The Cowboys take on the Ravens in Brazil in Week 3, as both teams look to get a foothold in the season.
A lot has been made about NFL games being played overseas recently, and the Dallas Cowboys will be the next team jetting off this week, as they take on the Baltimore Ravens in Brazil on Sunday.
After a much-needed win over the Washington Commanders and the Ravens' loss to the New Orleans Saints, both teams come into this with different form lines.
And when we add in the element of traveling overseas, the flight, the time difference, different city, different hotels, it all matters as players prepare for the game.
Look at what the San Francisco 49ers did when they traveled to Australia, compared to what the Los Angeles Rams did. You can't tell me it didn't impact the Rams, right?
And for Von Miller, he doesn't care about all the outside noise of an international game; he just wants to go play football.
"They leaving at the same time we leaving, they playing on the same field that we playing on, everything's even, just got to go out there and play football," Miller said. "
"It's tough on both teams, but as long as they coming in same day we coming in, they playing the same field we playing in, it's fair. Let's just go play."
And they will be facing a Ravens team with Lamar Jackson and Derrick Henry as the opponents, and after losing to the Saints, Baltimore will want retribution.
Given the defensive struggles against the run and stopping opposing quarterbacks from picking up huge yards on the ground, this game looms large for the Cowboys.
Because if allowed to, Lamar and Henry can rip this game away from Dallas, and Miller knows it.
Of course, it would be nice if the iconic newcomer Miller could pitch in a bit.
In a Week 1 loss at New York, he played just 11 snaps. In a Week 2 win over Washington, he was upped to 16 snaps (30 percent), which inches closer to the expectations Cowboys Nation has for the big-name future Hall-of-Famer.
But ... over the course of two games, reputation aside, he's been a non-factor. He has no sacks, no hurries and but one assisted tackle.
Maybe Sunday in Rio changes things. But for now, all we get is talk - entertaining though it is - from Von.
"We all know who Lamar Jackson is, what you see is what you get," Miller added. "He's one of the best quarterbacks in the league. Top three for sure, not three. He's going to be angry. The hornet's going to be riled up. Then Derrick Henry, too. Then they got a solid offensive line, too. Defense is great."
So, all eyes will be on Rio this week as the Cowboys and Ravens do battle, and both teams will deal with the noise about the issues of traveling overseas to play.
As Miller says, let's just go play football. And maybe this week, finally, that will include actual contributions from Von himself.
