Lamar Jackson threw for 204 yards and four touchdowns while showing little rust after returning from a hamstring strain. Baltimore Ravens beat 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 while trying to make a run. Wide open AFK North. The Pittsburgh Steelers (4-3) lead the division ahead of the Ravens and Cincinnati Bengals, who have 3-5 records. Crows have a convenient schedule moving forward, and in the next six games he will face only one player currently above .500, the Steelers. They're hoping to become just the fifth team in NFL history to make the playoffs after losing five of their first six games.
“It was great to be there, it was amazing,” Jackson said of his return from injury.
Tight end Mark Andrews scored two touchdowns for the Ravens. Jackson's other passes went to tight end Charlie Kolar and wide receiver Rashod Bateman. Derrick Henry rushed for 119 yards on 19 carries and hit another career milestone, becoming the 17th player in NFL history to eclipse the 12,000-yard career mark.
For the Dolphins, De'Von Achane caught 14 passes for 67 yards and 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 due to multiple errors.
On Miami's second drive, rookie Taj Washington fumbled at the Dolphins' four-yard line, and Andrews caught a two-yard touchdown pass 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-1 forced Miami to kick a field goal that Riley Patterson missed from 35 yards out.
The Ravens offense responded again. Jackson broke free from linebacker Jaelan Phillips and connected with Isaiah Likely for a 35-yard catch that set up Andrews' 20-yard score — aided by two Dolphins defenders bumping into each other in coverage — to give Baltimore a 14-3 lead.
Jackson, a two-time MVP, completed his first nine passes of the second half before finally missing DeAndre Hopkins on a deep throw in the final minute of the third quarter. By then the game was out of reach, and Jackson had already thrown his fourth touchdown, a nine-yard throw 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 move that included two fourth-down conversions. But receiver Malik Washington failed to make 10, and Dolphins fans began leaving Hard Rock Stadium in droves with more than 10 minutes left in the game.
“You play with fire when you get the ball back,” 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 suffered a couple of serious injuries. Linebacker Chop Robinson left the game in the second quarter with a head injury and was later ruled out of the game with a concussion. Rookie running back Ollie Gordon II injured his ankle in the first half and did not return.
