Ravens Are Unanimous Choice to Defeat Cowboys
The Ravens are 8.5-point favorites over the visiting Dallas Cowboys (3-8), who have the worst record in the NFC. But you know what they say about “any given Sunday.”
Fortunately for the Ravens, the game is on a Tuesday. Still, last night’s upset of the previously undefeated Steelers by the Washington Football Team (more on that below) is a reminder not to overlook any (NFC East) opponent.
The Ravens are still feeling the effects of a COVID-19 outbreak that severely depleted their already injured-ravaged roster for last week’s game against the Pittsburgh Steelers. Losers of three straight, the Ravens (6-5) now find themselves in a situation in which they may have to win their remaining five games to get into the playoffs.
The good news is the Ravens have activated 11 players off the Reserve/COVID-19 list over the past several days, including quarterback Lamar Jackson, who reportedly will play tonight.
All 47 of the pundits we looked at are picking Baltimore to beat Dallas.
Here’s a sample of what the pundits are saying about the game:
The Ravens will win despite several factors not being in their favor.
CBS Sports’ Pete Prisco: “This game … is essentially a survival test for both teams. The Ravens are playing on a short week, while the Cowboys will have almost two weeks off after playing on Thanksgiving. … It will be close but [the Ravens] will win it.”
Fansided’s Matt Vederame: “No reason to pick the Cowboys, even with Baltimore on a short week, Dallas on almost two weeks’ rest and the Ravens dealing with COVID challenges. [Dallas quarterback] Andy Dalton and [Head Coach] Mike McCarthy aren’t beating anybody these days.”
Sporting News’ Vinnie Iyer: “The Cowboys will have a long layoff from Thanksgiving playing this game four days later than expected. The Ravens will hope to have enough healthy bodies to field a competitive team that more resembles their best self. For now, it’s hard to think John Harbaugh and their staff will get out-coached by the mess Mike McCarthy is operating in Dallas. There’s too much pride and desperation here in trying to get an AFC wild-card berth to think Baltimore will fall, leaning much on its running game and defense here.”
NFL.com’s Gregg Rosenthal: “Baltimore hopes to get Lamar Jackson and others back for this game, but the Ravens can’t take anything for granted after the month they’ve been through. The Cowboys have experienced their share of awful luck this season, but they’ve collapsed within games enough times to believe it’s part of their makeup. When the talent is so depleted for both sides, I lean toward the better quarterback and better organization.”
The Ravens will use the adversity they’ve faced recently for motivation.
Pro Football Talk’s Chris Simms: “I wouldn’t be surprised if all these current events kind of bring them together and make them better and stronger and more pissed off and feeling like more of the world’s against them and they’re getting no respect. I think they’ll play that card here. I would be shocked if we don’t see the Ravens play some better football and kind of go on a run here at the end of this season.”
The Ravens’ running game and defense will lead them to victory.
The Baltimore Sun’s Daniel Oyefusi: “Even if Jackson shows some rust in his return to the field, the Ravens should be able to rely heavily on their running game, while defensive coordinator Don ‘Wink’ Martindale takes advantage of a Cowboys offense missing several starters along the offensive line.”
Cowboys RB Ezekiel Elliott has had a fumbling problem this season, and he’s going against a defense that thrives on creating turnovers.
The Athletic’s Jeff Zrebiec: “Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliott has fumbled six times this year, and he’s lost five of them. That’s especially notable this week as the Ravens lead the league with 21 forced fumbles. Ravens cornerback Marlon Humphrey leads all players with six forced fumbles, and two of his teammates, Yannick Ngakoue (five) and Marcus Peters (three), also rank in the top 15. You can bet the Ravens will be tugging at the ball to see if they can get Elliott to cough it up. Dallas has a minus-13 turnover ratio, the second worst in the NFL.”
The Ravens should win, but the Cowboys could pull an upset if their star players have big games.
The Baltimore Sun’s C.J. Doon: “The Ravens and quarterback Lamar Jackson need a ‘get right’ game as they seek to finish 10-6 or better to guarantee a spot in a crowded AFC playoff picture, and this certainly qualifies. That is, unless Dallas’ stars — Ezekiel Elliott, Amari Cooper, CeeDee Lamb and Demarcus Lawrence — wreak havoc.”
