ARLINGTON, Texas — The Dallas Cowboys get Monday off, practice Tuesday as if it were a Wednesday, and fly to Rio de Janeiro overnight Thursday for their Sept. 27 game against the Baltimore Ravens at Maracanã Stadium. Cowboys coach Brian Schottenheimer laid out the week after Sunday’s 37-20 win over the Washington Commanders at AT&T Stadium.
Dallas is the designated home team for the NFL’s first regular-season game in Rio. The Cowboys left AT&T Stadium banged up on defense, with safety P.J. Locke and cornerback Cobie Durant both out of Sunday’s game after first-half injuries.
“Yeah, players will be off tomorrow. It’s going to be unusual. Tuesday is Wednesday. And then we’ll finish the game plan, so we’re going to treat it like a short week. And then we’ll fly Thursday night through the night, get down there, move around a little bit Friday. But we’re used to weird schedules and short weeks,” Schottenheimer said. “And got beat up a little bit tonight. I mean, P.J. Locke’s got a foot. Cobie Durant’s got a hamstring. Got to get some more tests there. Barham had a stinger. He came back. But we did get beat up a little bit. So we’ll figure that stuff out in the morning. But, yeah, it’s a unique week, but one that we’re looking forward to. And we’ll take any tests people want to throw at us.”
Maracanã Field Questions Reach Dallas Cowboys Postgame
The playing surface at Maracanã came up at both Schottenheimer’s and owner and general manager Jerry Jones’ news conferences, with comments from soccer players about the field circulating before the game. Schottenheimer said the team’s operations staff had been talking with the league through Saturday night and into Sunday.
“Yeah, again, we talked a little bit today with the operations people. Todd Williams and his team have been in direct contact with the league. The league seems to feel like everything’s going to be fine,” Schottenheimer said. “In reality, we were focused on this. But I have no concerns.”
Schottenheimer had heard the soccer players’ comments. He said the decision on the field rests with the league.
“I’m aware of some of their quotes and stuff. But, again, I trust that the league is going to make the right decision, and they’ll get the field up to standard,” Schottenheimer explained. “But, like I said, Todd Williams and his team operation were talking to the league office, and they were working through that through last night and into today.”
Jones last addressed the field before kickoff, and his answer after the game did not change. He expects updates as the week goes on.
“I’m not up to date on it. I was asked about it before the game. I don’t know any more now than I knew then. So we’ll look at that, and I know that’s of utmost concern to the league and the teams to have a good playing surface down there,” Jones said. “So we’ll obviously, you’ll certainly stay informed as we look to it, and it’s front of mind now that we’ve gotten past the Washington Commanders.”
Dallas Cowboys Players Ready For Baltimore Ravens In Brazil
Von Miller, 37, is in his 16th NFL season. Baltimore makes the same trip this week on the same timeline, and Miller sees that as the only condition that matters.
“They’re leaving at the same time we’re leaving. They’re playing on the same field that we’re playing on. Everything’s even. Just got to go out there and play football. I really enjoy games overseas. I think it’s an opportunity for us to grow the game that we love. It’s sacrifices that we got to make,” Miller said. “But all in all, we have to have these games for our league to continue to grow. It’s going to be somebody in Brazil that has never seen a football game before. I’m going to have [the] opportunity to make Von Miller fans, and I take that opportunity to heart. So it’s tough on both teams, but as long as they coming in the same day we coming in, they’re playing the same field we playing in, like, it’s fair. Let’s just go play.”
Dallas lost its opener 28-20 at the Giants, and Sunday was its only game at AT&T Stadium in the first three weeks. Dak Prescott, who broke Tony Romo’s franchise touchdown record Sunday, did not want to make the trip at 0-2.
“Yeah, definitely was thinking we can’t go 0-2 going to Brazil and definitely wanted to get this out of the way in front of our fans. And, I mean, look forward to going to Brazil, but I’m sure more of our fans are here. And so I wanted to get it done, get it over with. And I think it would have just been odd doing it out there in Brazil,” Prescott said. “And so it was a great day overall. We needed to go. We need to get this win. We need to get in the win column. We’re back home. We need to win all of our games at home. And you can’t go 0-2. You can’t go 0-2 in the conference or the division. And so, yeah, this was a must win. I know Clarence had asked me about it Thursday, and it is. It was. And glad we got it done.”
Jayden Daniels ran for all 69 of his yards on scrambles Sunday before an elbow injury ended his day. Donovan Ezeiruaku, a second-year edge rusher, had 3 tackles and knows Baltimore’s quarterback presents the same problem.
“Yeah, we just got to communicate, especially as a defensive line. Jayden did a good job today getting out the pocket or going through the pocket to rush. We got to tighten that up, obviously, because we know what kind of guy Lamar Jackson is,” Ezeiruaku said. “So that will be a really good challenge for this unit, for this team, for this defense.”
KaVontae Turpin returned 4 kickoffs for 122 yards Sunday, with a long of 35, and ran once for 1 yard.
“Yeah, I thought he had a couple really good returns tonight. I still want to get Turp going a little bit on the offensive side of the ball. We tried to get him involved on a little toss-crack play to the edge,” Schottenheimer said. “But as a returner, he’s been close, and we feel like we’re ready to pop one, and maybe it’s going to be in Rio.”
Baltimore beat Dallas 28-25 when the teams last met, in Week 3 of the 2024 season. Kickoff at Maracanã is set for 3:25 p.m. CT on CBS.
