It only took one half for Lamar Jackson to silence any lingering doubts

The Baltimore Ravens are certainly thankful to have superstar quarterback Lamar Jackson back under center. The two-time MVP returned from his hamstring injury in Week 9, suiting up for the first time since the team’s Week 4 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs.

In the first half against the Miami Dolphins, Jackson did not miss a beat.

Lamar Jackson has stellar first half against Dolphins

After a three-and-out to kick things off, Jackson shook off the rust and went to work. After being gifted the ball inside Miami’s 10-yard line thanks to a forced fumble by safety Alohi Gilman, Jackson found his old friend, tight end Mark Andrews, for a touchdown on a fourth-and-goal play from the one.

The two reconnected for another touchdown from 20 yards out early in the second quarter.

It did not take long for Jackson to silence any lingering doubts. He was his MVP self, dazzling with plays like a third-down conversion to tight end Isaiah Likely that went for 35 yards, and set up Andrews’ second touchdown reception. He was extending plays and picking apart the opposing secondary for some chunk plays. He barely took off, but it was clear the hamstring was not bothering him.

Miami was able to bring him down for a sack, but Jackson played his typical style of ball, evading pressure, spreading the defense out, and finding the soft spots in coverage.

Jackson finished the first half of play, completing eight of 12 passes for 89 yards and two touchdowns. He only ran the ball once for zero yards. His efforts put the Ravens up early, as they hold a 14-6 lead at halftime.

This is exactly what the Ravens need out of Jackson, as they try to dig themselves out of a deep hole. While they showed encouraging progress in their Week 8 win over the Chicago Bears, they still have to treat every game like a playoff game. Their 2-5 record has them buried deep behind several teams in the playoff hunt, and at the midway point in the 2025 season, they will need Jackson to quickly turn into MVP form to salvage this season.