The Baltimore Ravens successfully closed out the 2022 preseason, racking up three straight wins against the Tennesse Titans, Arizona Cardinals and Washington Commanders. A lot of questions surrounding the team’s centerpiece Lamar Jackson have come to the surface; none more pressing than their star quarterback turning down contract extension offers. While many expect him to extend eventually, this precedent puts immense pressure on the team to make a run for the Super Bowl.
That pressure didn’t pose as a factor when Baltimore blew out the New York Jets on the road 24-9 in Week 1 to open up their season. After an early opening field goal, Devin Duvernay combined with Lamar Jackson for a 25-yard touchdown to open up the scoring for Baltimore with 3:45 left in Quarter 2. With 7:14 remaining in Quarter 3, Duvernay again scored, but this time it was a 17-yard reception. Five minutes later, Rashod Bateman fueled the Raven fire with a 55-yard touchdown pass from Jackson. Keynan Drake was able to pull in Baltimore’s first interception which led to 12 yards shortly thereafter. That would prove to be the final great play.
The Jets scored their few points from just a field goal in Quarter 2 and a single touchdown in Quarter 4. The Ravens dominated via a balanced attack throughout and were confident going into their matchup with the subpar Miami Dolphins.
Week 2 against the Miami Dolphins started great but then went downhill quickly. Devin Duvernay lit up Baltimore’s home crowd with style as he completed a 103-yard coast-to-coast kick return touchdown, giving the Ravens an early 7-0 lead 13 seconds in. With 10:44 remaining in Quarter 2, Lamar Jackson connected with Rashod Bateman for a 75-yard touchdown pass. It seems Miami wasn’t prepared to stop two 70+ yard touchdown plays in a row. Mark Andrews also contributed with a one-yard touchdown late in Quarter 2. Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa then threw a pick with under two minutes, which led to 7 more points via a 12-yard reception by Demarcus Robinson. With 26 seconds left in Quarter 3, Lamar Jackson sprinted in for a 79-yard touchdown, adding his name to the list of scorers. But suddenly, the Dolphins made a huge comeback in the second half and were able to tie the game up unexpectedly.
By halftime, the Dolphins were down three scores. But a Miami spark led by Tagovailoa himself was something of a masterpiece.
5 touchdowns in the second half alone were the killing blows the Dolphins needed to stem the tide and win them this surprising victory on the road.
Justin Tucker’s 51-yard field goal stopped the bleeding just seconds before the two-minute warning of Quarter 4. The Dolphins still sealed their come-from-behind win by scoring within the last minute of regulation. Miami’s Waddle secured Tua’s pass for 7 yards and the leading touchdown. The final score was an improbable 42-38 Dolphin victory.
Fans seem to have a mixed reaction. After seeing the dismantling of the Jets led by former Raven quarterback Joe Flacco, feelings were good. However, it was never expected that the Dolphins would be 2-0, so snagging former Patrick Mahomes running mate Tyrek Hill at wide receiver seems to be paying off. Lamar Jackson is starting the season off well despite not having the security on his contract many assumed he would have at this point. While it is still early in the process, the Ravens have some key injuries to take care of, including stars such as JK Dobbins, Gus Edwards, and Ronnie Stanley, among others.
As for their meltdown against the Dolphins, stunted emotions ran high in the locker room afterward. Especially with 98.7% of the favor on their side, they still couldn’t pull off the win. “We can’t dwell on that, it’s still early in the season,” Lamar Jackson said to the media.“We’ve got to focus…we aren’t going to let this loss define us.”
But to end on a good note, Jackson did complete his 11th career 100-yard rushing game, finishing with 119 against Miami. As good of a runner as he is, it is predicted that he should trust his receiving core a little more and allow the game to come to him in a flow. On the other hand, he may need to “run” the Ravens to victories. Baltimore fans shouldn’t be panicking at this just yet. With 15 games remaining in 2022, who’s to say the turnaround isn’t coming?
Article written by Owen Lomotan of Thomas S. Wootton High School
Graphic courtesy of Emily Bupp of Thomas S. Wootton High School