Jackson throws four TDs in Miami as Ravens surge back into race

Thirty-two days connected the sideline did not dull Lamar Jackson. Back from a close hamstring injury, helium carved up the Dolphins with 4 touchdown passes successful a 28–6 triumph that pulled Baltimore to 3–5 and wrong striking region of the AFC North lead. He completed 18 of 23 for 204 yards, moving with capable easiness successful the pouch to debar unit and deed large throws erstwhile it mattered. “He’s a two-time MVP for a reason,” choky extremity Mark Andrews said. “With [No.] 8 starring the charge, we’re a unsafe team.”

Jackson admitted the opening bid felt “a small bit” rusty. The feeling vanished fast. He recovered Andrews for scores from 2 and 20 yards, past added strikes to Charlie Kolar and Rashod Bateman. He did not thin connected designed runs—outside of a 13-yard third-quarter scramble—but his footwork kept plays alive. Under duress, helium went 5-for-7 for 71 yards and 3 touchdowns, the astir TD passes nether unit by immoderate backmost this season, per ESPN Research.

A hometown spark and a way forward

The nighttime doubled arsenic a homecoming for the South Florida native, who has present thrown 4 oregon much TDs successful a crippled 13 times—three against Miami. “I conscionable wanted to get retired determination with my guys … it was conscionable large to beryllium backmost and get a W,” helium said. Derrick Henry noted the mounting helped: the instrumentality successful beforehand of friends and household provided “a small much juice.”

The assistance is tangible. Baltimore averaged 14.3 points during Jackson’s three-game absence; with him this season, that fig jumps to 31.8. Coach John Harbaugh called it “a agelong journey” and praised however his backmost responded connected a abbreviated week aft lone 1 afloat signifier with the starters. The docket offers a runway: the adjacent 4 opponents—the Vikings, Browns, Jets, and Bengals—are a combined 9–22. If the defence holds and Jackson stays upright, the playoff representation looks acold little distant than it did astatine 1–5. “Having your MVP back,” Kolar said, “just brings a full caller level of confidence.”