Ravens dominate Dolphins in Lamar Jackson's return
by Alex Butler · UPIMIAMI GARDENS, Fla., Oct. 31 (UPI) -- Lamar Jackson injected fluidity into the Baltimore Ravens offense, throwing four touchdown tosses in his first game in over a month to engineer a 28-6 Thursday thrashing of the Miami Dolphins.
"I just wanted to put points on the board," Jackson said at his postgame news conference in Miami Gardens, Fla. "I didn't want to start off too slow."
The Ravens' star quarterback completed 18 of 23 passes for 204 yards in his first game since Sept. 28, a hiatus caused by a hamstring injury. Running back Derrick Henry logged 119 yards on the ground in the lopsided victory.
Penalties and turnovers doomed the Dolphins, who out-gained the Ravens for the majority of the night, but never found the end zone. They also converted just twice on a dozen third-down attempts and totaled three turnovers.
Kicker Riley Patterson was responsible for the Dolphins' only points -- with two first-half field goals. He also missed a first-quarter attempt.
The Ravens took their first lead of the night four snaps after recovering a Dolphins first-quarter fumble and never looked back. Jackson threw 2- and 20-yard touchdown passes to tight end Mark Andrews in the first half to help the Ravens earn a 14-6 lead at the break.
The Dolphins gained more than twice as many yards (225 to 109) as the Ravens and held an edge in time of possession of more than seven minutes in the first half, but were doomed by early unforced errors, including untimely penalties, Patterson's missed field goal and a fumble.
The Ravens effectively put the game away with a nearly seven-minute drive to start the second half. Jackson capped that possession with his third touchdown toss of the night, finding tight end Charlie Kolar on a 3-yard connection.
He threw a 9-yard pass to wide receiver Rashod Bateman about four minutes later for the final score of the night.
Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa completed 25 of 40 passes for 261 yards and an interception. Running back De'Von Achane logged 106 yards from scrimmage in the loss.
"This isn't a game where we are discouraged," Tagovailoa said. "It's one of those games where you wish you could've done more or whatever you could to help the guys go out there and executive the way we want to execute offensively."
Malaki Starks intercepted Tagovailoa midway through the fourth quarter. Fellow Ravens safety Alohi Gilman and cornerback Marlon Humphrey each logged forced fumbles and fumble recoveries.
The Dolphins (2-7) will host the Buffalo Bills (5-2) in Week 10. The Ravens (3-5) will take on the Minnesota Vikings (3-4).