Did our Ravens-Cowboys predictions hold up?

Did our Ravens-Cowboys predictions hold up?
October 16, 2012, 9:00 pm
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It's time to again slip under the replay hood and see how our 10 predictions for the Cowboys game turned out:

1. The Ravens will score a first-quarter touchdown.

INCORRECT. The Ravens mounted a solid 14-play drive to begin the game, but it stalled when Bernard Pierce ran wide on third-and-1 and was dropped for a loss, leading to a 38-yard field goal by Justin Tucker. (As an aside, weren't Marshal Yanda and Vonta Leach paid big money so the Ravens could run behind them when they need a yard? Still don't get running wide on third-and-1 there.) The Ravens have now scored a total of six points in the first quarter in the past four games, a troubling trend.

2. Ray Rice will rush for 100 yards ...

INCORRECT. We predicted Rice would buck the trend and go back-to-back 100-yard games for just the second time in his career, but it didn't happen. Rice finished with 16 carries for 63 yards and never broke a gain longer than 12 yards on the ground.

3. ... but The Cowboys' DeMarco Murray will not

CORRECT. But with a huge asterisk. Murray, who had averaged 59 yards rushing through the Cowboys' first four games, was well on his way to a huge day against the porous Ravens run defense, but was sidelined by a foot injury early in the third quarter with a foot injury. Murray finished with 93 yards on 14 carries.

4. Ravens running backs will have at least five receptions.

INCORRECT. Though it wasn't for lack of trying. As we predicted, screen passes were part of the Ravens' plan, but Joe Flacco misfired on at least two of them -- one that was thrown behind Ray Rice, and another that was tipped at the line of scrimmage. Rice, Vonta Leach and Bernard Pierce each finished with just one catch, though Rice was targeted four times.

5. Joe Flacco will be sacked at least three times.

INCORRECT. The Ravens inserted Bobbie Williams at left guard for his first start of the season, and the line held up against the Cowboys rush. Cowboys pass rusher extraordinaire DeMarcus Ware recorded the only sack of the day for Dallas, this coming when he beat Oher to the inside on a spin move and Williams fell down.

6. The Ravens will have at least two offensive plays of 20+ yards.,

CORRECT. The Ravens entered the game with 30 plays of 20+ yards, the highest total in the league, and had two more -- a 43-yard dumpoff pass to Rice, and a 31-yard pass down the sideline to Anquan Boldin. (And this doesn't count the electrifying 108-yard kickoff return by Jacoby Jones.)

7. Cowboys tight end Jason Witten will have at least five catches.

CORRECT. The Ravens did a decent job on Witten much of the game, but as usual, when Tony Romo needed a big play, he looked to his big tight end. Twice on the final drive, Romo hit Witten on fourth-and-10 plays that moved the chains and kept the Cowboys' hopes alive. Witten finished with six catches for 88 yards.

8. Dallas will have more passing plays than running plays.

INCORRECT. We didn't anticipate the Cowboys running roughshod over the Ravens, but the running game was clearly their most effective weapon. The Cowboys finished with 42 carries for 227 yards -- the most ever allowed by the Ravens -- and 36 pass attempts (and one sack).

9. The Ravens will win the turnover battle.

CORRECT. This remains a critical component of the Ravens' success, especially given how easily teams are moving the ball on them. The game's only turnover came when Romo was intercepted by Cary Williams at the Ravens' 35-yard line, thwarting a Cowboys' drive in the second quarter.

10. Ravens 30, Cowboys 20

CORRECT, SORT OF. Yes, as we predicted, the Ravens did enough to move to 5-1 on the season, but barely. They can thank Dez Bryant dropping a two-point conversion, some clock mismanagement by the Cowboys, which forced their final field-goal try to be from 51 yards, and a breeze that helped push the kick wide left.