The Baltimore Ravens recovered from a sloppy start and carried a 17-13 lead over the Dallas Cowboys into halftime Sunday at Maracanã Stadium in Rio de Janeiro. Baltimore trailed 10-0 before scoring 17 consecutive points behind Derrick Henry, Lamar Jackson and an improving defensive effort. Here are five key statistics from the opening 30 minutes.
91 rushing yards for Baltimore
The Ravens accumulated 91 yards and two touchdowns on 19 rushing attempts, averaging 4.8 yards per carry.
Henry led Baltimore with 47 yards on 13 carries, while Jackson added 22 yards on two attempts. Justice Hill contributed another 22 yards on four carries. Jackson’s 21-yard run ignited Baltimore’s first touchdown drive and forced Dallas to account for another threat alongside Henry.
Two touchdowns for Derrick Henry
Henry scored both
of Baltimore’s touchdowns, increasing his season total to six through three games.
He scored his first on a 4-yard direct snap. Henry later added another rushing touchdown as Baltimore erased its early deficit.
Henry also moved past Eric Dickerson into ninth place on the NFL’s career rushing list and tied Ray Rice for second in Ravens history with 37 rushing touchdowns.
A 17-point turnaround
The Ravens’ first two possessions ended with a punt and a failed fourth-down attempt. Dallas used Baltimore’s mistakes to build a 10-0 advantage.
Baltimore responded by scoring on three consecutive possessions. Henry produced two touchdowns before Tyler Loop converted a 27-yard field goal, giving the Ravens a 17-10 lead.
Dallas added a field goal before halftime.
Dallas went 2-for-6 on third down
Baltimore’s defense struggled against the run early but improved in critical situations.
The Cowboys converted only two of six third-down opportunities and were stopped on their only fourth-down attempt. Roquan Smith recorded a sack, while Trenton Simpson added a tackle for loss.
Dak Prescott completed 11 of 17 passes for 73 yards but did not produce a touchdown.
Seven yards separated the offenses
The first half was nearly even statistically. Baltimore generated 149 total yards compared with Dallas’ 142.
The Ravens possessed the football for 15:13, while Dallas held it for 14:47. Baltimore recorded 10 first downs compared with 11 for the Cowboys.
Final first half analysis
The difference was red-zone execution. Baltimore converted two of its three trips into touchdowns, while Dallas scored one touchdown during its two red-zone possessions. That four-point difference showed up on the scoreboard at halftime.
This article originally appeared on Ravens Wire: 5 stats that defined Ravens’ 17-13 halftime lead over Dallas
