Lamar Jackson led the Baltimore Ravens to a 28-6 win over the Miami Dolphins on Thursday. He returned from a right hamstring injury, celebrating with four touchdown passes.
Jackson missed the last three games after getting hurt in Week 4 against the Kansas City Chiefs, marking his first major time off this season. His strong comeback saw him complete 18 of 23 passes for 204 yards with no interceptions, finishing with a passer rating of 143.2.
Before Jackson's return, the Ravens struggled, averaging only 14.3 points per game. With Jackson, they average 31.8 points. His presence elevated the team, which had lost four of its last five games. Now, with a 3-5 record, Baltimore is catching up to the Pittsburgh Steelers in the AFC North.
Jackson and Mark Andrews connected for two touchdowns. Andrews, his main target, scored from 2 and 20 yards. Jackson also found Charlie Kolar and Rashod Bateman for touchdowns. Kolar mentioned that Jackson’s return "brings a whole new level of confidence in the team."
Lamar Jackson admitted feeling "a little bit" rusty initially but was glad to be back. "You don’t want to rush, you know, a hamstring injury back and make it worse," shared Jackson during a postgame interview. "Extremely excited. Uh can't wait to touch the grass with my guys, man. Been a while."
This win was notable as it marked Jackson's third game with four or more touchdown passes against the Dolphins. His past games against Miami include a six-touchdown opener in 2019 and another four-touchdown game in 2021. Running back Derrick Henry noted that playing in South Florida seemed to give Jackson "a little more juice."
Coach Harbaugh praised Jackson, saying, "I'm proud of the way he came out and played," showing support for the quarterback's resilience. Mark Andrews, with past MVP awards, said, "He's a two-time MVP for a reason. With [No.] 8 leading the charge, we're a dangerous team."
Jackson's knack for performing in pressure situations was evident, as he completed five of seven passes, racking up three touchdown passes while under pressure, according to research.
Despite limited practice time, Jackson played at a high level. The Ravens' medical team took careful steps to manage his return given the unpredictable nature of hamstrings, causing him to miss time before.
The Ravens have managed two wins in five days. Next, they face teams with a combined 9-22 record, offering a chance to build on this momentum, pushing for playoff contention with Lamar leading the charge.
