The Baltimore Ravens overcame an early 10-point deficit behind two rushing touchdowns from Derrick Henry to hold a 17-13 halftime lead against the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday. After a messy start that included a punt, a failed fourth-down conversion, and a muffed kickoff, Baltimore generated 17 unanswered points to take control before Dallas added a late field goal prior to the break.
Dallas opened the game on a high note by building a 10-0 advantage. After the Cowboys forced a field goal on their opening drive, the defense stopped Henry on a fourth-and-1 attempt to give Dallas prime field position. Running back Ezekiel Elliott capitalized shortly after, capping off a drive with a 2-yard touchdown run. Elliott finished the first half with 55 rushing yards and a score on 12 carries.
Henry Makes History
Baltimore answered Dallas’ early momentum with a disciplined ground attack. Henry scored his first touchdown of the afternoon on a 4-yard run out of the Wildcat formation to cap a 60-yard drive. On the following possession, a 49-yard defensive pass interference penalty against Dallas safety Markquese Bell set up the Ravens near the goal line. Henry completed the comeback with a 3-yard touchdown run, putting Baltimore ahead 14-10.
With those two scores, Henry reached six rushing touchdowns on the season. The first-half performance also carried significant career milestones for the veteran running back:
- Surpassed Hall of Famer Eric Dickerson for ninth place on the NFL’s all-time rushing yards list.
- Tied Ray Rice for second place in Ravens franchise history with 37 rushing touchdowns.
- Totaled 47 rushing yards on 13 carries in the first half.
Offensive Efficiency and Defensive Adjustments
Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson provided crucial support on the ground, scrambling for a pivotal 21-yard gain that ignited Baltimore’s initial scoring drive. Jackson finished the half completing 6 of 9 passes for 58 yards while adding 22 rushing yards on two carries. Kicker Justin Tucker extended the Ravens’ lead to 17-10 with a 27-yard field goal, finishing a stretch of three straight scoring possessions for Baltimore.
The total yards were nearly identical through two quarters, with Baltimore edging Dallas 149 to 142. Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott completed 11 of 17 passes for 73 yards. Dallas kicker Brandon Aubrey trimmed the deficit to 17-13 with a 38-yard field goal with 23 seconds remaining in the half, following an earlier 28-yard field goal in the first quarter.
After allowing early rushing yards, Baltimore’s defense tightened up in critical moments. The Ravens held Dallas to just 2 conversions on 6 third-down attempts and stopped the Cowboys on their lone fourth-down try. Linebacker Roquan Smith recorded a sack on Prescott, which marked his 700th career solo tackle, while linebacker Trenton Simpson added a tackle for loss.
Both teams dealt with minor roster setbacks right before the break. Ravens tight end Mark Andrews exited to the locker room with a hand injury after securing one catch for 9 yards, while Cowboys safety Malik Hooker was ruled out with a hamstring injury.
