Lamar Jackson continued his mastery on "Monday Night Football" and may have thrust himself into the lead for MVP consideration after throwing five touchdowns in a blowout victory by the Baltimore Ravens over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Jackson put on a masterclass performance, completing 17 of 22 passes for 281 yards and five touchdowns -- finishing with a 158.1 passer rating. Jackson, who has three games with a perfect passer rating of 158.3, was just 0.2 off from setting the NFL record.
The Ravens put up more than 500 yards of total offense and scored 34 straight points after trailing 10-0 to start the game. Jackson did most of the heavy lifting by averaging 12.8 yards per attempt, but Derrick Henry also made sure the Buccaneers never got back in the game. Henry had an 81-yard run in the second half and finished with 15 carries for 169 yards (11.3 yards per carry), along with one catch for 13 yards and a receiving TD.
Baltimore scored on six straight possessions and seven of eight possessions after trailing by 10 in the first quarter. Mike Evans caught his 100th touchdown pass in the first quarter to give the Bucs the early lead. Evans is just the 11th player to have 100 touchdown catches in a career and the fifth with one team. He left with a hamstring injury in the second quarter (and was ruled out of the game). Chris Godwin was then taken off on a cart in the final minute.
Rashod Bateman caught a 59-yard pass in the second quarter and a 49-yard touchdown as part of the Ravens' explosive plays in the game. The Ravens averaged 10.0 yards per play in the victory.
Baltimore retakes first place in the AFC North over Pittsburgh while Tampa Bay gives up first place in the NFC South to Atlanta. Check out our takeaways from the game below:
Lamar Jackson was near perfect in this one, going 17 of 22 for 281 yards and five touchdowns in the rout. Jackson had his fourth career game with five passing touchdowns and five-or-fewer incompletions -- the most in NFL history. This is his third career game with five-plus pass touchdowns and 50-plus rushing yards. The Ravens scored on six straight possessions, four of which were touchdowns, to take over the game.
Jackson was 15 of 20 for 256 yards for five touchdowns over the final three quarters. For his career, he has 20 touchdowns to zero interceptions on "Monday Night Football."
The Ravens torched the Buccaneers pass defense from the second quarter on, as Tampa Bay gave up 486 yards and more than 10 yards per play. The Bucs had no answer for the deep ball to Rashod Bateman, who had a 59-yard catch that set up a touchdown and a 49-yard score of his own.
Tampa Bay gave up 244 yards on the ground, 230 of which came after the first quarter. Derrick Henry wore down a defense that gave up points on six straight possessions and did nothing to stop Jackson and his quick passes. The Ravens only had the ball for 24:55, but the Buccaneers couldn't keep up in the track meet.
The Buccaneers were driving with a 10-7 lead over the Ravens midway through the second quarter when Marlon Humphrey picked off Baker Mayfield in the back corner of the end zone. Tampa Bay had second-and-goal at the Ravens 3-yard line when Mayfield tried to thread the needle to Jalen McMillan.
There was Humphrey to pick off Mayfield and prevent any points for the Buccaneers. That gave the Ravens even more momentum as they scored a touchdown four plays later. Jackson found Bateman for 59 yards, and Justice Hill capped the drive with an 18-yard receiving touchdown to give the Ravens the lead for good.
That turnover in the end zone significantly hurt the Buccaneers. Humphrey picked off Mayfield on the ensuing possession as well, giving him two in the second quarter off Mayfield.
Derrick Henry's 81-yard run is the winner this week. The Ravens started the possession at their 8-yard line, giving the ball to Henry on the first play from scrimmage. With 4:58 to play in the third and the Ravens up 27-10, Henry took the carry 81 yards all the way to the Buccaneers 11-yard line -- the fifth run of 80-plus yards in his career.
Henry only had 7 carries for 37 yards prior to the 81-yard run. He finished with 169 on the ground, 146 of which came in the second half.
The Ravens (5-2) travel to Cleveland to face the Browns in Week 8 while the Buccaneers (4-3) host the Falcons on Sunday.
Chris Godwin got taken off on a cart. He was playing late in the blowout loss. Looked as if his lower leg went out. He might be out a long while.
So the Buccaneers will have lost Evans and Godwin to injuries tonight.
The Buccaneers have 31 points, but this game hasn't really been close. The Ravens were up 41-18 and the Buccaneers are filling up the stat sheet in garbage time. Tampa Bay will fall to 4-3 and Baltimore goes to 5-2.
It's 41-18 Ravens.
Jackson is 17 of 22 for 281 yards with 5 TD and 0 INT -- 158.1 rating.
Derrick Henry gets 39 more yards. 13 carries for 164 now.
The Bucs end the Ravens scoring barrage. The Ravens scored 34 unanswered, but Baker Mayfield Rachaad Whute for the 11-yard TD. Two point conversion good to cut the score to 34-18 with 11:24 left.
Lamar Jackson throws his 4th TD pass. His second to Andrews. he's 15 of 20 for 260 yards -- 156.2 rating. It's 34-10. This one is over folks.
81-yard run by Derrick Henry and he has 8 carries for 118 yards. Henry is a freak -- and the rushing leader for a reason.
The Buccaners have not scored a point on 5 straight possessions. Odafe Oweh sacks Lamar Jackson on 3rd-and-12 and Tampa will have to punt again. This game is going from bad to worse for the Bucs.
Jackson finds Bateman wide open down the right sideline for a 49-yard touchdown to put the Ravens up 27-10. This was on a 2nd-and-17. Bateman has 3 catches for 113 yards and a TD. Remember, Jackson hit him on a 59-yard throw earlier.
Jackson is 14 of 18 for 256 yards with 3 TD -- 158.3 rating.
Chase McLaughlin misses a 55-yard FG. Hit the right goalpost and bounced in front of the crossbar. Bucs down 20-10. McLaughlin made 30 straight before that miss.
Marlon Humphrey has been ruled OUT with a knee injury.
53-yard FG by Justin Tucker extends the Ravens lead to 20-10. The Ravens have scored 20 unanswered points since trailing 10-0. Lamar Jackson 13 of 16 for 207 yards with 2 TD and a 158.3 passer rating.
Let's see if the Ravens can punch it in. They have scored 19 TD on their last 21 red zone attempts.
Evans will not return to this game.
Lamar Jackson got the Bucs to fake on the quick screen to Hill, who takes it in for the 18-yard TD pass from Jackson. Lamar gets rid of the ball so quick. He's 6 of 7 for 121 yards and 2 TD. Ravens take a 14-10 lead after being down 10-0.
The 59-yard bomb to Rashad Bateman set up the TD.
Mayfield tried to force one into the back right corner of the end zone. Was looking for Jalen McMillan, but an eays read for Humphrey. Huge turnover by the Ravens.
Still 10-7 Bucs.
Evans had a hamstring injury all week, then appeared to tweak it on his TD catch. Seemed okay, but something happened when he was trying to haul in his 2nd TD catch. Big blow for the Bucs.
Mike Evans may have suffered a hamstring injury on that play. Mayfield went deep to Evans, who didn't come up with the catch -- but the after effects are much worse. He'll head to the locker room after almost hauling in his 2nd TD catch of the night.
That was quick for the Ravens. Jackson finds Andrew for the TD on a drive that took just 6 plays for 70 yards -- and took 2:33 off the clock. Jackson was 2 of 2 on that drive.
Andrew gets his 42nd career receiving TD, breaking Todd Heap's mark for most in Ravens history.
End of first quarter and Bucs lead 10-0. Mayfield is 8 of 9 for 101 yards and a TD. Lamar is 2 of 2 for 25 yards but has been sacked twice.
Tampa Bay opts not to go for it as Chase McLaughlin hits a 23-yard FG. Conservative from Bowles, but makes sense as Bucs take a 10-0 lead. 29 straight FG made from McLaughlin.
Wirfs still upset over holding penalty.
That Baker Mayfield TD to Chris Godwin was taken away by a Tristan Wirfs holding penalty. It was close, but that's a hold. Bucs have a 3rd-and-goal from the 19.
Baker Mayfield has started this game 5 for 5 for 72 yards and a TD -- 158.3 rating.
Yaya Diaby is becoming a star before our very eyes. He sacks Lamar Jackson, then Antoine Winfield Jr. gets him on a 3rd-and-19. Safety blitz worked as Winfield came up the B-gap. Jackson thrown down for huge losses as Ravens forced to punt.
Diaby's sack was very impressive as he easily beat Roger Rosengarten. to get to Jackson. Expect the Todd Bowles pressure all night.
Give credit to the Buccaneers there. Tested the Ravens No. 32 pass defense early. Baker Mayfield was 2 of 2 for 43 yards and a TD on that drive.
