Ravens staff picks vs. Dolphins: Who will win Thursday night in Miami?

Here’s The Baltimore Sun sports staff’s take on the results of Thursday night’s Week 9 game between the Ravens and Miami Dolphins at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida:

Brian Wacker, reporter

Ravens 27, Dolphins 13: These are two teams that finally ended significant losing streaks with resounding wins last week, but Baltimore feels in a better position to continue that momentum. Lamar Jackson’s return improves a Ravens offense that has found its footing in the running game in recent games, and while there may have been a few blips in his first action in over a month, the two-time NFL Most Valuable Player is a huge improvement in the passing attack and is usually in prime time. Miami’s defense has also been exploited on the ground and through the air this season, while its offense has been without injured Tyreek Hill and De’Von Achane against a Ravens defense that appears to be resurgent. This should be a comfortable win.

Sam Cohn, reporter

Ravens 31, Dolphins 14: For the first time since the start of the season, there was genuine belief that the Ravens were the better team on paper and could perform that way on game day. They are healthy and, most importantly, Jackson is back in the spotlight. Miami’s defense has been one of the worst in the NFL this season. And, despite their strong performance against Atlanta, this short week was a tough one against an inspiring Ravens offense. As Brian mentioned, the Dolphins don’t have two superstars running the offense. All five safeties on their roster are dealing with injuries and several cornerbacks have been shut down for the season. If the Ravens are who they say they are, this shouldn’t be competitive after halftime.

Mike Preston, columnist

Ravens 31, Dolphins 18: Miami has the No. 1 rushing attack in the nation. 23 in the NFL, averaging 98.5 yards per game, and has the No. 1 run defense in the nation. 28, allowing an average of 145 yards. Translation: If you can’t run or stop the run, you can’t win at the college and high school level, let alone the NFL. Plus, the Dolphins have quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, who is good at committing a lot of turnovers. If the Ravens don’t win this game, then they shouldn’t advance to the playoffs. The Dolphins are terrible, and their coach, Mike McDaniel, is about to be fired.

Josh Tolentino, columnist

Ravens 24, Dolphins 21: Lamar Jackson’s return would immediately spark a Ravens offense that has looked stagnant without the two-time NFL MVP, a Tyler Huntley-led win last Sunday being the lone exception. However, Jackson must avoid the high sack rate that plagued him before the injury, and how he moves in and out will be a key factor in his effectiveness.

Defensively, Baltimore’s passing has yet to find any real rhythm. The front seven and the edge haven’t consistently married pressure with pass coverage, which makes Thursday’s matchup especially scary against a Dolphins offense that thrives on quick options and especially when Tua Tagovailoa stays upright. The Ravens have put up big points in back-to-back games, but they are still looking for more game-changing moments; Rising cornerback Nate Wiggins had both of the team’s interceptions this season.

Baltimore is 0-2 on the road, although John Harbaugh has never started a season 0-3 on the road. Expect a tighter game than most are anticipating, but Jackson’s presence will calm the visitors as Baltimore emerges from Week 8 at Hard Rock Stadium to build on its first winning streak of the season.

CJ Doon, that is

Ravens 33, Dolphins 13: This could finally be a moment for Ravens fans to sit back and relax. Lamar Jackson is back and will definitely be performing in front of his friends and family in his native South Florida. The Dolphins were hit hard on defense, especially in the second half, meaning we could see a repeat of Jackson’s 2019 performance against Miami that featured a perfect passer rating. The Dolphins showed some fight in beating the Falcons last week and have played the Bills, Patriots and Chargers tough, but the offense isn’t nearly as intimidating without Tyreek Hill on the field. And while Tua Tagovailoa has had success against this Ravens defense before, Baltimore is much healthier and improving after a 1-5 start.

Bennett Conlin, editor

Ravens 38, Dolphins 17: This feels like a possible statement game for the Ravens, at least internally. Beating the 2-6 Dolphins won’t strike fear throughout the NFL, but it could remind Baltimore just how dominant a team can be when everything goes according to plan. The Ravens’ defense has been trending in the right direction since adding Alohi Gilman to free up Kyle Hamilton to play closer to the line of scrimmage, and no one questioned Todd Monken’s offense when No. 8 available at quarterback. This could be a big bang.

Tim Schwartz, editor

Ravens 34, Dolphins 24: Lamar Jackson is back, and so are the Ravens. They aren’t the Super Bowl favorites they were before the meltdown in September and most of October, but they are healthier than they were before Week 1 and now Jackson is back in the spotlight. Against a bad, broken Dolphins team, that was enough. Miami is without several stars on both sides of the ball, so Jaylen Waddle looks to be its biggest offensive threat. That won’t be enough. A loss would end the Ravens’ playoff hopes (basically), so we’ll see what they do.

Patrice Sanders, FOX45 Morning News anchor

Ravens 31, Dolphins 17: It’s the return of Baltimore’s two-time MVP. When Jackson plays, the Ravens look like a completely different team. Their winning percentage is quite high for a prime-time match. That, coupled with the fact that every game looks like a must-win playoff game at this point, is why I expect the Ravens to do well.

Have a news tip? Contact sports editor Tim Schwartz at timschwartz@baltsun.com410-332-6200 and x.com/timschwartz13.

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