The Ravens defeated the Cowboys 34-31 on a miracle drive, stunning them with no time remaining and delivering a wild finish in front of over 72,000 fans in Rio de Janeiro. For anyone tracking Maryland sports betting, Baltimore did not cover the 3.5-point spread, but the game went well over the total as both offenses put up points all night in an entertaining slugfest.
A Back-And-Forth Thriller
Dallas struck first when Brandon Aubrey connected on a field goal, then Javonte Williams punched in a rushing touchdown to make it 10-0. Baltimore answered as Derrick Henry capped a drive with a four-yard touchdown run, and after the defense forced a stop, Henry found the end zone again from three yards out. Tyler Loop's extra point pushed the lead to 17-10 before Aubrey drilled a 38-yard field goal to cut it to 17-13.
In the third quarter, Lamar Jackson connected with Chris Moore for a touchdown, extending Baltimore's lead to 24-13. Dallas answered when Dak Prescott found Jake Ferguson for a score, and a successful two-point pass to CeeDee Lamb made it 24-21. The fourth quarter opened with Dallas grabbing the lead as KaVontae Turpin broke loose for a touchdown, making it 28-24. Baltimore responded with 1:30 left when Jackson hit Matt Hibner on a goal-line throw to take the lead, 31-28. Dallas drove back down the field, and Aubrey tied the game with 10 seconds remaining from the Baltimore 5-yard line. That set up the finish everyone will remember. Jackson found Zay Flowers for a 27-yard gain, and Loop calmly drilled a 56-yard field goal as time expired to win it and send the Rio crowd into a frenzy.
Lessons Learned
Baltimore showed it learned from the previous week, when the offense nearly abandoned the run in the second half, and the team collapsed late. This time, even after blowing a two-score lead again, the Ravens bounced back instead of folding. Jackson was much more efficient after halftime, finishing a modest 15 of 20 for 186 yards and two touchdowns, adding 50 yards on six carries. Henry carried the load with 26 rushes for 89 yards, a 3.4 yards-per-carry average, and two touchdowns. Dallas contained him better in the second half, but his early work set the tone.
Looking Ahead
Baltimore now turns its attention to a showdown with the winless Tennessee Titans, marking the first time Henry will face his former team since leaving Nashville. The Ravens are currently 11.5-point favorites heading into the matchup. This number will likely draw plenty of attention on Maryland sports betting apps given the emotional storyline attached to Henry's return. After surviving a shootout in Rio, Baltimore will look to carry that momentum into a game where they are expected to dominate on paper.
