You don't need binoculars to see the Ravens rising.
Lamar Jackson is back. The defense has recaptured its mojo. The roster is healthy.
Winning two games in five days makes a huge difference, and now Baltimore's outlook for the 2025 season looks much brighter at 3-5 than it did at 1-5.
The Ravens' next five opponents have a combined record of 13-25 heading into Week 9. That doesn't guarantee anything, but Baltimore getting on an extended roll hardly looks inconceivable. The Ravens have talent, but they also have grit.
"They showed a lot of toughness, a lot of courage, faith and guts, and that's what it takes," Head Coach John Harbaugh said after Baltimore's 28-6 win over the Dolphins. "I'm proud of our guys for that. We had two games that we needed to win in [five] days, and they were absolute must-wins."
Here are my thoughts on the renewed Ravens as they enjoy the weekend off, all in 50 words or less:
- Alohi Gilman has been that one piece you need when you're solving a puzzle. He has stepped into the starting lineup at safety like he's been playing in Baltimore for three years, not three games. I don't know where the Ravens would be without him, but they are better with him.
- It will be interesting to see if the Ravens make another deal prior to the Nov. 4 trade deadline to help them down the stretch. Baltimore is in win-now mode, and General Manager Eric DeCosta isn't shy about making moves.
- When Kyle Hamilton moves near the line of scrimmage, it's like Superman going into a phone booth. The cape is about to come on. His first-quarter hit against De'Von Achane helped set the tone for Baltimore's defense. Hamilton in the box is a problem for every opponent.
- Derrick Henry had another huge game (119 yards) while defying Father Time at age 31. According to Next Gen Stats, Henry reached 20.86 miles per hour when he bounced outside on his 35-yard run against the Dolphins. The sculptor should already be finished with Henry's Hall of Fame bust.
- I'll take Lamar Jackson any day, at whatever percentage level his body allows. Whether he felt 100% or not against the Dolphins, his quarterback rating was 143.2. He threw four touchdown passes. That works for me, any day or night.
- Jackson torched the Dolphins when they blitzed him. Remember that Thursday night game in 2021, when Miami blitzed Jackson into oblivion and defeated the Ravens, 22-10? Four years later, Jackson destroyed the Dolphins' blitz packages. Great players figure things out.
- Jackson has the highest passer rating of any quarterback in history through his first five games (136.7). I'm not saying he's going to win his third MVP award this season. But if he stays healthy the rest of the way, I'm not saying he won't.
- A false start penalty on fourth-and-1 made the Dolphins switch from going for it to attempting a field goal, which they missed. Tua Tagovailoa said the crowd noise from Ravens fans caused Larry Borom's false start. Give a game ball to the Ravens Flock.
- Malaki Starks’ first career interception could be the match that ignites his playmaking ability. I thought he was playing with more force in Miami even before his pick. There's nothing wrong with being steady, but Starks has the athleticism to be a ball hawk.
- Tyler Linderbaum was given the fourth-highest offensive grade against the Dolphins by Pro Football Focus (79.2), and Andrew Vorhees was No. 5 (78.8). Maybe that will decrease some of the shade thrown at Baltimore's offensive line, at least for a week.
