The Baltimore Ravens and Dallas Cowboys will face off in NFL Preseason Week 2. Kickoff is set for 7:00 p.m. ET from AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.
The Ravens are favored by -1.5 with the game total set at 36.5 (-115o / -105u). The Ravens are -130 favorites to win outright, while the Cowboys are +110 to pull off the upset.
John Harbaugh and the Ravens were back to their winning ways as they achieved yet another preseason victory by having the upper hand in all three phases of the game. Whether it’s preseason or regular season, the Ravens' identity remains the same and is a consistent force. On the other hand, the Cowboys seem to be scrambling just to figure things out. Baltimore is once again in a good position to get another preseason victory.
Let's get into my Cowboys vs Ravens predictions and NFL picks.
Ravens vs Cowboys Odds
| Ravens Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-1.5 -115 | 36.5 -115o / -105u | -130 |
| Cowboys Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+1.5 -105 | 36.5 -115o / -105u | +110 |
- Ravens vs. Cowboys spread: Ravens -1.5 (-115), Cowboys +1.5 (-105)
- Ravens vs. Cowboys over/under: 36.5 (-115o / -105u)
- Ravens vs. Cowboys moneyline: Ravens -130, Cowboys +110
- Ravens vs. Cowboys best bet: Ravens -1.5
MyRavens vs. Cowboys best bet is on the Ravens ATS, with the best odds currently available at Fanatics. For all of your NFL bets, be sure to find the best lines by using our live NFL odds page.
Ravens vs Cowboys NFL Preseason Preview, Picks
A punt return touchdown for the Ravens’ always elite special teams unit broke the game open a week ago and allowed them to settle into the type of game this team thrives in. Baltimore ran the rock 42 times for 177 yards. Rasheen Ali and Keaton Mitchell headlined the backfield, which made Cooper Rush’s life easy.
Rush didn’t exactly light it up on his four pass attempts, but I am willing to give him the benefit of the doubt considering he is one of the more experienced backups in football. He is in line to start on Saturday as Lamar Jackson rests once more.
The Cowboys' rush defense remains a concern. The Rams took advantage of them a week ago and it’s a near certainty the Ravens will look to do the same.
Los Angeles rushed for 181 yards and 11 first downs against the Dallas front. This issue continues to plague the Cowboys — during the 2024 regular season they were 30th in yards per carry (4.8) and explosive run percentage allowed (6.4%).
Cowboys head coach Brian Schottenheimer has made it clear that the main goal of this preseason is to find out where quarterback Joe Milton is in his development.
Milton played 59 snaps last week before giving way to Will Grier for just seven snaps. Milton has one of the strongest arms you’ll see and is a very good athlete, but when it comes to going through progressions, reading the field and delivering the football with placement, he struggles.
Milton was erratic again last week, finishing the game with one interception and a 4.9 yards per attempt average. The matchup won’t get much easier either, as Baltimore allowed the Colts’ quarterbacks to collectively complete just 50% of their passes at 5.0 yards per attempt.
Indianapolis converted just 32% of the 19 third downs it faced throughout the game. If Milton is going to have success on Saturday, he will need to make throws on third down to move the chains, something he has not consistently demonstrated yet in his young career.
To make matters worse for Milton and the offense, the team as a whole is having a difficult time eliminating mistakes — mainly penalties.
The Cowboys were penalized 11 times, including several issues pre-snap.
Of course, preseason is for smoothing out the process, but sloppy play is just another worrisome matter that seems to have carried over from the 2024 season. Dallas was the fourth-most penalized team in the NFL a season ago.
Ravens vs Cowboys Predictions
In general, I look for every reason to back underdogs during the preseason. However, when the matchup at the line of scrimmage is this lopsided, I just cannot ignore the advantage the Ravens have with their offensive rushing attack.
Joe Milton is an exciting player to watch, but his lack of consistency may lead to a mistake or two that his team cannot recover from if the Ravens dominate time of possession like I expect them to.
I am rolling with the short road favorite here.
My Pick: Ravens -1.5 (-110, Fanatics)
Spread
I'm betting on the Ravens to cover the spread.
Moneyline
I have no play on the moneyline.
Over/Under
I have no play on the game total.
