Ravens' Lamar Jackson Looks Like MVP Self vs. Dolphins

The connection between him and Jackson looked as sharp as ever, a key factor in Baltimore’s offensive rhythm.

“It felt great,” Jackson said after the win. “I didn’t have any problems. I was feeling good out there.”

The Ravens’ defense backed him up in style. After spending the first month of the season near the bottom of the league in points allowed, Baltimore’s defense has now held three straight opponents to 17 points or fewer.

The unit forced three turnovers — two fumbles and an interception — its best performance since last year’s meeting with Miami. The combination of a healthy Jackson and a resurgent defense gives the Ravens new life heading into a favorable stretch of games.

Dolphins Falter as Turnovers, Penalties, and Missed Chances Add Up

Miami’s promising start quickly fell apart under the weight of self-inflicted mistakes. Quarterback Tua Tagovailoa threw for 261 yards on 25-of-40 passing but got little help from his supporting cast.

Rookie receiver Tahj Washington’s early fumble set up Baltimore’s first touchdown, and another turnover by Malik Washington in the fourth quarter ended the Dolphins’ best scoring chance.

Running back De’Von Achane led the ground attack with 67 yards on 14 carries, while Jaylen Waddle added 82 yards on six receptions. Still, the Dolphins couldn’t turn yardage into points.

They outgained the Ravens 226-109 in the first half but went into halftime trailing 14-6 after missing a short field goal and committing a costly false start on fourth-and-one.

“You want to dictate the terms. You want to fix stuff,” said Miami head coach Mike McDaniel. “That sucks. All of that does. But it’s a pretty consistent formula of — fans enjoy winning. Our expectation is that we have to do that work and do the right things for fans to enjoy the experience.”

The Ravens, meanwhile, found balance on offense. Running back Derrick Henry rumbled for 119 yards on 19 carries as Baltimore’s offensive line controlled the second half, helping the team pile up 338 total yards.

“It’s do or die,” Jackson said. “Win or go home. Usually we start off winning games. But right now we’re behind, and we’ve all got to step it up.”

With the win, Baltimore climbed to 3-5 and stayed within reach in the AFC North race. Since 1990, 21 teams have rebounded from that record to make the playoffs — and if Jackson’s first game back is any indication, the Ravens just might be capable of adding their name to that list.