The Baltimore Ravens showed up in full force in their 28-6 victory over the Miami Dolphins, and there are key takeaways that matter for both teams’ trajectories moving forward.

Lamar Jackson shook off the rust in his return after missing the past three games. He made a triumphant comeback and steered the Ravens to an important win. Early on he seemed tentative, but once the second half began he found his rhythm. In the third quarter, he scrambled effectively, completing 9 of 10 passes for 95 yards and two touchdowns. With the win, Baltimore improves to 3-5, and their November schedule looks much friendlier before the Week 14 showdown with the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Miami’s self-inflicted mistakes cost them early and dearly. The Dolphins won the opening coin toss and looked set to build momentum, but a series of errors undermined their efforts. A fumble inside their own 20 and a false start on a key fourth-and-1 from Baltimore’s 12 derailed promising drives. A missed 35-yard field-goal attempt added to their woes. Though Miami out-gained Baltimore by better than two-to-one in the first half, those mistakes loomed large. A fourth-quarter fumble capped off a rough night. At 2-7, the franchise faces mounting questions about its direction.

The Ravens’ tight ends got back on track with Jackson back under center. His return brought renewed life to Baltimore’s tight-end play. Mark Andrews caught both of Jackson’s first-half touchdown passes, something that didn’t happen during Jackson’s absence. Isaiah Likely added three receptions for 60 yards, including a 35-yard gain, while Charlie Kolar caught a touchdown on the opening drive of the third quarter. The tight-end position is a signature part of Baltimore’s offense when Jackson is healthy, and on this night, the unit stood tall.

Mike McDaniel’s seat continues to warm as Miami’s struggles persist. Coming off a strong showing in Atlanta just days earlier, expectations were high, but the offense faltered under its own mistakes. Fumbles, penalties, false starts, and miscommunications piled up. While quarterback Tua Tagovailoa wasn’t entirely to blame, the overall breakdown reflects poorly on head coach McDaniel. Miami still has marquee games ahead, including one against the Buffalo Bills and another in Madrid, but after this 2-7 start, the future of the franchise appears uncertain.

The Ravens’ run game started slowly, but Derrick Henry eventually broke the century mark. Baltimore went three-and-out four times on their first six drives and managed only 13 rushing yards on 10 attempts in the first half. The offensive line, especially veteran blocker Patrick Ricard, struggled early. But once halftime arrived, everything changed. Henry finished with 119 rushing yards, with key runs of 35, 19, and 13 yards that sealed the game. With a lead in hand, Baltimore leaned on the ground attack and let their defense close it out, a formula they’ll aim to repeat moving forward.

The Ravens’ win was more than just a number in the standings; it signaled a rejuvenation of their identity Jackson back at full strength, tight ends heavily involved, Henry dominating the ground game, and the defense locking things down. For Miami, the loss highlighted deeper issues of discipline and direction that must be addressed before the season slips further away.