When the schedule came out in the spring, this Week 3 matchup figured to be a highly-anticipated battle between the top two vote-getters for the NFL MVP and perhaps a huge test for both teams.
What wasn't expected was a combined 1-3 record, including an 0-2 start for Baltimore.
Let's see what the staff writers think about Sunday's game with the Ravens coming to AT&T Stadium.
Patrik Walker: When I looked at this matchup ahead of the season, I had it pegged as a loss for the Cowboys, but that was also contingent upon them defeating the Saints in Week 2 and potentially riding too high off of a 2-0 start. But after watching them get dismantled by New Orleans, it's unfathomable to assume they'd come out anything but pissed and ready to send a statement against the reigning league MVP. Will it be easy? Hell no. Not against a Ravens' team desperately trying to avoid an 0-3 start to the season, but it's doable when considering how Baltimore has the 32nd-ranked pass defense and the Cowboys feature the MVP runner-up and CeeDee Lamb, with Jake Ferguson likely returning as well. Pass, pass and pass some more en route to a narrow win. Three straight losses at home? I think that bleeding stops against the Ravens. 30-20, Cowboys
Nick Eatman: All this talk about the Cowboys having problems with the Shanahan-style of offenses has been a little overblown. In reality, that might be accurate but I think it's a little more simplistic. Teams that are overly physical, especially in the running game, seem to give the Cowboys the most problems. And when those teams establish a lead early in the game and are able to exploit the Cowboys who have had somewhat-smaller defenders on the field, then it makes it even more. That's what has cost the Cowboys in losses last year to the Cardinals, Bills, Eagles, 49ers and then the Packers in the playoffs. It definitely doomed the team Sunday against the Saints. And considering that's what the Ravens do well, I think I'll need to see the Cowboys handle an overly-physical team like this before saying they will win it. To make it worse, the Cowboys have issues in their own running game and there's no way they can be one-dimensional and expect to beat this 0-2 Ravens team that can't be happy about their current situation. I give the Ravens an edge in the offensive running game, the defensive running game and the desperation meter. I'll pick Baltimore 27-20.
Kyle Youmans: Dallas has been so good coming off a loss that it pains me to pick against them this week. The NFL is a week-to-week business, especially when it comes to matchups. And this is a matchup that will be a tough one to overcome. The number one rushing attack from 2023 facing a team that has really struggled to stop the run consistently. A defense that excels at stopping the run, taking a swing at slowing down a dormant Cowboys rushing attack. I believe it'll be a tough, hard fought football game. But Baltimore will be the better and more desperate team of the two, 27-23 Ravens.
Mickey Spagnola: Was all set to pick the Cowboys to lose this game to Baltimore after the disastrous performance against the Saints, figuring they were going to have to show me. Then had second thoughts, considering what I thought of the Raiders when they played the majority of their starters for the first half of that preseason game against the Cowboys backups, leaving me less than impressed. Yet, the Raiders were able to beat these Ravens in Baltimore, on a 13-0 scoring run to finish the game in the fourth quarter. So I changed my mind. Cowboys 23, Ravens 20, while knowing this won't be a popular pick.
