The Dallas Cowboys improved to 1-1 with a 37-20 victory over the Washington Commanders and will next face the Baltimore Ravens in Brazil. The game is scheduled for Sept. 27 at Maracanã Stadium in Rio de Janeiro, where the matchup will be the first NFL game played there.
Field conditions have drawn attention after Agustin Rossi, Flamengo Football Club’s goalkeeper, said the penalty areas contained many uneven spots. He said he hoped the surface would be improved before the football game. The NFL said preparations were underway to provide a playing field that meets the league’s quality expectations for international contests.
Brian Schottenheimer said Cowboys football operations personnel had been in contact with the league about the surface. The coach said league officials anticipated that it would satisfy the required standard and that he was not worried about the game taking place.
Jerry Jones, the team’s owner and general manager, said Sunday evening that he was pursuing more information and identified the field as a top priority following the Washington game. CeeDee Lamb, who had 153 yards and two touchdowns, responded to a question about the issue by saying, “Let's play.”
A prior international game in São Paulo featuring the Kansas City Chiefs and Los Angeles Chargers finished with no reported problems.
