limited pass rush and inconsistent tackling through two games.
The numbers underscore the uneven start. Dallas is last in the NFL in third-down defense at 68%, 30th in rushing yards allowed per game at 173.5, and 29th in total yards allowed at 391.5 per game. The Cowboys are also 29th in sacks, 24th in yards allowed per play at 5.8, 18th in points surrendered at 24.0 per game, and 17th against the pass at 218 yards per game.
That profile gives Dallas little margin for error in Rio. Jackson’s efficiency and Henry’s production present a difficult two-part test for a Cowboys defense that has yet to consistently stop either quarterback runs or the conventional ground game.
