ARLINGTON, Texas – Lamar Jackson and the Baltimore Ravens had an early and emphatic response to their first 0-2 start since becoming franchise quarterback.
The two-time MVP added a few key plays late in the game when the Ravens were in danger of blowing a big lead in the fourth quarter.
Derrick Henry ran for 151 yards and scored two touchdowns, Jackson scored two points and the Ravens won 28-25 over the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday.
The Ravens (1-2) scored touchdowns on their first two drives and led 28-6 before Dak Prescott and the Cowboys caught up with the help of a rare onside kick recovery at the end.
Baltimore was one play away from giving the ball back to the Cowboys (1-2), who led by just three points, when Jackson completed a crucial pass to Zay Flowers.
Jackson tied the game with a nifty fake to set up a 10-yard run, and the Ravens finished with 274 rushing yards, the most Dallas has allowed since they allowed at least 294 yards twice in 2020 with one of the worst defenses in franchise history.
The Ravens, who had just lost to Super Bowl champion Kansas City in the AFC championship game, were trailing 2-0 for the first time since 2015, three years before Jackson was hired. Since 2000, only one team has made the playoffs that started 3-0.
“Every game is a big game for us because we want to go somewhere,” Jackson said. “We have to win those games to get to the playoffs and we have to get to the Super Bowl. But it starts with the game that’s in front of us.”
The Cowboys have allowed 120 points in their last three home games, including a 48-32 wild-card loss to Green Bay in January that ended Dallas’ 16-game winning streak at AT&T Stadium.
Brandon Aubrey kicked a 65-yard field goal for the Cowboys, one yard shy of the 2021 NFL record held by the kicker on the other sideline, Baltimore’s Justin Tucker.
Just like in the 44-19 loss to New Orleans last week, the Cowboys needed more than just field goals because of their porous defense.
Dallas finally scored the touchdowns. They just came a little too late.
Prescott scored a 1-yard touchdown touchdown midway through the fourth quarter, CJ Griffin recovered the onside kick and Jalen Tolbert caught a 15-yard touchdown touchdown to make it 28-18 before the Cowboys missed their second consecutive 2-point conversion attempt.
Flowers recovered Dallas’ second onside kick after missing the first, but the Ravens ended the game with three possessions and out.
The Cowboys kicked deep after KaVontae Turpin cut the deficit to three with a 16-yard touchdown pass before Jackson converted a 9-yard pass to Flowers and then to the goalie on third-and-6 to cap the final 2:53.
“Lamar was phenomenal,” said Ravens coach John Harbaugh. “We didn’t want to be in this situation, but we did and we did it.”
Dallas lost two consecutive home games in the same regular season for the first time since 2020 after Prescott suffered a season-ending, serious ankle injury in Week 5 of a 6-10 season.
“Make sure the guys don’t get lost in thought,” Prescott said after emerging from the quiet, frustrated locker room. “They can feel bad tonight, but the next morning it’s over. If you get lost in thought, you’re not going to prepare properly. You’re still going to look back at things you could have done, should have done.”
Nelson Agholor completed a 56-yard catch-and-run that set up Henry’s first touchdown, a 1-yard run for a 14-3 lead.
The Ravens opened with a five-play, 71-yard drive that ended with Jackson’s 9-yard unopposed run to the pylon. His first throw of the game was a 30-yard pass to uncovered tight end Charlie Kolar.
Henry, who averaged 6 yards on 25 carries, became the first Baltimore running back to score at least one touchdown in each of his first three games for the franchise and also caught a ball for 23 yards.
Henry, a two-time rushing champion in his eight seasons with Tennessee, ran 26 yards for a touchdown and a 28-6 lead on the opening drive of the second half.
Jackson completed 12 of 15 passes for 182 yards, scored a 13-yard touchdown pass to Rashod Bateman, who was all alone in the end zone, and added 87 rushing yards.
Dallas’ late surge saw Prescott complete 28 of 51 for 379 yards and two touchdowns, but his poor running game didn’t help him before the score got out of control. Dallas averaged 3.2 yards per carry.
Ultimately, the Cowboys were too far behind against a team that places emphasis on defense and running.
“You definitely want to be in front of this team,” said Dallas coach Mike McCarthy. “This is a team that plays to its strengths and profile. We weren’t clean enough to win today.”
Cowboys S Markquese Bell injured his ankle in the first half and did not return. … Ravens CB Jalyn Armour-Davis injured his thigh and did not return.
Ravens: Next Sunday night at home against Buffalo.
Cowboys: At the New York Giants in their first NFC East game on Thursday night.
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