The Ravens had a 22-point lead against the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday and then had to hold on for a 28-25 victory, their first of the season.
HERE IS THE REPORT CARD:
OFFENSE
Quarterback: Lamar Jackson threw for 182 yards with a touchdown and ran for a 9-yard score. He became the fifth quarterback in NFL history to reach 30 rushing touchdowns within the first seven years of a career, joining Josh Allen (55), Cam Newton (54), Jalen Hurts (42) and Kordell Stewart (33). Jackson picked up a key first down after the two-minute warning that sealed the win. He did not commit a turnover. Grade: A-
Running backs: Derrick Henry had his breakout game, finishing with 151 yards on 25 carries with two touchdowns. Backup running back Justice Hill had a solid performance with 33 yards rushing on five carries. He also had two receptions for 21 yards. The Ravens finished with 272 yards rushing. It was the fourth time in seven games Baltimore ran for 250 or more yards against the Cowboys. Grade: A
Wide receivers/tight ends: Rashod Bateman caught a 13-yard touchdown pass. Zay Flowers had three receptions for 20 yards and had a key catch on third down late in the game. Nelson Agholor had a 56-yard reception that he broke by making a defender whiff on the tackle. Third-string tight end Charlie Kolar had a 30-yard catch and run early in the game. Grade: B
Offensive line: The Ravens had the same starters as the previous two games — left tackle Ronnie Stanley, left guard Andrew Vorhees, center Tyler Linderbaum, right guard Daniel Faalele and right tackle Patrick Mekari. The offensive line had its best game, protecting Jackson and creating running lanes for Henry. Grade: A
DEFENSE
Linebackers: For the second straight week. Ravens outside linebacker Kyle Van Noy finished with two sacks despite playing with a fractured orbital bone. Inside linebacker Roquan Smith had 11 tackles. Fellow inside linebacker Trenton Simpson had four tackles. Overall, this unit was aggressive and effective. Grade: B+
Defensive line: This unit has the No. 1 rush defense and held Dallas to 51 yards on 16 carries. Nnamdi Madubuike, Michael Pierce, and Travis Jones set the tone with strength inside and made Dallas one-dimensional. Grade: B
Secondary: The group started strongly but faded later in the game. Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott was 28-for-51 for 379 yards with two touchdowns. Ravens rookie cornerback Nate Wiggins forced a fumble against star wide receiver CeeDee Lamb late in the first quarter. However, Lamb made some plays against him with 67 yards on four receptions and earned a pass interference penalty. Safety Kyle Hamilton had a team-high 12 tackles, but the secondary is still having breakdowns in coverage. Grade: C-
Special Teams: Justin Tucker missed a 46-yard field goal attempt that changed the momentum of the game. He has missed a kick in all three games this season. Jordan Stout had a solid game, averaging 42.8 yards on four punts. Flowers mishandled an onside kick and Dallas recovered, which set up a late scoring drive. Grade: C-
COACHING
John Harbaugh was facing a must-win situation and the Ravens played well enough to escape with the victory. The team has to do a better job of putting teams away in the fourth quarter. Offensive coordinator Todd Monken called a solid game with the run. Defensive coordinator Zach Orr stuffed the run and put pressure on Dallas quarterback Dak Prescott early, but Prescott had time to throw against the defense in a fourth-quarter rally that fell just short. Orr’s defense has been unable to make stops in the fourth quarter in the past two games. Grade: B-
