Ravens Blow Out Dolphins to Lock Up Top Seed in AFC
In a matchup between the top two seeds in the AFC entering Week 17, the Baltimore Ravens put on a curb-stomping performance against the Miami Dolphins to clinch the AFC North division title and home-field advantage throughout the playoffs following their 56-19 victory. In the win, Ravens’ quarterback Lamar Jackson had himself a day, in which he threw for five touchdowns for the second time in his career, previously in his MVP 2019 season against the Rams. As well, Jackson put the exclamation point on his case for winning the MVP award for the 2023-24 season. Let’s take a look at how the Ravens were able to assert their dominance in today’s victory over Miami.
The game would get off to a fast start with both squad’s offenses putting up touchdown drives on their first possessions of the game respectfully. The Dolphins would get on the board to take a 7-0 lead following a Tua Tagovailoa eight-yard pass to wide receiver Cedrick Wilson Jr. The Ravens would respond quickly to tie the game up at 7-7 following a Jackson 20-yard-deep pass to running back Justice Hill. The Dolphins would respond with a chip shot 27-yard field goal to take a 10-7 lead after wide receiver Tyreek Hill dropped a pass in the endzone on third down.
The next scoring drive would occur by the Ravens in the second quarter to start a streak of three touchdown drives by Baltimore to open things up. The first drive would be finished with a one-yard touchdown run by running back Gus Edwards to retake a 14-10 lead. Miami would cut Baltimore’s lead to 14-13 on their next drive following a 38-yard field goal by kicker Jason Sanders. The Ravens would score their second consecutive touchdown on the first play from scrimmage following Miami’s field goal on a Jackson 75-yard deep shot pass to wide receiver Zay Flowers to extend their lead to 21-13, with three minutes left in the half. The Ravens would further their lead to 27-13 heading into halftime on a 35-yard touchdown reception by tight end Isaiah Likely, which was set up after linebacker Roquan Smith intercepted Tagovailoa on Miami’s previous drive.
The Ravens would get the ball coming out of halftime and would be quick to extend their lead to 35-13 following a 78-yard kickoff return by Hill, which concluded in a seven-yard touchdown pass to Likely, a minute into the second half. The Dolphins' last sign of life would come at the beginning of the fourth quarter as they would score a touchdown to cut their deficit to 35-19 following a Tagovailoa one-yard pass to running back De’Von Achane. Jackson and the Ravens would squash any hope of a Miami comeback on their next offensive drive, which ended in a four-yard touchdown pass to fullback Pat Ricard to extend their lead to 42-19, with nine minutes remaining. The Ravens would conclude the rest of the fourth quarter by tacking on two more touchdowns to flex their muscles in the dominating victory over the Dolphins.
In the victory, Jackson would be the player of the game after going 18 for 21, with 321 passing yards, five touchdowns, and a perfect passer rating of 158.3 in the game. The Ravens would get major production from wideout Zay Flowers, who was questionable coming into the game with a calf injury. Flowers would finish the game with three catches for 106 yards and a touchdown catch. For the Dolphins, Tagovailoa would have a lackluster performance finishing the game going 22 for 38, with 237 passing yards, two touchdowns, and two interceptions. The Ravens’ defense would limit speedster Tyreek Hill’s production, who finished the game with six catches for 76 yards but no touchdown receptions. The victory for Baltimore gives head coach John Harbaugh the chance to give some of his key playmakers much-needed rest in the regular season finale against their rival Pittsburgh Steelers at home next week. The Dolphins will have to move past this loss quickly as the AFC East division crown will be on the line next week against the Buffalo Bills.
