Wow.
The Ravens were favored by a touchdown. The over/under for the game was 40 points.
The Ravens were up by 14 just six minutes into the contest. They never looked back.
The Ravens reached the over for the entire game by themselves with 32 minutes left — that’s still the second quarter.
The Ravens scored the most points by an NFL team since 2012.
The burning question must be asked: are the Ravens that good or are the Dolphins that bad?
In truth, it is a combination of both. The Ravens had a lethal passing attack against a good Miami secondary.
By the same token, the Dolphins had a minimal pass rush for the entire game, gifting Lamar Jackson with centuries to throw the football.
Winning a game by 49 required one team to be excellent and one team to quit at halftime. The Ravens fired on all cylinders for 60 minutes. The Dolphins appeared as if they were putting square pegs in round holes from the first snap of the game. For Baltimore, it was a masterclass on how to dominate a game in all three phases. For Miami, it was a masterclass on how to effectively be garbage.
The Ravens played a nearly perfect game. They averaged 8.8 yards per play, doubled Miami’s time of possession, and had only four flags in the game. They executed at a high level on third downs (63%).
In the passing game, Jackson completed 17 of 20 passes (85%) for 324 yards and five touchdowns, good enough for a perfect passer rating. In relief of Jackson, Robert Griffin came in and completed all six of his passes for 55 yards and a touchdown.
The wealth was spread around as eight different Ravens caught passes and five different Ravens caught touchdowns. The star of the show was Marquise “Hollywood” Brown, who scored on his first two touches, compiling a stunning 130 yards on just two catches before wrapping up with a line of four catches, 147 yards, and a pair of touchdowns. Mark Andrews caught all eight of his targets, going for 108 yards and a score. Willie Snead, Miles Boykin, and Patrick Ricard also caught touchdowns in the blowout.
In the rushing game, Mark Ingram exploded for 107 yards on 14 carries, including a 49-yard run on the first play of the Ravens’ season. Ingram powered in a pair of touchdowns on the day. Gus Edwards led the team in carries, posting 17, but he only ran for 56 yards. The longest run of the day went to Anthony Levine (yes, the defensive player) who blasted by the Miami punt coverage for a 60-yard run. Rounding out the runners, rookie Justice Hill had 27 yards on seven carries while Griffin had nine on four carries and Jackson had six on three carries.
For those counting at home, Lamar Jackson had one more rushing yard than he had passing touchdowns.
Defensively speaking, the Ravens forced three sacks and a pair of interceptions. Earl Thomas got his first interception with the Ravens, and Pernell McPhee announced his return to Baltimore with a sack.
As a unit, the Dolphins struggled on offense. Ryan Fitzpatrick and Josh Rosen combined to go 15-for-32, passing for 190 yards, a touchdown, and two interceptions. The Dolphins registered 12 total runs, gaining 21 yards. The MVP of the Dolphins’ offense was Kalen Ballage, who turned five carries into -1 yard on the ground. In the passing game, DeVante Parker had 75 yards spread across three catches, and Preston Williams scored in his debut.
Looking forward for the Ravens, they must be optimistic in what they saw out of Lamar Jackson. He was poised as a passer, and he was able to make accurate throws to all levels of the field. Jackson’s deep ball was on full display as he found both Willie Snead and Marquise Brown on balls over the top. In total, Jackson looked like the best player on the field, and he looked like an MVP candidate. Yes, it is only Miami, but Jackson showed all the intangibles which could lead to future success this season. He is trending up.
