1. The Ravens will score a first-quarter touchdown.
Quick starts have become a problem for the Ravens, who have scored a grand total of three points in the first quarter over the past three games. They will make an emphasis on getting out of the gate early.
2. Ray Rice will rush for 100 yards. ,..
Only once in his career has Ray Rice compiled back-to-back 100-yar games. He is coming off a 17-carry, 102-yard effort at Kansas City, so running for 100 against Dallas would definitely buck tradition. But Rice will get his carries, just because he's the heart of the offense and it might neutralize sensational Cowboys pass rusher DeMarcus Ware.
3. ... but The Cowboys' DeMarco Murray will not
Through four games, Murray is averaging about 15 carries a game, and the Cowboys say they want to use him more often. But when Dallas falls behind, the Cowboys have abandoned the running game for the most part. Through four games, Murray is averaging about 59 yards a game.
4. Ravens running backs will have at least five receptions.
With Ware and the rest of the Cowboys tenacious pass rush bearing down on quarterback Joe Flacco, one solution will be quick dump-offs or screens to the running backs. Flacco has always liked having Rice as a safety valve option, and that will come in handy on Sunday.
5. Joe Flacco will be sacked at least three times.
The Ravens offensive line has had troubles the past two games, yielding four sacks to Cleveland and again to Kansas City. Bobbie Williams will reportedly replace Ramon Harewood as the starting left guard, but the real problem against the Chiefs was on the edge. This week, tackles Michael Oher and Kelechi Osemele have another stiff test led by Ware, who led the NFL in sacks in 2008 (20) and 2010 (15.5) and finished second last season (19.5).
6. The Ravens will have at least two offensive plays of 20+ yards.
The Ravens this year already have 30 plays of 20+ yards, the highest total in the league, And the weapons are certainly there, with Rice, Torrey Smith and Jacoby Jones, among others, to make huge plays.
7. Cowboys tight end Jason Witten will have at least five catches.
The Ravens had their hands full with Eagles tight end Brent Celek, who caught eight passes for 157 yards. And the recipe seems the same for the Cowboys: Stretch the field with deep-threat receivers, and space for Witten is bound to open up. The linebackers in particular will have to be good in coverage.
8. Dallas will have more passing plays than running plays.
Through four games, the Cowboys have had 151 passes and 79 rushes. The Cowboys (2-2) have gotten away from the running game, especially late when playing from behind. Certainly the Cowboys watched with interest how Chiefs back Jamaal Charles tore right through the Ravens defense in the first half. The Cowboys have stressed that they want a run-pass balance, but if the Cowboys fall behind by a lot again, the run game will vanish once again.
9. The Ravens will win the turnover battle.
For the season, the Ravens are +6 in turnover differential, the Cowboys are at minus-7. Dallas quarterback Tony Romo has thrown eight interceptions, and playing at home, the Ravens will add to that total.
10. Ravens 30, Cowboys 20
The Ravens struggled and scratched and clawed but still left Kansas City with a 9-6 win last week. Now coming home to Baltimore, where they have won 14 straight, they will rediscover the offense and disrupt Tony Romo enough to move to 5-1 on the season.
