Ravens at Cowboys: Open Thread

The Baltimore Ravens travel to Dallas for perhaps their toughest test of the season. Both teams are entering this contest with some momentum, the Cowboys have won eight in a row and the Ravens have won two in a row, including their most impressive half of the season last Thursday against Cleveland.

Expect a slobberknocker type of game, with the Ravens top rated run defense challenged by Dallas’ top rated rushing offense. The Ravens secondary will have their hands full containing Dez Bryant with their best cornerback, Jimmy Smith inactive this week. Both teams field strong special teams units led by highly accurate kickers.

Even with most of the attention paid to the Cowboys offense vs Ravens defense matchup, the other side of the ball will likely determine the winner this week. The Cowboys run defense is better than advertised and the Ravens run blocking has been poor lately.

This dynamic will put the pressure squarely on Joe Flacco’s shoulders this week. If Flacco can turn in an efficient performance, especially by cashing in with touchdowns instead of field goals in the red zone, the Ravens have a good chance to pull off the upset. If not, it could be a long day...