4 Takeaways From the Ravens' Win Over the Dolphins

MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. – The Ravens are back, but the Dolphins are firmly not.

Baltimore's win over the Dolphins on Thursday night, with a healthy return by quarterback Lamar Jackson, is the first step toward a huge potential turnaround. Jackson threw four touchdowns, while running back Derrick Henry ran for 97 yards in a comprehensive win.

Here are my takeaways:

That’s what the 2025 Ravens are trying to do.

Baltimore, now 3-5, has four losses to teams in the top 10 of our NFL Power Rankings (Lions, Rams, Bills and Chiefs), and in their remaining nine games, they only face one such opponent. The Ravens would have to go at least 6-3 if not 7-2 the rest of the way to make the playoffs, but they’ll be healthier than the one that struggled mightily out of the gates.

Jackson, back after missing three games with a hamstring injury, threw three touchdown passes to tight ends on Thursday – two early to Mark Andrews and another to Charlie Kolar in the third quarter. He added a fourth to wide receiver Rashod Bateman. Even the Ravens defense, which came into the night ranked 30th in points allowed, came up with a big takeaway early to set up a seven-yard touchdown drive.

Opening the year 1-5 and making the playoffs is not unprecedented – Washington did it in 2020, winning a bad division at 7-9, and the 2018 Colts finished 10-6 and won a playoff game. The 2015 Chiefs won their final 10 games and even won a playoff game, and the only other team to pull it off in the Super Bowl era is the 1970 Bengals, who finished 8-6 after a 1-5 start.

Could last week’s unexpected 34-10 rout of the Falcons be a surprise spark for the Dolphins? There was no sign of it on Thursday. 

Miami moved the ball with ease between the 20s in the first half against