Ravens Dominate Buccaneers on Monday Night, Lamar Jackson Shines in 41-31 Victory

The Baltimore Ravens made a strong case on Monday Night Football as one of the NFL’s elite teams, led by quarterback Lamar Jackson, who delivered another MVP-caliber performance. The Ravens secured their fifth consecutive victory, defeating the NFC South-leading Tampa Bay Buccaneers 41-31. During this win streak, Baltimore has beaten three division leaders, including Tampa Bay, Buffalo, and Washington, outscoring them 106-64.

Jackson threw for five touchdown passes and accumulated 333 total yards, strengthening his bid for a third NFL MVP award. Running back Derrick Henry also contributed significantly, rushing for 169 yards, marking his fourth 100+ yard game in the last five contests. The Ravens’ offense remains the NFL’s top unit, showcasing explosive plays both on the ground and through the air.

Despite trailing 10-0 early, the Ravens scored 34 unanswered points and continued their streak of scoring 27 or more points in five straight games—the longest active streak in the league.

Baltimore Ravens (5-2)

QB Breakdown: Lamar Jackson was once again dominant, improving his interconference record to an astonishing 23-1, the best mark since the merger in 1970. In prime-time games, Jackson is 18-5, making him the most successful quarterback in the spotlight since 1970. Jackson’s five-touchdown performance solidified his reputation as one of the NFL’s premier players, and he was a nightmare for Tampa Bay’s defense.

Eye-Popping Stat: Jackson rediscovered the long ball with a 49-yard touchdown pass to Rashod Bateman in the third quarter. It was the third time in Jackson’s seven-year career that he connected on a touchdown pass of at least 45 yards through the air. Bateman, who had two receptions of 30 or more yards in the game, became the first Raven since John Brown in 2018 to do so.

Troubling Trend: The Ravens’ defense has become susceptible to giving up big plays, a stark contrast to last season. Mike Evans’ 25-yard touchdown catch was the 19th play of 25+ yards allowed by Baltimore this season—the highest in the NFL through seven games. This is a worrying trend considering Baltimore only gave up 22 such completions all of last year.

Most Surprising Performance: Ravens cornerback Marlon Humphrey had a standout performance, recording multiple interceptions for the first time in his career. He intercepted two Baker Mayfield passes, one of which set up Justice Hill’s 18-yard touchdown. Unfortunately, Humphrey later exited with a knee injury after his second interception and was ruled out for the remainder of the game. Humphrey now accounts for four of Baltimore’s five interceptions this season.

Next game: at Cleveland Browns (1 p.m. ET, CBS, Sunday)

Tampa Bay Buccaneers (4-3)

Game Recap: The Buccaneers started strong with a 25-yard touchdown pass from Baker Mayfield to Mike Evans, followed by two consecutive sacks of Jackson for a 10-0 lead. But when Evans left the game due to a hamstring injury midway through the second quarter, the Buccaneers’ offense unraveled. They were unable to recover, and things went further downhill when Chris Godwin was carted off with a dislocated left ankle with just over a minute remaining.

Though the Buccaneers didn’t lose ground in the NFC South due to the Falcons’ loss, they missed an opportunity to make a statement on national television. With Evans and Godwin potentially out, their next matchup against Atlanta looks challenging.

Silver Lining: Despite the defeat, the Buccaneers found some success on the ground against a Ravens defense that had only been allowing 59 rushing yards per game. By the midway point of the second quarter, Tampa Bay had already matched that number, eventually finishing with 125 rushing yards. Offensive coordinator Liam Coen effectively used running backs Rachaad White, Sean Tucker, and Bucky Irving, combining for both rushing and receiving yards.

Troubling Trend: Tampa Bay’s defense continues to struggle over the middle of the field, a glaring vulnerability. Ravens tight end Mark Andrews exploited this weakness, catching two touchdown passes. Jackson was near-perfect when targeting this area, going 8-of-9 for 148 yards and two touchdowns in the first half alone, primarily attacking safety Jordan Whitehead.

Biggest Surprise: While Jackson’s incredible play may not surprise many, the Buccaneers’ defense giving up five passing touchdowns is rare. It has only happened twice since Todd Bowles became head coach in 2019, both in losses—once to the Texans last year and once to the Seahawks in 2019.

Next game: vs. Atlanta Falcons (1 p.m. ET, CBS, Sunday)