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USA Today

It's been a long, winding road to get to this point, but the Dallas Cowboys and Baltimore Ravens have finally arrived. Originally slated to lock horns on Thursday, Dec. 3, the latter found themselves embattled with a COVID-19 outbreak that saw the team yield a list of positive results for nearly 10 days straight, resulting in three separate postponements of the Ravens eventual battle with the Pittsburgh Steelers, leaving the Cowboys to simply wait their turn for a shot at Baltimore -- having seen this contest rescheduled to Monday, Dec. 7 before being moved one final time to Tuesday, Dec. 8.

This marks the first time in history either franchise has taken the field on a Tuesday, and that's not the only headline to be read here, not by a long shot. Dez Bryant is now a receiver for the Ravens, and "Mr. 73" has owner Jerry Jones "worried" about what he can and might do on the field against his beloved Cowboys in Week 13. And it won't be a backup throwing to Bryant this week, with reigning league MVP Lamar Jackson having had enough time during the postponements to return to the field to take on Dallas.

Jackson is facing the Cowboys for the first time in his young career, and in a historic primetime slot, and being well-rested, and under pressure to right the 2020 ship for the Ravens or risk not making the playoffs. It'll be all quarterback Andy Dalton can do to keep pace with a Ravens team that needs no more motivation to win after losing four of their last five games. But with the New York Giants and Washington Football Team both shocking the world this week, in case you needed a reminder:

Anything can happen. 

How to watch

Date: Tuesday, Dec. 8, 2020 | Time: 8:05 pm ET
Location: M&T Bank Stadium (Baltimore, Maryland)
TV: FOX | Stream: fuboTV (Try for free)
Follow: CBS Sports App

Preview

For the Cowboys, mission No. 1 and mission No. 2 are to stop Jackson.

Those are two tasks that need to be accomplished separately but equally, considering he can shred them both in the air and on the ground -- if allowed. The problem for Dallas is they not only struggle against the run, but against mobile quarterbacks on the whole, often losing edge integrity upfront and discipline in the secondary when a quarterback escapes. Jackson will give them the same problems as someone like Kyler Murray and Russell Wilson, and he also has the added edge of throwing against an injury-ravaged secondary. Without promising rookie second-round pick Trevon Diggs on the field, things get easier for both Bryant and Marquise "Hollywood" Brown, but that's not all, because veteran nickel corner Anthony Brown and hard-hitting safety Donovan Wilson are both ruled out for this contest -- pitting Jackson and his aerial attack against a variety of backups (and backups to the backups).

On the offensive side of the ball for the Cowboys, just as important is the return of Jackson is that of Calais Campbell and, Pernell McPhee and more from the COVID-19 list. Also rested from their stint on the COVID/Reserve list, they'll face an offensive line that is absent perennial All-Pro linemen Tyron Smith and Zack Martin, as well as starting right tackle La'El Collins and promising rookie center Tyler Biadasz. This is going to make it extremely difficult to not only keep backup quarterback Andy Dalton upright long enough to hit targets like CeeDee Lamb, Michael Gallup and Amari Cooper, but the run game is also expected to suffer.

Running behind a patchwork O-line, and against the Ravens defensive front, could make for a long day for both Ezekiel Elliott and Tony Pollard. And if the former can't get past his 2020 fumbling issues, it could lead to more possessions for Jackson to deliver plays against what would then be an also gassed Cowboys defense. You could see the Cowboys attempt to make up ground with wild special teams plays, but that's rarely worked in their favor this season, and has often instead put them in a deeper hole. 

Yes, as you've probably gathered, this is all a very tall ask for the Cowboys.

Predictions 

That said, an upset here isn't impossible, because football. 

That point is also evident in how oddsmakers view the matchup, listing the Ravens as just 8.5-point favorites to defeat the 3-8 Cowboys in Baltimore, per William Hill Sportsbook. As mentioned above, with the NFC East being the laughingstock of the NFL, many assumed the Giants and Washington would be gutted by the Seattle Seahawks and the undefeated Pittsburgh Steelers, respectively, but instead landed the two biggest upsets of the season in Week 13. And it was the Cowboys who gave the Steelers their first true upset scare not long ago, albeit at the hands of quarterback Garrett Gilbert and not Dalton.

The over/under on this game is sitting at 45, and nothing indicates the bulk of that will come from a crippled Cowboys offense that can barely muster a punch in the absence of Dak Prescott, but if they can prevent Jackson from landing haymakers, they might be able to jab their way to a 12-round decision. Again, that's a tall ask, though, with all signs pointing to the Ravens pushing the series record to 5-1 in their favor.

Pick: Ravens 30, Cowboys 12