Baltimore Ravens head coach John Harbaugh described Lamar Jackson's performance as "phenomenal" after his team held off the Dallas Cowboys for their first win of the season.
Having achieved the NFL's best regular-season record in 2023 before falling to the Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC championship game, Baltimore made a slow start to the new campaign.
A marginal out-of-bounds call against Isiah Likely denied them a potential game-winning touchdown as they lost to the Chiefs in Week 1, before the Las Vegas Raiders produced a stunning upset to beat them 26-23 in Week 2.
On Sunday, the Ravens put up a much-improved display in Dallas, racing into a 22-point fourth-quarter lead, though they almost let that advantage slip.
The Cowboys outscored their visitors 19-0 in the fourth but were ultimately unable to level things, with Jackson taking charge late on.
The reigning NFL MVP completed a 9-yard pass to Zay Flowers on 3rd-and-6 to prevent Dallas regaining possession at the death, ensuring the Ravens avoided the second 0-3 start in their history.
Jackson threw for 182 yards and a touchdown while rushing for 87 yards and a score on the ground, but it was his leadership that most impressed Harbaugh.
"I thought Lamar was just phenomenal throughout the game and then he took over the last drive," Harbaugh told reporters.
"The big throw at the end... the big catches at the end; Zay made that huge catch, and Rashod Bateman had a big catch. We had some big runs at the end, too.
"We ran the ball well at the end, and to finish out that way was really important, to win the game on offense, that's how they got it done. I didn't really want it to get to that situation, but it did, and they came through."
Jackson was not the only Raven to have a big game on the ground, with Derrick Henry rushing for 151 yards and two touchdowns as they moved to 1-2 ahead of their Week 4 clash with the Buffalo Bills.
Harbaugh added: "We consider every game a must-win, but if you don't win a game, your season is not over. There’s a lot of football to be played.
"Last week doesn't matter, next week doesn't matter, it's this week that we're focused on. Lamar preaches it to the guys all the time; I'm proud of those guys."
Dallas are also 1-2 and have struggled to defend the run all season, with their average of 5.4 yards allowed per carry being the worst figure on record through three games of an NFL campaign since 1979.
Their eight rushing touchdowns conceded, meanwhile, is the most in their history through three games, leading edge rusher Micah Parsons to slam their defensive efforts.
"Now we've got people trying to be Superman," he said. "People have just got to do their jobs, bro.
"We don't need everyone to be Superman. We don't know Superman at all. We just need 11 guys playing together, and right now it's just not in unison."
Prescott throws 2 touchdowns as Cowboys continue mastery of Giants
Dak Prescott threw one of his two touchdown passes to CeeDee Lamb and the Dallas Cowboys held on for a 20-15 victory to continue their mastery of the rival New York Giants on Thursday night.
Dallas has won seven straight and 14 of the past 15 meetings with New York.
Prescott, who has won his last 13 starts against the Giants, hit running back Rico Dowdle on a 15-yard screen pass for a touchdown to put Dallas ahead in the first quarter. He then found Lamb for a 55-yard catch-and-run TD on a play that ended with the receiver being called for taunting.
Lamb slipped past two defenders and trotted into the end zone. He then fired the ball in their direction and flexed his muscles, drawing an unsportsmanlike-conduct penalty.
Prescott finished 22 of 27 for 221 yards, while Lamb had seven catches for 98 yards.
Brandon Aubrey kicked field goals of 60 and 40 yards for Dallas (2-2), which came into the game with major concerns after being thoroughly beaten at home by New Orleans and Baltimore. A new issue for the Cowboys is an apparent leg injury to star pass rusher Micah Parsons, who was carted off the field in the fourth quarter.
Greg Joseph kicked field goals of 52, 41, 38, 22 and 42 for the Giants (1-3), who controlled the ball for 35:37 but failed to score a touchdown at home for the second straight game.
Daniel Jones completed 29 of 40 passes for 281 yards, finding sensational rookie Malik Nabers 12 times for 115 yards and Wan'Dale Robinson 11 times for 71 yards.
'I failed myself' - Lamb apologises for attitude in Cowboys loss to Ravens
CeeDee Lamb has apologised for his performance and attitude in the Dallas Cowboys' 28-25 defeat to the Baltimore Ravens.
The All-Pro wide receiver was seen having a touchline disagreement with quarterback Dak Prescott during Sunday's loss at the AT&T Stadium.
Lamb also lost a red zone fumble and dropped a pass, while he caught four of seven targets for 67 yards.
Reflecting on a disappointing game for him and his side two days on, Lamb said: "I expect a lot out of myself, more than anyone could put on me.
"And quite honestly, I failed myself, and obviously I failed the team, just as far as producing and being that game-breaker.
"I kind of let the game get to my head a little bit. Honestly, I've got to be truthful to myself, and I played a part in that loss, a big part.
"Honestly [neither] my body language nor attitude, [helped change] the outcome of the game.”
Lamb has 13 receptions this season on 24 targets for 218 yards and a touchdown, having sat out the off-season as he waited for a new contract.
The 25-year-old's connection with Prescott has been lacking, but he insists there are no issues between them.
"Our relationship, if anything, has gotten stronger," he said. "Don't let what's out there fool you. We're brothers to the end.
"We know that we're all we got. I tip my hat to him. I have the utmost respect for him. I look at him as a brother.
"Everything is going to come out: the energy, the passion, the love, the fight, and then we'll make up in the end. No craziness now."
The 1-2 Cowboys face the New York Giants at MetLife Stadium next up on Thursday.
Niners' woes pile up as Hargrave tears triceps and McCaffrey sees specialist
The San Francisco 49ers' selection woes show no signs of easing with defensive tackle Javon Hargrave suffering a potentially season-ending injury and Christian McCaffrey needing specialist treatment on an Achilles issue.
The 49ers have made a 1-2 start to the 2024 season after winning the NFC championship for the eighth time last campaign, with injuries hampering them early on.
McCaffrey, the NFL's reigning Offensive Player of the Year, was placed on injured reserve last week after missing the entirety of preseason with what was later diagnosed as Achilles tendonitis.
Wide receiver Deebo Samuel and tight end George Kittle also missed Sunday's 27-24 defeat to the Los Angeles Rams, during which Hargrave partially tore his right triceps.
That injury will require surgery and will likely bring his 2024 season to a premature end.
Head coach Kyle Shanahan said: "It's a big loss. I thought he had his best game. I thought he was a huge factor, really affected the quarterback in that game.
"He's one of our better players. He was definitely going in the right direction and was going to have a big year."
McCaffrey, meanwhile, has flown to Germany to see a specialist regarding his Achilles issue.
He must miss four games after being placed on IR. Having missed two thus far, he cannot return until after the 49ers' October 6 meeting with the Arizona Cardinals at the earliest.
Shanahan also revealed quarterback Brock Purdy had complained of back soreness after the Rams game and would be evaluated daily, though an MRI scan came back all-clear.
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