Ravens clinch AFC’s No. 1 seed with 56-19 drubbing of Dolphins

LAMAR JACKSON passed for 321 yards and matched his career high of five touchdown passes and the Baltimore Ravens clinched the No. 1 seed in the American Football Conference (AFC) with a 56-19 dismantling of the visiting Miami Dolphins.

Isaiah Likely caught two touchdowns and Zay Flowers (106 receiving yards), Justice Hill, Patrick Ricard and Charlie Kolar each had one scoring catch for the Ravens (13-3).

Gus Edwards and Melvin Gordon III each rushed for a score for Baltimore, which has won six straight games and 10 of 11.

Roquan Smith and Geno Stone had interceptions for the Ravens, who have won eight games by 14 or more points this season.

Tua Tagovailoa completed 22 of 38 passes for 237 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions for Miami (11-5) but sustained an injury to his left (throwing) shoulder.

He was injured while sliding during a scramble with 7:55 left and missed the rest of the contest.

De’Von Achane rushed 107 yards and caught a touchdown pass for the Dolphins. Cedrick Wilson Jr. also had a touchdown grab and Tyreek Hill had six receptions for 76 yards.

Miami star linebacker Bradley Chubb was carted off with a potentially serious knee injury with 3:05 remaining. The Dolphins played without running back Raheem Mostert (knee, ankle) and wideout Jaylen Waddle (ankle).

Standout safety Kyle Hamilton (knee) sat out for the Ravens.

Mr. Jackson passed for 255 yards and three touchdowns in the first half as the Ravens built a 28-13 advantage.

Miami had struck first on Mr. Tagovailoa’s 8-yard touchdown pass to Wilson four minutes into the contest.

Baltimore answered on Mr. Jackson’s 20-yard scoring toss to Justice Hill with 6:39 left in the opening quarter.

The Dolphins had to settle for Jason Sanders’ 27-yard field goal three minutes later when a wide-open Hill failed to haul in a pass in the end zone.

Baltimore took the lead for good on a 1-yard run by Edwards with 6:56 left in the first half. Mr. Sanders hit a 38-yard field goal to bring Miami within 14-13 with 3:10 left in the half.

The Ravens scored on the next offensive play as Flowers went in motion to the right and wasn’t covered. He caught the ball around the Miami 35-yard line and broke two tackles while completing a 75-yard touchdown play. Later in the half, Likely made a one-handed grab of a fourth-down Mr. Jackson pass and turned it into a 35-yard touchdown with 1:24 left for the 15-point halftime advantage.

Early in the third quarter, Likely caught a 7-yard scoring pass to boost the Ravens’ lead to 35-13 with 13:29 left in the period. Miami moved within 16 on Tagovailoa’s 1-yard scoring pass to Achane with 13:57 left in the game.

Mr. Jackson threw TD pass No. 5 with 9:38 remaining in the game, hitting Ricard on a 3-yarder, to make it 42-19 and Baltimore finished off the rout. — Field Level Media