RIO DE JANEIRO, Brazil — The Dallas Cowboys head to Brazil looking to carry the momentum from their Week 2 victory into an international matchup with the Baltimore Ravens.
Dallas evened its record at 1-1 last Sunday with a convincing 37-20 victory over the Washington Commanders. Now the Cowboys face another 1-1 team, with Baltimore coming off a 24-17 loss to the New Orleans Saints.
The matchup is scheduled for Sunday at 3:25 p.m. CDT at Maracanã Stadium in Rio de Janeiro.
For the Cowboys, this is an opportunity to build on what went right against Washington while continuing to find consistency early in the season.
For the Ravens, the focus is on responding after letting a late opportunity slip away in their home opener.
Prescott Closing in on 250 Touchdown Passes
One of the biggest storylines entering Sunday’s game is Dak Prescott’s pursuit of another career milestone.
Prescott needs one touchdown pass to reach 250 for his career. Reaching the mark would put him in a select group of quarterbacks with at least 250 passing touchdowns and 30 rushing touchdowns.
Prescott also has a chance to climb another spot in Cowboys history.
A victory Sunday would give him his 85th regular-season win as Dallas’ starting quarterback, tying Roger Staubach for second place in franchise history. Troy Aikman remains first with 94.
Prescott could also take sole possession of the Cowboys’ franchise record for multi-touchdown passing games. He is currently tied with Tony Romo at 79.
Can Dallas Keep the Offense Rolling?
The Cowboys will look to build on their 37-point performance against Washington.
Prescott has historically played well against Baltimore. In two career appearances against the Ravens, he has thrown for more than 300 yards in both games while producing five touchdown passes without an interception.
The Dallas offense will have to deal with a Baltimore defense that will be looking to rebound after allowing New Orleans to score 24 points last week.
The Cowboys also have players with strong individual histories against Baltimore.
George Pickens is 4-1 against the Ravens in his career and has 19 receptions for 326 yards and a touchdown in those games.
Tight end Jake Ferguson recorded a career-high 95 receiving yards the last time Dallas faced Baltimore in 2024.
Cowboys Defense Faces Lamar Jackson
The other side of the matchup will center on Dallas’ defense and its ability to contain Lamar Jackson.
Jackson enters the game after completing 21 of 31 passes for 235 yards and a touchdown against New Orleans. He also threw the interception that ended Baltimore’s final possession.
The Ravens have been particularly successful against NFC opponents when Jackson starts. Baltimore is 25-4 in those games, including a 14-1 road record.
Dallas will need to limit Jackson’s ability to extend plays and create opportunities outside the pocket.
Keep an Eye on Caleb Downs
Rookie defensive back Caleb Downs has made an immediate impact for Dallas.
Downs enters Sunday tied with Jalen Thompson for the team lead with 14 tackles.
Five tackles against Baltimore would give Downs the most tackles by a Cowboys rookie defensive back through his first three career games since 1987.
His ability to play around the football could be important against a Baltimore offense that features Jackson and a physical running game.
Ravens Looking to Bounce Back
Baltimore’s biggest challenge may be putting last week’s loss behind it.
The Ravens led themselves into a late-game situation against New Orleans but couldn’t finish. The Saints scored the go-ahead touchdown with 1:28 remaining, and Baltimore’s final possession ended with Jackson’s interception at the New Orleans 7-yard line.
The Ravens will also monitor their injury situation.
Offensive tackle Ronnie Stanley left last week’s game with a toe injury. Wide receiver Zay Flowers missed the game because of a hamstring injury suffered in Week 1.
Rookie wide receiver Ja’Kobi Lane and cornerback T.J. Tampa have been placed on injured reserve.
Baltimore is also still awaiting the return of All-Pro defensive tackle Nnamdi Madubuike and linebacker Teddye Buchanan.
History Favors Baltimore
The Cowboys and Ravens have met only seven times, but Baltimore has dominated the series.
The Ravens are 6-1 against Dallas and won the most recent meeting, 28-25, in 2024 at AT&T Stadium.
Derrick Henry rushed for 151 yards and two touchdowns in that game.
Dallas will be looking to change the direction of the series while playing in an entirely new environment.
A Historic Setting
Sunday’s game will be unlike any regular-season game Dallas has played in recent years.
Maracanã Stadium, one of the most famous venues in international sports, will host the Cowboys and Ravens as the NFL continues its push to expand its global footprint.
The Ravens have played internationally twice before, including a 2023 victory over Tennessee in London. The Cowboys will experience the atmosphere of Brazil for the first time in a regular-season game.
The international setting adds another element to an already intriguing Week 3 matchup.
What to Watch Sunday
Can Dallas’ offense build on the Washington game? The Cowboys scored 37 points last week and will look to carry that production into Brazil.
How does Dallas contain Lamar Jackson? Keeping Jackson from extending plays and creating explosive runs will be a major responsibility for the Cowboys defense.
Can Dak Prescott reach 250 touchdown passes? He needs only one touchdown pass to reach the milestone.
What does Caleb Downs do next? The rookie already leads the Cowboys in tackles and could make more history Sunday.
Which team responds better? Both clubs enter at 1-1, but their Week 2 results were very different. Dallas is coming off a 37-20 win, while Baltimore is trying to recover from a 24-17 loss.
The Cowboys and Ravens meet Sunday with an opportunity to move above .500 while making history on one of football’s biggest international stages.
Dallas Cowboys vs. Baltimore Ravens
Week 3 — Sunday, Sept. 27, 2026
Maracanã Stadium — Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Kickoff: 3:25 p.m. CDT
