Emmitt Smith knows the Ravens’ run game will be a tough battle for the Cowboys to conquer.
The Dallas Cowboys had their run defense exposed by the New Orleans Saints in Week 2. As the Cowboys prepare for the Baltimore Ravens in Week 3, Emmitt Smith isn’t convinced Dallas fans won’t see more of the same.
The Cowboys allowed 190 yards and four touchdowns on the ground in a brutal 44-19 loss. Facing off against a intimidating combo in Lamar Jackson in Derrick Henry, Smith says the Cowboys need to be prepared and willing to play with a chip on their shoulder, via Up & Adams Show.
“It’s not going to be easy going up against Lamar Jackson and Derrick Henry coming to town. Derrick Henry is probably licking his chops right about now with what we gave up last week,” Smith said. “We’re going to have to get our pride back. The Saints came in and took something from us. Now we got to fight like hell to get it back.”
“We got to get back to the basics. Defense has to stay in the gaps, you cannot open up run lanes like you did last week against the Saints,” Smith continued. “You got to do exactly what coaches have taught you do to. Secondary guys to not want to tackle Henry by themselves.”
After their disastrous outing against the Saints, the Cowboys rank 20th in rushing defense, allowing 141.5 yards per game. Dallas ended the 2023 campaign ranked 16th in run defense, allowing 112.4 YPG.
Even in a bad loss, one game won’t define the Cowboys or their defense. However, they’ll have to turn things around in a hurry if they want to stack wins together. In a tough matchup against the Ravens in Week 3, Emmitt Smith knows it’s crunch time for the Cowboys.
Cowboys facing explosive Ravens rushing attack
Coming off a bad week against the run, there is no scarier team for Dallas to face than Baltimore. The Ravens rank first in the NFL, averaging 156.5 yards per game.
Baltimore is also 0-2 on the year after their shocking loss to the Las Vegas Raiders. With the Cowboys also looking to avenge a bad loss, both teams will be hungry for a win in Week 3.
To Smith and many others, the key will be how Dallas handles the run game. Even without the stats, it’s no secret that the Ravens have one of the best rushing units in the league. The Cowboys just saw how bad things can get if their run defense doesn’t hold up. A bounce back game against a team of Baltimore’s caliber would help calm some long-term defensive concerns.
