BALTIMORE — There would be no three-touchdown comeback this year. The Baltimore Ravens made sure of that Sunday, holding up against a banged-up Miami Dolphins defense in a 56-19 win that locked up the No. 1 seed.
The Dolphins, meanwhile, will need to beat the red-hot Buffalo Bills next week to win the AFC East and avoid a road Wild Card Round playoff game. And their quarterback, Tua Tagovailoa, is banged up.
But the worst news came in the game’s final minutes, when Bradley Chubb went down with a non-contact injury that was serious enough that he had to be carted to the locker room. More on that when we get it.
Miami Dolphins vs. Baltimore Ravens Instant Observations
Give Lamar Jackson the MVP Now
The Ravens did more than lock up the No. 1 seed Sunday.
They helped Lamar Jackson almost certainly secure his second MVP trophy in the last five seasons.
Jackson was fantastic Sunday, particularly in the first half, when he threw three touchdowns and had a perfect 158.3 passer rating.
Jackson’s finest moment? The 33-yard sideline ball he delivered to Odell Beckham Jr. in the second quarter.
Jackson added a seven-yard strike to Isaiah Likely on the first drive of the second half, and the rout was officially on. He ended his day with five touchdown passes and almost certainly a seat at NFL Honors.
Life Without X Is Dicey
Xavien Howard left in the first drive of Sunday’s game with a foot injury and did not return.
That was very, very bad news for a Dolphins secondary that would have had its hands full at full strength.
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Eli Apple replaced Howard in the lineup, and it went poorly. Apple completely lost Zay Flowers in coverage, leading to a 75-yard touchdown catch-and-run.
If Howard’s injury is as serious as it looked — he was carted off the field after he was unable to put weight on his foot — the Dolphins will have to decide whether to roll with Apple or finally give rookie Cam Smith a shot.
The Ravens’ 56 points were the most they’ve scored in their home stadium.
Here Come the Critics, Tua Tagovailoa
Tagovailoa had an outside chance at the MVP Award entering Week 17, but he needed a near-flawless game.
Flawless, his game was not.
After a hot start, Tagovailoa threw two avoidable interceptions. The first, he simply didn’t see Roquan Smith, who undercut the route and made a remarkable one-handed pick.
The second was just a bad overthrow, which Patrick Queen picked off.
Tagovailoa finished 22 of 38 for 237 yards and two touchdowns and hurt his shoulder on his last play (a scramble).
Done in by Drops
Tua wasn’t as bad as those stats suggest.
He was victimized by two dropped touchdowns, including an egregious one by Tyreek Hill that had a massive impact on the game.
Hill was wide open when he bobbled a relatively easy throw that would have put the Dolphins ahead 14-7.
Instead, the Dolphins kicked a field goal and were outscored 49-9 the rest of the way.
A Faint Silver Lining
There was little positive to emerge from this game, but here’s something to build on heading into next week’s winner-take-all game against the Buffalo Bills:
De’Von Achane is the real deal. With Raheem Mostert out with an ankle injury, Achane was electric.
He gained 107 yards on 14 carries and also had 30 yards and a touchdown on four catches.
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