Through one quarter on Monday night, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers held firm and opened a 10-0 lead against the Baltimore Ravens.
In the end, as it has all season, Baltimore’s offense proved inevitable. The Ravens closed the first half on a 17-0 run. They then opened the floodgates after halftime to secure a 41-31 victory in a Monday night showdown between division-leading teams that started the season 4-2.
By the time Tampa Bay scored again in the fourth quarter, Baltimore had racked up 34 unanswered points.
It was another Ravens offensive clinic in a season full of them. Once again, Lamar Jackson was the star on a night in which he threw five touchdown passes, tying his Ravens record. It added to another strong entry in Jackson’s campaign for a third NFL MVP award in six seasons.
Ravens unload after digging a 10-0 hole
After two Jackson sacks derailed Baltimore’s first possession, the Ravens struck quickly on the second. They needed just six plays and 2:33 to go 70 yards and cap the drive with a 9-yard touchdown pass from Jackson to Mark Andrews. The score reduced Baltimore’s deficit to 10-7.
Baltimore’s next possession took just four plays and 1:47 left to drive 80 yards and find the end zone. Jackson set up the scoring with a 59-yard rushing pass to Rashod Bateman after escaping Tampa Bay’s pressure.
Two plays and a penalty later, Justice Hill ran the ball on a Jackson screen pass for an 18-yard touchdown to give the Ravens a 14-10 lead.
A pair of Justin Tucker field goals closed out the half before the Ravens found the end zone again on their second drive of the third quarter. They did it in four plays in 57 seconds for 55 yards. The star was once again a deep pass from Jackson to Bateman. This time, Jackson unleashed a 49-yard laser on second-and-17 that Bateman caught in stride after breaking the top of Tampa Bay’s secondary.
The touchdown pass was Jackson’s third of the night and extended the Ravens’ lead to 27-10.
At this point, Baltimore had done its damage without much use from Derrick Henry. The NFL leader in rushing yards and rushing touchdowns carried the ball just four times for 23 yards before halftime. He was fresh for the second half.
On the first play of Baltimore’s next possession, Jackson handed the ball to Henry inside the Ravens’ 10-yard line. Henry broke out to the left sideline and rumbled 81 yards before being tackled at the Tampa Bay 11-yard line.
Four plays later, Jackson found Andrews again for his second touchdown connection of the night. The score increased Baltimore’s lead to 34-10 and nearly iced the game with 2:53 left in the third quarter. The stats for this drive: five plays for 92 yards in 2:05.
The Ravens weren’t perfect down the stretch, as they allowed three Bucs touchdowns in the fourth quarter. A Jackson fumble set up Tampa Bay’s first touchdown of the second half to cut Baltimore’s lead to 34-18 early in the fourth quarter. Baltimore then found the end zone again on a drive that ended with a touchdown pass from Jackson to Derrick Henry.
The Bucs responded with another touchdown and then another after a successful onside kick to cut the Ravens’ 24-point lead to 41-31.
Baltimore recovered Tampa Bay’s next onside kick and did not allow the Bucs to score again.
Jackson finished the night completing 17 of 22 passes for 281 yards with five touchdowns. Henry rushed 15 times for 169 yards and added a 13-yard touchdown reception.
Andrews caught four passes for 41 yards and two touchdowns. Bateman had four receptions for 121 yards and a touchdown. The Ravens recorded 508 yards of total offense and averaged 9.4 yards per play.
Baker Mayfield completed 31 of 45 passes for 370 yards with three touchdowns to lead Tampa Bay’s comeback effort. But two first-half interceptions helped fuel Baltimore’s run.
Injuries further tarnish Tampa Bay’s night
A poor night for the Bucs on the scoreboard was further complicated by two injuries to critical players. Top receiver Mike Evans left in the first half with a hamstring injury.
Then, with less than a minute remaining, Tampa’s No. 2 receiver, Chris Godwin, suffered what head coach Todd Bowles indicated was a dislocated ankle in garbage time. He left the field in a cart with 43 seconds left and with his left leg in a cast in the air.