Lamar Jackson threw for 204 yards and four touchdowns, showing little rust in his return from a hamstring strain, and the Baltimore Ravens routed the Miami Dolphins 28-6 on Thursday night.
Jackson completed 18 of 23 passes in his first start since Week 4 against Kansas City, and the Ravens won their second straight as they attempt to make a run in the wide-open AFC North. The Pittsburgh Steelers (4-3) top the division ahead of the Ravens and Cincinnati Bengals, who have 3-5 records. The Ravens have a favorable schedule going forward, and will face only one time currently over .500 – the Steelers – in their next six games. They hope to become only the fifth team in NFL history to make the playoffs after losing five of their first six games.
“It felt great to be out there, it felt awesome,” Jackson said of his return from injury.
Tight end Mark Andrews made two touchdown catches for the Ravens. Jackson’s other TD passes went to tight end Charlie Kolar and receiver Rashod Bateman. Derrick Henry rushed 119 yards on 19 carries, and accomplished another career milestone when he became the 17th player in NFL history to eclipse the 12,000-yard career rushing mark.
For the Dolphins, De’Von Achane had 14 carries for 67 yards, while Jaylen Waddle caught six passes for 82 yards.
The Dolphins (2-7) outgained the Ravens 226 yards to 109 and held them to 1 of 6 on third down in the first half, but Miami trailed 14-6 at the break because of a slew of mistakes.
On Miami’s second drive, rookie Tahj Washington fumbled at the Dolphins’ four-yard line, and Andrews caught a two-yard TD from Jackson on fourth down on the Ravens’ ensuing possession.
Achane led the Dolphins back down the field with runs of 19 and 22 yards, but a false start by offensive lineman Larry Borom on fourth-and-one forced Miami to kick a field goal, which Riley Patterson missed from 35 yards out.
The Ravens’ offense answered again. Jackson escaped the grasp of linebacker Jaelan Phillips and connected with Isaiah Likely for a 35-yard pickup, which set up Andrews’ 20-yard score – aided by two Dolphins defenders running into each other in coverage – that put Baltimore ahead 14-3.
Jackson, a two-time MVP, connected on his first nine passes of the second half before he finally missed DeAndre Hopkins on a deep throw in the final minute of the third quarter. The game was out of reach by then, and Jackson had already thrown his fourth TD – a nine-yard toss to Bateman that put Baltimore up 28-6.
Tua Tagovailoa, who completed 25 of 40 passes for 261 yards with an interception, led the Dolphins 80 yards down the field early in the fourth, a promising drive that included two fourth-down conversions. But receiver Malik Washington fumbled at the 10, and Dolphins fans began to exit Hard Rock Stadium en masse with more than 10 minutes remaining.
“You’re playing with fire when you’re giving the ball back to that offense,” Miami head coach Mike McDaniel said of his team’s three turnovers in the game.
Miami’s only points were Patterson’s field goals of 49 and 43 yards. They also sustained a pair of key injuries. Linebacker Chop Robinson exited the game in the second quarter with a head injury and was later ruled out due to a concussion. Rookie running back Ollie Gordon II injured an ankle in the first half and did not return.
