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The 6-5 Baltimore Ravens will host the 3-8 Dallas Cowboys in Week 13 at M&T Bank Stadium. The game will take place on Tuesday since the Ravens played last Wednesday against the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Baltimore put up a good fight versus the undefeated Steelers, but the team came up short, losing by a final score of 19-14. The Ravens played without quarterback Lamar Jackson, running back Mark Ingram and tight end Mark Andrews due to COVID-19.
The Cowboys, one of the worst teams in the NFL, got blown out by the Washington Football Team on Thanksgiving Day at home. Even though the NFC East is the worst division in football, Dallas will likely miss the playoffs this season.
The Ravens will get Jackson and Ingram back in the lineup against the Cowboys, but Andrews is still out. He has a thigh injury and remains on the Reserve/COVID-19 list.
With the Ravens and Cowboys set to kick off soon, let's take a look at four bold predictions for the contest from a Baltimore point of view.
1. Lamar Jackson throws two touchdowns, runs for one in return
The Cowboys have the worst defense in the NFL, so Jackson should have a field day in his return to the lineup. Every quarterback who has faced Dallas this season has put up gaudy numbers and we expect that trend to continue in Week 13 in Baltimore.
Jackson, the reigning MVP, has thrown 15 touchdowns this season while completing 63.4 percent of his passes. He's racked up 1,948 yards through the air and 575 yards on the ground. Jackson has rushed for three touchdowns in 10 games.
Against the Cowboys, we have Jackson throwing for two touchdowns and running for one as well. He's going to be eager to put on a show since he wasn't able to play against the Steelers due to his positive COVID-19 test and has been rather average this season after winning MVP in 2019.
2. Marquise Brown catches two touchdowns
Ravens wideout Marquise Brown had a nice game in Week 12 against the Steelers. He caught four balls on eight targets for 85 yards and one touchdown. His numbers have been low this season and not much has changed since he voiced his frustrations on Twitter about his targets earlier in the campaign.
However, since Andrews–Jackson's favorite target–won't play again against the Cowboys, look for Brown to have a big day versus a lowly Cowboys' defense. We have Brown catching two touchdowns against the Cowboys and increasing his season total to five. The 23-year-old enters Week 13 with 36 receptions for 516 yards.
When Brown took to Twitter and said he was upset about his role on offense, Jackson said he has to do a better job of giving the ball to Hollywood. If you are a struggling wideout, you want to face the Cowboys, who are giving up the most points in the NFL this season. We expect Jackson and Brown to torch Dallas and put up some elite numbers.
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3. Ravens pick off Andy Dalton twice
The Ravens only have six interceptions on the season, but they boast one of the best defenses in the league. Baltimore is only giving up 19.5 points per game, which is good for third in the NFL.
Against Cowboys quarterback Andy Dalton, we have the Ravens' defense racking up two interceptions and making life miserable for the veteran gunslinger. Dalton has thrown five touchdowns and five interceptions on the season. He's been picked off in four straight games, so look for the Ravens' defense to feast against the Red Rifle.
Baltimore's defense played well in Week 12 versus Ben Roethlisberger and the Steelers, who are the only undefeated team left in the NFL. Odds are the Ravens' defense has a productive outing versus Dalton and the Cowboys at home on Tuesday.
4. Ravens defeat Cowboys, improve to 7-5
We have the Ravens easily defeating the Cowboys and improving to 7-5 on the season. Baltimore is in desperate need of a win, as the team has lost three games in a row and wouldn't be in the playoffs if the postseason started today.
The Ravens enter the Cowboys game in ninth place in the AFC. They trail the Indianapolis Colts and Las Vegas Raiders.
It would be a huge upset if the Cowboys defeated Baltimore, but we just don't see it happening since Jackson and Ingram are coming back. The Ravens have a fairly easy schedule to finish out the season. After the Cowboys matchup, Baltimore will face the Cleveland Browns, Jacksonville Jaguars, New York Giants and Cincinnati Bengals. Other than the Browns game, the Ravens should easily defeat the Jaguars, Giants and Bengals.
If Baltimore can take care of business against the Cowboys and Browns, the team could clinch a Wild Card spot in the AFC assuming they beat the Jaguars, Giants and Bengals as well.
