Baltimore Ravens feel prepared for Rio 'business trip'

OWINGS MILLS, Md. -- A few days before playing the Dallas Cowboys, Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson was reminded that he is facing a franchise historically known as "America's Team." "Yes, but this is America," Jackson said with a smile. "That is Brazil." Jackson and the Ravens were in good spirits on Wednesday heading into one of their most challenging road trips in team history. Baltimore (1-1) will take a 10-hour flight to play the Dallas Cowboys (1-1) on Sunday in the NFL's first game in Rio de Janeiro (4:25 p.m. ET, CBS). While there's been a lot of talk about the field condition at Maracanã Stadium, the Ravens believe there is a bigger factor for success in Brazil. "I feel like the rhetoric around the game after it is done is who handled the travel and everything better," Ravens safety Kyle Hamilton said. "I think that just goes hand in hand on who is being more of a pro or not. That is something that I think we can thrive at." This is the Ravens' first game in Brazil, but coach Jesse Minter was there last season. He was the defensive coordinator for the Los Angeles Chargers, who beat the Kansas City Chiefs, 27-21, in Sao Paulo. Minter feels the biggest challenge is figuring out when to fly. The Ravens decided to stick to their normal practice on Wednesday and Thursday in Baltimore before leaving for Rio on a red-eye flight Thursday night. The team will arrive in Brazil on Friday morning and will hold one full practice in the afternoon in Botafogo, which is about a half hour outside of Rio. The Ravens will get their first chance to see Maracanã Stadium on Saturday, when they will have a walkthrough there. Minter chose not to leave earlier because it's only a one-hour time difference. "I do not think there is a perfect answer for any of that stuff," Minter said. "It is all about how the team plays when the ball is kicked off." Minter is already resigned to not sleeping much on the flight. But he acknowledged he doesn't sleep much on Thursday nights during the season anyway. For the players, many will pass time by watching their favorite TV series. "I just started watching Peaky Blinders, so [I'll] probably do a good bit of that, [and] sleep," Hamilton said of the British gangster show. Wide receiver Rashod Bateman just started watching The Sopranos. "They have a lot of episodes," Bateman said. "So I will try to catch up on that." Jackson is thinking he will split up the time on the plane. "I am just going to try to sleep as much as possible and just relax -- that is all I can do," Jackson said. "Keep my legs [moving and] try to walk around as much as possible, but at the same time sleep as much as possible. Five [hours awake] and five [hours sleeping] -- try to balance it out." This marks the Ravens' third international game. In 2017, Baltimore played one of the worst games in team history, losing to the Jacksonville Jaguars, 44-7, in London. In 2023, the Ravens returned to London where they beat the Tennessee Titans, 24-16. For this trip, once the Ravens arrive in Brazil, Minter said the team schedule will occupy much of the players' time. He added there may be a chance for players to see a few places but everyone understands the mission. "It is a business trip for us," Jackson said. "It is not to go have fun, to sightsee or anything like that. We are just going out there to play football."