The Ravens had their two-game winning streak snapped Sunday in Dallas, as the Cowboys overcame an early deficit for the 27-17 victory.
Baltimore had its moments on both offense and defense, but ultimately the Cowboys controlled the second half to seal the victory.
Here's another look at some plays you may have missed during the game. (All of these plays were viewed using NFL Game Pass, which is available for fans to purchase.)
Another Look At Zuttah Holding Penalty
Center Jeremy Zuttah drew plenty of criticism after the loss because he was penalized three days times on the day, including on a pair of holding calls. Perhaps the most critical penalty came in the second quarter when a holding call wiped off a 14-yard gain by fullback Kyle Juszczyk on a screen pass. Zuttah clearly disagreed with the call on the field, and the coaching tape shows he simply tossed the defensive tackle to the ground without actually holding him. The penalty took away a first down and stalled a drive in the second half when the Ravens had a 7-0 lead. Tough calls like this are part of the reason the Ravens offense faltered after initially taking the lead in the first quarter.
Williams, Pierce Tough To Block In The Middle
The matchup with Dallas was tabbed as a battle in the trenches, as the Cowboys entered the game with the top-ranked rushing attack and the Ravens with the league's best run defense. The Ravens won the battle up front initially, and running back Ezekiel Elliott had just 26 yards in the first half. A big reason for Baltimore's success against the run has been the play of defensive tackles Brandon Williams and Michael Pierce. They are both stout defenders who can take on multiple blockers, but still have the speed to disrupt plays in the backfield. The play below is a prime example of how Pierce and Williams can stop a running back before he even has a chance to get to the line of scrimmage.
Wallace With The Juke Move
The Ravens offense has found success in recent weeks with some underneath slant routes to speedy receivers Mike Wallace and Breshad Perriman. The philosophy is basically to get the ball in the hands of the playmakers and let them go to work. Wallace showed what he can do with that type of pass against Dallas, as he took this short slant in the second quarter for a 15-yard gain. Wallace put a slick juke move on the safety, and then had plenty of open field in front of him to pick up the first down. The Ravens could certainly rely on these quick hitters to help get the offense jump-started in future weeks.Â
Great Lead Blocking By Juszczyk
Juszczyk often gets credit for what he can do in the passing game, but he's still plenty valuable as a good old fashioned blocking fullback. He helped clear the way for running back Kenneth Dixon to pick up this 20-yard gain. Juszczyk met linebacker Sean Lee in the hole with a crushing block, and then Dixon did a great job of hitting the cutback lane. Right guard Vladimir Ducasse also deserves credit for making that cutback lane nice and wide for Dixon.
