Cowboys vs. Ravens odds, picks, prediction: NFL Week 3 matchup start time, preview, best bets for Brazil game

The NFL goes international in Week 3 as the Dallas Cowboys and Baltimore Ravens meet for a showcase in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Both teams are 1-1 and have aspirations of making the postseason, setting this game up as an important test. The pressure will be on Dak Prescott and Lamar Jackson to lead their teams to victory in paradise. The Ravens are 3.5-point favorites. Kickoff is scheduled for 4:25 p.m. Bet $5+ on Cowboys vs. Ravens in Week 3 with the latest DraftKings promo code and get $150 in bonus bets:

We'll look at the latest Ravens vs. Cowboys odds at DraftKings Sportsbook, along with insights from the SportsLine Projection Model, before highlighting our best bets for the contest. The model, which simulates every NFL game 10,000 times, is up well over $7,000 for $100 players on betting sites on top-rated NFL picks since its inception. The model entered Week 3 of the 2026 NFL season on a 53-41 run on top-rated picks dating back to 2024. Anybody following its picks at NFL betting sites could have seen strong returns.  

Cowboys vs. Ravens betting odds (via DraftKings)

Cowboys vs. Ravens betting preview

The Ravens are looking to bounce back after Week 2's 24-17 loss to the New Orleans Saints. Baltimore led entering the fourth quarter but the Saints scored 15 unanswered points to snatch the game away. The game stands in stark contrast to Week 1's 41-23 win over the Indianapolis Colts in which the Baltimore offense seemed to be far more competent. Fortunately for Baltimore, the Cowboys seem to have picked up right where they left off on defense. Dallas has allowed the fourth most yards per game thus far (No. 1 is the Colts). That has to have Lamar Jackson licking his lips. 

Conversely, Dallas has the ninth-fewest total yards on offense in the young campaign, while the Ravens have allowed the fifth-fewest. Those stats paint a certain picture of how the game will unfold, but we should be cautious about taking two games' worth of results as gospel. 

After all, the Cowboys (who just dumped 37 points on the Washington Commanders) still have Dak Prescott. They still have CeeDee Lamb and George Pickens. And while that may not be enough to totally overcome defensive deficiencies (and the injuries beginning to crop up on that side of the ball), it gives Dallas a fighting chance.

It's also worth noting that wideout Zay Flowers remains on the Baltimore injury report and it remains to be seen whether he will play, particularly after the NFL Players Association raised concerns about the field conditions at the Maracana. 

This should be a close game with plenty of chances for both quarterbacks to make game-changing plays. Look for a good one in Brazil.

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Cowboys vs. Ravens picks, prediction

Over 53.5 points

The SportsLine Projection Model, which simulates every game 10,000 times, has the Over hitting at a 62% rate. Even though both offenses have hit speed bumps -- the Cowboys in Week 1 against the Giants, the Ravens in Week 2 against the Saints -- this game will still feature two of the best quarterbacks in the world and a Dallas defense that's proven to be leaky. The ball should be in the end zone early and often.