This is what the Ravens were supposed to look like all along: Lamar Jackson and the offense carving up the opposing defense, and a fast, opportunistic defense wreaking havoc on the opposing offense.
All of that was on display in Miami on Oct. 30 as the Ravens dominated the Miami Dolphins, 28-6, on “Thursday Night Football” in perhaps their most complete game of the season.
The win is the second in a row for the Ravens (3-5), trendy Super Bowl favorites in August who have righted themselves after their shocking 1-5 start that left their entire season on the brink.
Jackson had missed the past three games with a hamstring injury, which was certainly a major factor — though far from the only one — in the team’s sputtering start.
Playing for the first time in 32 days, Jackson eased into the game and got stronger as it went on. He threw a pair of first-half touchdown passes to tight end Mark Andrews as the Ravens built a 14-6 halftime lead. Jackson’s third touchdown pass of the day, to tight end Charlie Kolar on the opening drive of the third quarter, pretty much put away a Dolphins team that didn’t look all that interested in being there.
Jackson finished 18-for-23 for 204 yards and four touchdowns as he continued his mastery over the Dolphins. In five career starts against Miami, Jackson has thrown 18 touchdowns and one interception.
The Dolphins (2-7) outgained the Ravens 225-109 in the first half, but they lost a fumble deep in their own territory and squandered several other scoring chances. With the Ravens leading 7-3, the Dolphins opted to go for a first down on fourth-and-1 from the Ravens’ 12-yard line, but they committed a false start. Backed up five yards, they lined up for a 35-yard field-goal attempt that kicker Riley Patterson pushed wide right.
Then after mounting a drive late in the first half, they went on fourth-and-2 from the Ravens’ 13-yard line, but Tua Tagovailoa’s pass in the end zone was incomplete, nowhere near his intended receiver, running back De’Von Achane.
The Ravens had built their 14-3 lead on a 2-yard touchdown pass from Jackson to Andrews, which came four plays after safety Alohi Gilman forced and recovered a Dolphins fumble, and then a 20-yard touchdown pass from Jackson to Andrews.
On the opening drive of the third quarter, Jackson and the Ravens got into a groove as they marched 68 yards in 11 plays. Jackson had a 13-yard scramble on third down to extend that drive, which ended when Jackson found Kolar all alone for a 3-yard touchdown and 21-6 Ravens lead. That was the second touchdown grab in two games for Kolar.
That margin proved to be plenty for a Ravens defense that held Miami off the scoreboard for the second half. Jackson for good measure added a fourth touchdown pass late in the third quarter with a 9-yard strike to Rashod Bateman.
Here are five quick impressions of the win, which improves the Ravens to 12-5 on “Thursday Night Football” under head coach John Harbaugh:
1. With Lamar Jackson back, the Ravens are dangerous again.
The Ravens resemble a boxer that took a big surprise right hook and was knocked to the mat, but then picked himself up and regrouped with a vengeance. Granted, it’s just a modest two-game winning streak, but the return of Lamar Jackson clearly — and predictably — changed everything about this team.
Back after a three-game absence because of a hamstring injury, Jackson was cool and collected and demonstrated good touch on his passes, none better than a 20-yard touchdown throw to Mark Andrews that led him perfectly toward the end zone after two Dolphins defenders had run into each other in the middle of the field.
Jackson scuffled early, and the Ravens went three-and-out in part because of his low throw to Rashod Bateman on third down. But he got in rhythm as the game went on, and in the second half, Jackson went 10-for-11 for 115 yards and two touchdowns.
One of those 10 completions was a beautiful 39-yard throw to Zay Flowers (five catches, 64 yards) that set up Jackson’s fourth touchdown pass of the day, to Rashod Bateman.
Jackson didn’t show his patented running ability, and maybe that remained measured because of his hamstring, injury, but he did reel off a big 13-yard run on third down on the Ravens opening series of the second half. That moved the chains and ultimately led to his 3-yard touchdown pass to Charlie Kolar.
Jackson finished with just five carries for 14 yards. But with Jackson back in command, the offense looked crisper, more fluid and more potent. There’s a reason he’s been named the league’s Most Valuable Player twice, and why the Ravens feel like they are back in business.
2. The trade deadline is Tuesday, and Eric DeCosta now knows that he can be a buyer.
General manager Eric DeCosta found himself in a precarious spot a week ago. Had the Ravens slipped to 1-6 or 2-6 and fallen further from playoff consideration, it would have made little sense to trade future draft capital for any near-term improvement at the NFL trade deadline Nov. 4.
But two wins in five days, and a feeling that the Ravens have already weathered the worst of what this season will offer — they don’t expect to start five rookies on defense again, as they did in Week 5 because of a rash of injuries — has to change DeCosta’s frame of mind.
The Ravens and DeCosta can once again view themselves as playoff contenders, and DeCosta should act accordingly to shore up areas of the team that need it. That will also require DeCosta to acknowledge — even if only to himself — that he miscalculated in certain respects in building this roster over the summer.
This team can’t generate enough pressure on the quarterback with their current defensive front, and it’s probably time for DeCosta to admit that David Ojabo won’t ever be that guy they hoped he would be. Yes, it’s curious that the Ravens might have to trade for an edge rusher considering they recently traded one away in Odafe Oweh, but the addition of safety Alohi Gilman, acquired in the Oweh trade, has made the back end of the defense better and has made Kyle Hamilton more of a defensive force.
DeCosta might also look to acquire an interior defensive lineman to replace the injured Nnamdi Madubuike, or a proven offensive guard, which would require him to acknowledge that, despite all their public proclamations, Daniel Faalele might not be the answer for a team with Super Bowl aspirations.
The worst thing DeCosta could do is stand pat and essentially say that all the team needs is already in the building. That would be both stubborn and misguided.
Next spring, this team is set to lose a host of free agents. Lamar Jackson’s salary cap hit nearly doubles. The roster faces major upheaval and challenges. This season was always viewed as a prime Super Bowl window for this team. Now that the Ravens have regained their footing, DeCosta, can be, and should be, a significant buyer by Tuesday.
3. Zach Orr’s maligned defense is trending in the right direction again.
With the Dolphins leading 3-0, they took over deep in their own territory after another strong punt from Jordan Stout. Two plays later, safety Alohi Gilman ripped the ball out of the arms of wide receiver Tahj Washington and recovered the fumble, setting up the first Ravens touchdown.
That marked the second time in two weeks that the Ravens’ defense produced a takeaway inside the opponent’s 20-yard line.
Later, linebacker Teddye Buchanan forced and recovered a fumble to snuff a Dolphins drive, and in the game’s closing minutes, rookie safety Malaki Starks recorded his first career interception.
Defensive coordinator Zach Orr has been pilloried at times this year for a defense that ranked among the worst in the league in multiple categories. That was also the case early last season in Orr’s first season as the defensive coordinator, and then the unit made some personnel changes and became one of the best in the league over the second half of the season.
Time will tell whether the Ravens’ defense can make that kind of improvement again, but it is certainly trending in the right direction, albeit against weaker competition than they faced in the season’s opening month.
Adding Gilman in a trade helped. He had a big takeaway in this game, but he has also solidified the back end and allowed Orr and the Ravens to use Kyle Hamilton closer to the line of scrimmage.
In three straight games now, the Ravens have held their opponent to under 20 points, and the Dolphins never scored in the second half.
Orr had a big smile on the sideline as the game ended, and with good reason.
4. Isaiah Likely has rejoined the chat.
It’s been something of a lost year for tight end Isaiah Likely, who was expected to have a major role in the offense before a foot injury in late July sidelined him for the first month of the season.
Likely entered this game with just five catches for 26 yards all season, not exactly the kind of numbers you want to be putting up in a contract year. He had little role in the offense, and at times his frustration was evident in his body language.
But Jackson and Likely finally reconnected in this game, and he showed why he remains a dangerous weapon in this passing game. On the final play of the first quarter, Lamar Jackson wiggled out of trouble on third down and found Likely all alone down the right sideline for a gain of 35 yards — topping on one play his yardage in his previous four games combined.
That play led to Jackson’s 20-yard touchdown pass to Mark Andrews two plays later.
Likely also caught a pair of passes in the third quarter and finished with three catches for 60 yards. Those are modest totals, but it’s a big step forward for a player who could have a big role over the second half of the season.
At the very least, an emerging, rejuvenated Likely gives defensive coordinators one more problem to worry about.
5. The AFC North title chase is back on.
The past five days couldn’t have broken any better for the Ravens. They have now put together two straight wins and seen everyone else in the AFC North lose. If the Pittsburgh Steelers (4-3) lose to Indianapolis (7-1) this coming weekend, the Ravens (3-5) will suddenly be just one game out of first place in the division, with five divisional games to play and both the schedule and health trending in the right direction.
The Cincinnati Bengals (3-5) without Joe Burrow — and this week possibly without Joe Flacco — continue to struggle, and the Cleveland Browns (2-6) are already in the “play spoiler” mode — which they will probably do at some point.
After enjoying a mini bye this weekend, the Ravens visit Minnesota (3-4) next weekend and don’t face a team that had a winning record as of Week 9 until Dec. 7 when they host the Steelers. First place could by on the line at M&T Bank Stadium that day. The teams also meet at Acrisure Stadium on the final weekend of the season. The Ravens hope that by then, their 1-5 start is a distant memory.
Safety Kyle Hamilton said this week that the Ravens have to own their past, but he also said the bye week was an important break, and that the focus going forward is where it needs to be.
“We have to acknowledge where we’re at,” Hamilton said, “but I love the outlook. It puts pressure on us, which I think we will be able to deliver on.”
Photo Credit: Tim Bowen