The fight for the AFC's top seed between the Miami Dolphins and Baltimore Ravens was neck and neck for about 27 of the game's first 30 minutes. Then, a Lamar Jackson-led avalanche happened, and the Ravens cruised to a 56-19 victory to ensure the AFC's road to Super LVIII in Las Vegas will run through Baltimore. They will be the only team in the conference with a first-round bye.
The last time the Ravens had the one seed in 2019, Jackson was the NFL's unanimous MVP. He entered Sunday as the betting favorite for the award this season, and he only added momentum to his case for another. He threw for 321 yards and a career-high five touchdowns for a perfect 158.3 passer rating, the third such game of his career. The first was also against the Dolphins back in Week 1 of his 2019 MVP run when he also tossed five touchdowns. Sunday is Jackson's fourth career game with five or more passing touchdowns before turning 27, tied with Hall of Famer Dan Marino with the second-most all time. Only Patrick Mahomes has more such games (six) than Jackson before age 27.
Should Jackson win his second career MVP, he would be the youngest quarterback to win his second NFL MVP since he turns 27 on the final day of the NFL regular season.
The two teams exchanged touchdowns to start the game with Tua Tagovailoa throwing an 8-yard touchdown and Jackson countering with a 20-yard strike to running back Justice Hill on a wheel route. Fast forward to 3:10 left in the half after a Dolphins field goal, and the Ravens got the football back up 14-13. That's when the game began to get out of hand.
On the first play of the Ravens' drive, Jackson hit rookie receiver Zay Flowers for an easy 75-yard touchdown and a 21-13 lead. Flowers went in motion and turned on the jets to cut deep upfield with a "cheat motion," something Miami runs plenty for Tyreek Hill.
After Baltimore applied pressure with the quick strike, the Dolphins attempted to squeeze one more snap in before the two-minute warning. That backfired as All-Pro Ravens linebacker Roquan Smith darted out of his zone coverage in the middle of the field to intercept Tagovailoa's pass with one hand. Smith put the Ravens at the Miami 38 with 2:01 left in the half.
Jackson dropped back against the Dolphins blitz on fourth and 7 of the ensuing drive and fired to tight end Isaiah Likely, who then sprinted through the remaining members of the secondary down the right sideline for a 35-yard score. The touchdown put Baltimore up 28-13 with 1:24 left in the half and the rout was on.
Tagovailoa, who threw for 237 passing yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions on 22 of 38 passing, left the game late with a left shoulder injury after being hit on a fourth-down scramble that didn't really have a chance. Pro Bowl outside linebacker Bradley Chubb was also carted off with a leg injury in the fourth quarter.
Why the Ravens won
Jackson played like the NFL MVP he is and like the 2023 NFL MVP he is about to be. He became just the fifth player in NFL history to have three career games with a perfect passer rating, minimum 15 pass attempts, joining Hall of Famers Peyton Manning and Kurt Warner and future Hall of Famers Tom Brady and Ben Roethlisberger. Jackson was literally perfect, and that was the difference.
They are now the first team in NFL history to win consecutive regular-season games by double-digits against teams with at least 11 wins.
Why the Dolphins lost
They had no answer for Jackson. While the Ravens ripped off three touchdowns in a row to end the half, Miami countered with a punt, field goal and an interception. The Dolphins simply didn't have answers on either side of the ball on Sunday, and the final score reflected that.
Turning point
Jackson's 35-yard passing touchdown to Likely with 1:24 left in the first half. The Ravens were facing a fourth-and-7, and a stop by the Dolphins would have provided them the chance to make it a one-score game again just before the half. Instead, Baltimore went up 35-13, essentially icing the game by halftime.
Play of the game
Jackson's 75-yard touchdown to Flowers. This play showcased the type of reliable deep juice that Baltimore had been missing for years, and that game-changing vertical speed could make a difference for them this postseason.
What's next
The Ravens will play host to the archrival Pittsburgh Steelers to close out the regular season with nothing to play for while the Dolphins will return home to face the Buffalo Bills in a winner-takes-all battle for the AFC East division title.