Baltimore Ravens vs Dallas Cowboys Match Player Stats (Sep 22, 2024)
Derrick Henry needed just 29 yards to change everything. With the Baltimore Ravens vs Dallas Cowboys match player stats showing a physical mismatch in Week 3, Henry’s brutal stiff-arm on Caelen Carson in the third quarter became the defining image of Baltimore’s 28-25 victory. Carson bounced off Henry like he’d hit a brick wall, and the Cowboys never recovered their defensive composure after that.
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The Tale of Two Halves That Shocked Arlington
AT&T Stadium fell silent as Baltimore marched down the field on their opening possession. The 93,566 fans who showed up on September 22, 2024, expecting another Cowboys home victory instead witnessed their team get physically dominated for three quarters before mounting a comeback that ran out of time.
This marked the Cowboys’ second straight home loss after going 16-0 at AT&T Stadium during the 2023 regular season. The once-impenetrable fortress suddenly looked vulnerable, with Dallas allowing 120 points in their last three home games dating back to the playoffs.
The stats tell you Baltimore won 28-25. What they don’t tell you is how the Cowboys allowed 274 rushing yards while gaining just 51 themselves. That’s not a typo. The Ravens ran for 223 more yards than Dallas, turning America’s Team into America’s Tackling Dummies.
Ravens Offensive Domination: More Than Just Numbers
Lamar Jackson’s Quiet Excellence
| Player | Completions | Attempts | Yards | TDs | INTs | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lamar Jackson | 12 | 15 | 182 | 1 | 0 | 139.4 |
Jackson didn’t need to throw much because he didn’t have to. Completing 80% of his passes, he picked apart Dallas when needed, including a wide-open touchdown to Rashod Bateman that had Cowboys fans booing their own defence. Jackson added 87 rushing yards on 14 carries, including a 9-yard touchdown run where he wasn’t even touched.
The Derrick Henry Show
| Player | Carries | Yards | Average | TDs | Long |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Derrick Henry | 25 | 151 | 6.0 | 2 | 26 |
According to ESPN’s game recap, Henry became the first Ravens running back to score in each of his first three games with the team. His 26-yard touchdown run in the third quarter wasn’t just a score; it was a statement. The Cowboys knew it was coming, stacked the box, and still couldn’t stop him.
The receiving stats showed Baltimore’s balance, with Nelson Agholor hauling in a 56-yard catch and Charlie Kolar adding 30 yards. But make no mistake, this was Henry’s game from start to finish.
Cowboys Offensive Struggles: Too Little, Too Late
Dak Prescott’s Volume Without Efficiency
Prescott threw the ball 51 times. Fifty-one. That’s what happens when your running game produces just 51 total yards. He completed 28 passes for 379 yards and two touchdowns, but the two failed two-point conversions in the fourth quarter told the real story of Dallas’s desperation.
Jake Ferguson led Cowboys receivers with 6 catches for 95 yards, while KaVontae Turpin and Jalen Tolbert each found the end zone during the fourth-quarter rally. CeeDee Lamb managed just 67 yards and lost a crucial fumble in Ravens territory.
The Nonexistent Ground Game
Rico Dowdle led Dallas with 32 yards on 8 carries. Ezekiel Elliott managed 6 yards on 3 attempts. Combined, the Cowboys running backs gained 38 yards on 11 carries. That’s not a running game; that’s a suggestion of one.
Defensive Battles: One-Sided Affairs
Ravens Defence Bends But Doesn’t Break
Kyle Van Noy recorded both of Baltimore’s sacks on crucial third downs. One pushed Dallas out of field goal range entirely. Kyle Hamilton led the team with 12 tackles, while rookie Nate Wiggins forced CeeDee Lamb’s fumble that could have changed the game’s momentum.
Cowboys Pass Rush Goes Missing
Here’s a stat that should worry every Cowboys fan: Zero sacks. Micah Parsons, DeMarcus Lawrence, and the entire Dallas pass rush couldn’t touch Lamar Jackson once. The Ravens offensive line gave Jackson all day to throw and opened massive holes for Henry.
Eric Kendricks led Dallas with 12 tackles, most of them coming after Henry had already gained 5-plus yards. The Cowboys defence allowed 6.1 yards per carry, which in modern NFL terms is basically waving the white flag.
Special Teams Excellence Keeps Dallas Alive
Brandon Aubrey provided the lone bright spot for Dallas with a 65-yard field goal in the first quarter, just one yard short of Justin Tucker’s NFL record. Fox Sports noted that Aubrey’s kick was the longest in Cowboys history and kept them in the game early.
The Game Within The Game
First Half: Baltimore’s Blueprint
The Ravens scored touchdowns on their first two possessions, immediately forcing Dallas to abandon their running game. By halftime, Baltimore led 21-6 and had already rushed for 156 yards. The Cowboys had 17 rushing yards. Seventeen.
Lamar Jackson understood the stakes perfectly. “Every game is a big game for us because we’re trying to get somewhere,” Jackson said after the game. “We’ve got to win these games to get to the playoffs, and we need to get to the Super Bowl. But it starts with the game that’s in front of us.”
With the Ravens at 0-2 and only one team since 2000 making the playoffs after starting 0-3, this game carried massive implications for Baltimore’s season.
Third Quarter: The Knockout Blow
Henry’s 26-yard touchdown run to open the second half gave Baltimore a 28-6 lead. At that point, Cowboys fans were heading for the exits. The game felt over.
Fourth Quarter: Too Much Hero Ball
Dallas scored three touchdowns in the final frame, but the damage was done. Prescott’s two failed two-point conversions meant they needed a miracle that never came. When Jackson found Zay Flowers for a crucial first down with 2:36 remaining, it sealed Baltimore’s first win of the season.
Critical Moments That Defined The Outcome
The game turned on four plays:
- Wiggins strips Lamb: The rookie’s forced fumble in the red zone kept Dallas from cutting into the lead early
- Van Noy’s back-to-back sacks: Third-down stops that killed Cowboys drives
- Henry’s stiff-arm: The 29-yard run that demoralized the Dallas defence
- Failed conversions: Two unsuccessful two-point attempts that left Dallas chasing points
What These Stats Really Mean
Pro Football Reference data shows this was one of the most lopsided rushing performances of the early 2024 season. The Ravens proved that physical football still wins in September, while the Cowboys showed they’re built for shootouts, not street fights. According to NFL.com’s rushing statistics, Baltimore’s 274-yard performance ranks among the top single-game rushing totals of the season.
Baltimore’s 34:45 time of possession compared to Dallas’s 25:15 tells you everything about game control. The Ravens kept their defence fresh while wearing down the Cowboys. Despite committing 13 penalties for 105 yards, Baltimore’s physical dominance overcame their lack of discipline.
Looking Forward
Both teams left AT&T Stadium at 1-2, but heading in different directions. The Ravens found their identity with Henry in the backfield, establishing themselves as a physical force that can control games. Their offensive line dominated, their defence made timely plays, and Jackson showed he can still close out games when it matters most.
Baltimore’s blueprint gives them a clear path forward. With Henry averaging 6.0 yards per carry and Jackson operating efficiently, they have the perfect blend of power and finesse. The Ravens proved they can win ugly, overcome penalties, and finish games. That’s championship DNA showing through early adversity.
For Dallas, the questions are mounting. How do you fix a run defence that just got embarrassed? How do you establish balance when teams know you can’t run? The Cowboys have the talent to bounce back, but their weaknesses are now on tape for every opponent to see.
The Ravens head home to face Buffalo with renewed confidence, while Dallas travels to New York for a Thursday night division game. One team found answers; the other discovered more questions.
FAQs About Baltimore Ravens vs Dallas Cowboys Match Player Stats
Who had the best individual performance in Ravens vs Cowboys?
Derrick Henry absolutely destroyed Dallas, bulldozing his way to 151 yards and 2 touchdowns on 25 carries. Every time he touched the ball, Cowboys defenders bounced off him like pinballs. His stiff-arm on Caelen Carson basically ended any hope Dallas had of stopping the run.
Why did the Cowboys fail to sack Lamar Jackson?
The Ravens came in with a perfect game plan. They ran the ball down Dallas’s throat early, which kept the pass rushers on their heels. When Baltimore did pass, they used quick releases and play-action that left Micah Parsons and company chasing ghosts. Zero sacks tells you everything about how badly the Cowboys defence got outschemed.
What was the longest play of the game?
Brandon Aubrey’s incredible 65-yard field goal stands out as the longest scoring play. Just one yard short of the NFL record, it was about the only thing that went right for Dallas in the first half. Nelson Agholor’s 56-yard catch was the longest play from scrimmage.
How did the Ravens win despite 13 penalties?
Simple answer? They ran for 274 yards. When you’re gaining 6.1 yards per carry, you can overcome a lot of yellow flags. Baltimore’s physical dominance meant those 105 penalty yards barely mattered. They controlled the clock and kept their defence fresh.
What went wrong with Dallas’s two-point conversions?
Both attempts failed because everyone in the stadium knew they had to throw. With no running game to speak of, the Cowboys became completely predictable in short-yardage situations. The Ravens defence just pinned their ears back and rushed Prescott into bad throws.
For more NFL analysis, check out how the Texans fared against Dallas or see how Baltimore performed in their heated rivalry with Pittsburgh.
The Baltimore Ravens vs Dallas Cowboys match player stats reveal more than just numbers. They show a Ravens team that found its identity and a Cowboys team still searching for theirs.
