MIAMI GARDENS — That phenomenal 34-10 win in Atlanta last week proved to be an anomaly, and the joy that came from it was short-lived for the Miami Dolphins.
All it took was four days for the Dolphins to go right back to being humbled and embarrassed by an opponent.
With quarterback Lamar Jackson throwing four touchdowns and Miami never finding the end zone, the Baltimore Ravens clobbered the Dolphins, 28-6, in a nationally televised Thursday night game at Hard Rock Stadium.
Miami (2-7) looked closer to the team that was crushed, 31-6, in Cleveland on Oct. 19 than the one that rebounded with a convincing win against the Falcons seven days later.
Any hope the Dolphins had of expanding on the effort in Atlanta for a midseason turnaround appears long gone.
Coach Mike McDaniel and general manager Chris Grier’s job security may once again be under a microscope, especially with the mini-bye of a weekend off that follows a Thursday night game. And with the NFL’s trade deadline looming Tuesday, the Dolphins seem assured to be sellers, moving off a piece or two for draft capital as contenders look to poach talent on Miami’s roster.
Baltimore (3-5), meanwhile, looked all the part of the team many pundits believe is primed to make that postseason push after starting 1-5 but now having their leader behind center back.
Jackson, a South Florida native playing his first game since missing three with hamstring injury, had his third different four-touchdown game in his fifth game against his hometown Dolphins.
Jackson was an efficient 18 of 23 for 204 yards, four touchdowns — two of them to tight end Mark Andrews — often using his elusive feet to give himself extra time to find receivers, while only rushing for 14 yards.
Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa was 25 of 40 for 261 yards as Miami’s offense did not score a touchdown. He threw a fourth-quarter interception, and his receivers twice lost fumbles.
Miami wide receiver Jaylen Waddle led the team with 82 receiving yards. Running back De’Von Achane had 67 rushing yards and 39 receiving.
Baltimore running back Derrick Henry went for 119 rushing yards to pace the ground game.
The Dolphins found themselves in an early 14-3 hole as Jackson threw his second touchdown to Andrews. Minkah Fitzpatrick, playing as the nickel, collided with fellow safety Dante Trader to free up Andrews for the 20-yard touchdown.
They then had an opportunity to score before the half, but on fourth-and-2, a throw on a fade route to Achane went well over the target as Achane stopped running his route.
The Ravens kept on charging to start the second half, with Jackson throwing a 3-yard touchdown to third-string tight end Charlie Kolar. Later in the third, he hit Rashod Bateman open over the middle for a 9-yard score that made it 28-6 before a quiet fourth quarter that saw Miami turn it over twice.
The Dolphins gifted the Ravens a touchdown early with the field position from a lost fumble.
Second-year wide receiver Tahj Washington’s first career reception resulted in a fumble forced and recovered by safety Alohi Gilman to give Baltimore the ball on the 7-yard line.
Miami nearly pulled off a goal-line stand after the Ravens had second-and-goal from the 1, but on fourth down from the 2, Jackson threw to Andrews in the back of the end zone for the touchdown.
It made the score, 7-3, after the Dolphins started Sunday with a 49-yard field goal from Riley Patterson but, later in the first quarter, had Patterson miss from 35.
The made field goal came after Miami burned a timeout on third-and-6 to then run a wide rushing play for Achane that only picked up 2 yards. The missed field goal followed a fourth-and-1 where right tackle Larry Borom was called for a false start as the ball was snapped.
Patterson redeemed himself from the earlier miss with a successful try from 43 yards in the second quarter. It was set up by a 35-yard punt return by Malik Washington, who later lost a fumble in the fourth quarter.
Dolphins defensive tackle Benito Jones had a sack on Jackson in the first half Thursday, with Bradley Chubb flushing the elusive quarterback into the big nose tackle. Jaelan Phillips had a second-half sack.
After the mini-bye on the other side of the short week for the Thursday night game, the Dolphins host the Buffalo Bills on Nov. 9.
