FRISCO, Texas — Donovan Ezeiruaku leads the Dallas Cowboys with 9 quarterback pressures through two games. His next assignment is Lamar Jackson, the two-time MVP who leads the Baltimore Ravens into Sunday’s game at Maracanã Stadium in Rio de Janeiro.
Ezeiruaku’s only sack this season is a half-sack in the opener against the New York Giants. He had 10 tackles in that 28-20 loss on Sept. 13 at MetLife Stadium.
“Really just getting the quarterback down instead of getting pressures,” Ezeiruaku said Tuesday. “It’s kind of tough when we got quarterbacks like this that are elusive. But the goal is to get these guys down, and that’s our job as well.”
Dallas beat the Washington Commanders, 37-20, a week later, and both the Cowboys and the Ravens enter Sunday at 1-1. Kickoff is 3:25 p.m. CT, with Dallas as the designated home team for the first regular-season NFL game played in Rio.
Donovan Ezeiruaku Wants His Pressures To Become Sacks
The Cowboys drafted Ezeiruaku in the second round, 44th overall, out of Boston College in 2025. He had 16.5 sacks in his final college season in 2024. As a rookie, he had 2 sacks in 17 games and started the final 9. He had hip labrum surgery in the offseason, and he counts himself as his own hardest critic.
“It’s very frustrating, especially me being my hardest critic, and that’s just something that was emphasized, especially this week,” Ezeiruaku explained. “But even today in practice, that was the biggest emphasis for me as well as the rest of the outside linebackers.”
Donovan Ezeiruaku Studies Lamar Jackson And Derrick Henry
Dallas has allowed 126 rushing yards to quarterbacks through two weeks, the most in the NFL. Jaxson Dart and Jayden Daniels combined for those yards on 19 carries. Jackson has rushed for a touchdown in both of his career games against the Cowboys, and he has 181 rushing yards in those two games.
“We all know what it is,” Ezeiruaku said. “You guys know. We know as players the type of guy he is, somebody who can throw the ball but also can run the ball at a very high level. So it’s easier to say than to do, but our job is to go out there and go do. So that’s what we’re tasked with, so that’s what we’re going to have to do.”
Ezeiruaku faced Daniels in the Sept. 20 win over Washington. Versatility is what he appreciates most in Jackson.
“You can kind of tell Lamar does a good job of really wanting to be a quarterback,” Ezeiruaku said. “Not saying that Jayden Daniels doesn’t do that, but it’s like the growth that he has had over the past few years of really sitting in the pocket and delivering the ball, showing that he can do that. That’s pretty much the biggest difference.”
Jackson has thrown for 22,608 yards and 187 touchdowns in eight seasons with Baltimore.
“Like how versatile he is and how he’s honed in as being a quarterback,” Ezeiruaku said. “He can sit in the pocket, take hits, deliver big shots down the field, but at the same time, we all know what it is. He can run that ball, too.”
“So that’s something that’s very admirable, but it’s a different beast when you’ve got to go up against it and you’re really preparing and locking in during the week,” Ezeiruaku continued.
Baltimore also has Derrick Henry, a 6-foot-3, 252-pound running back, in the backfield with Jackson.
“It is very unique,” Ezeiruaku said. “For a guy who’s probably bigger than me playing running back, you’ve got to take out the legs. It’s the only way to stop a guy like that from running the ball. Easier said than done, like it is with Lamar, but it’ll be a really good challenge.”
The Cowboys practice Wednesday and Thursday in Frisco before flying to Brazil on Thursday. Kickoff against the Ravens is 3:25 p.m. CT on Sunday on CBS.
