Baltimore Ravens @ Dallas Cowboys Preview
The Baltimore Ravens i Dallas Cowboys will face off in the first game of the NFL that will be held on Sunday at the emblematic Maracana.
Both teams have had mixed starts to the new season. Baltimore defeated the Indianapolis Colts in Week 1 before being stunned by the New Orleans Saints last Sunday. Meanwhile, the Cowboys were upset by the New York Giants in the season opener, but bounced back by defeating the Washington Commanders.
As such, the Ravens and Cowboys will be looking to gain momentum, and a win at one of the most famous venues in world sports would be an ideal way to do that.
The match will be the third to be held on Brazilian soil, the previous two having taken place in São Paulo.
But the build-up to the historic occasion has been somewhat overshadowed by concerns over the pitch at the home of Brazilian football.
The NFL Players Association expressed concern about the condition of the playing surface, though NFL field director Nick Pappas said it has passed the league’s tests.
Doubts on the field may limit the number of snaps the Ravens are willing to give star wide receiver Zay Flowers if he returns from a hamstring injury.
Baltimore gave up a 17-9 lead in the fourth quarter against the Saints in a 24-17 loss, and head coach Jesse Minter is relishing the chance to get back on track as he looks to build his team’s identity in his first season as head coach.
“This is a week-to-week league, and every week is a new opportunity,” Minter said at a news conference.
“It’s really about going 1-and-0 every week. The teams that get better as the year goes on, learn from the things that happen to them, both good and bad, and get a little bit better every week, those are the ones that are playing better at the end of the year.
“It’s a process. It’s a process of learning exactly how we want to prepare and do things and operate. We’re trying to speed it up and figure it out, create an identity. That takes some time. I’m really excited to get this group back out there and let it rip again.”
Minter was the defensive coordinator last season for the Los Angeles Chargers when they beat the Cowboys 34-17.
