Why USS Constitution should avoid a third-rate

Could USS Constitution fight a third-rate ship of the line on equal terms?

No. Constitution was a formidable frigate, but she was not built to exchange broadsides with a third-rate.

The comparison separates a celebrated heavy frigate from a ship built for the battle line. USS Constitution could dominate many opponents in her own category, but a third-rate carried the weight, protection, and broadside expected in fleet combat. The same mismatch helps explain why Ottoman frigates at Sinop were in such danger from Russian ships of the line. Reputation and individual quality did not erase the basic force disparity between the two types.