Ravens, Cowboys and Chiefs headline this week’s key NFL matchups

Three games stand out on this week’s NFL slate: the Tennessee Titans visiting the Baltimore Ravens, the in-state battle between the Dallas Cowboys and Houston Texans, and a divisional showdown featuring the Kansas City Chiefs and Las Vegas Raiders. Each matchup carries its own storyline, from winless teams searching for answers to undefeated clubs trying to keep their perfect records intact.

Run-heavy Ravens poised to exploit Titans’ weakness

Baltimore enters its game against Tennessee in a strong position. After cruising past the Indianapolis Colts, the Ravens stumbled in a one-possession loss to the New Orleans Saints, then answered with a high-scoring win over the Dallas Cowboys in a contest that produced 65 total points. Their offense remains built around the ground game.

Derrick Henry is the focal point, powering an attack considered capable of beating any opponent on paper. He leads all running backs with six rushing touchdowns through three games. Quarterback Lamar Jackson has attempted just 76 passes so far, the lowest total among passers who have started every game for their teams, underscoring how heavily Baltimore leans on its rushing attack.

The Titans are still chasing their first victory and face a difficult task against that formula. Tennessee’s defence ranks 18th in rushing touchdowns allowed and 24th in rushing yards surrendered per game, numbers that suggest Baltimore’s ground-focused approach could dictate the tempo and turn this into a comfortable afternoon for the home side.

All-Texas showdown where Cowboys’ offense holds the edge

In Houston, the Texans are surprisingly listed as favourites over the Cowboys despite opening the season with three straight losses. Dallas sits at 1-2, with its lone win coming against the Washington Commanders after Washington lost starting quarterback Jayden Daniels, yet the Cowboys still project as the more dangerous team with the ball.

With Dak Prescott at quarterback and playmakers such as CeeDee Lamb, George Pickens and Javonte Williams around him, Dallas is averaging 29.3 points per game, tied for seventh in the league. Protection has also been a strength: the Cowboys’ offensive line has given up only three sacks so far, the second-best mark in the NFL.

Houston’s defensive front continues to draw praise and could limit some of that production, but the Texans’ own offense has lagged behind. Led by C.J. Stroud, Houston is scoring just 18 points per game, which ranks 24th in the league. In a matchup where offensive firepower is likely to decide the outcome, those trends tilt the balance toward Dallas.

Revamped Raiders test themselves against unbeaten Chiefs

Later in the day, the Chiefs and Raiders meet in a divisional clash between two AFC teams that have yet to lose this season. Las Vegas’ presence in that conversation is one of the more notable developments of the early schedule, even if improvement was expected after an aggressive offseason.

Key additions such as quarterback Kirk Cousins, centre Tyler Linderbaum and linebackers Nakobe Dean and Quay Walker have reshaped the Raiders’ roster. They have opened the campaign with three straight wins and quickly moved into the AFC playoff picture. The result of this game could loom large in December when tiebreakers inside the division come into play.

Kansas City, meanwhile, has found a new offensive gear thanks to running back Kenneth Walker III. Described as the most productive back in the league so far, he gives the Chiefs a powerful complement to their passing attack. The Raiders rank 17th in first downs allowed on rushing plays, a vulnerability Kansas City may look to exploit. If the Chiefs can control the clock on the ground, their overall talent level could eventually wear down a much-improved but still unproven Raiders team in a matchup that will help shape the AFC West race.