Winners and Losers From Ravens' Primetime Win Over Dolphins
In a Week 9 game between two teams looking to establish their first winning streak of the season to keep their playoff hopes alive, the Baltimore Ravens showed up and showed out in primetime with a 28-6 statement victory on the road.
Here are the standouts who put them in position to triumph and those whose future prospects or pride was hurt in the team's momentum-building win.
Winners
QB Lamar Jackson:
DB Kyle Hamilton: With the Ravens opting to go light on outside linebackers for the second game in five days, the two-time All Pro spent most of his time lined up on the edge and was an absolute menace for Miami's offense with how often he was getting penetration and blowing up plays in the backfield. He finished 6 total tackles, including 3 solos and one for loss, and even when he wasn't the one making the stop, Hamilton played a part in making it happen by forcing ball carriers to change, and one time even completely reversed course on a reverse handoff.
ILB Roquan Smith: The three-time All Pro continued to look like his old elite self for the second game in a row since returning from a hamstring injury. He led the team with a dozen total tackles in back-to-back outings, including 9 solos, and nearly had an interception in zone coverage that bounced off his hands for a pass deflection instead. Smith's ability to get around blocks and make tackles in the open field was excellent in this game, as he was responsible for a pair of clutch stops that got the defense off the field.
Tight Ends: After not being heavily featured in Jackson's absence, the members of the loaded position group got a chance to make an impact in this game and didn't let it go to waste. Three-time Pro Bowl veteran Mark Andrews hauled in touchdown downs on both of his catches for 22 receiving yards and picked up a key first down on a tush push quarterback sneak attempt.
Fourth-year pro Isaiah Likely eclipsed his combined receiving yardage total for the season with his first catch for a 35-yard gain and more than doubled it by the end of the game with 60 yards on 3 catches. His fellow fourth-year pro, Charlie Kolar, caught a touchdown in back-to-back games for the first time in his career after getting left uncovered crossing the field on the same play he scored on four days earlier on National Tight Ends Day.
DB Alohi Gilman: The veteran safety, whom the Ravens acquired in a trade that sent former first-round outside linebacker Odafe Oweh to the West Coast, showed that he can be a playmaker in addition to a stabilizer for the secondary. He came up with the first big play by the defense to prevent the Dolphins offense from staying in rhythm when he forced and recovered a fumble in the first quarter to give Jackson and the Ravens offense an instant red zone possession after they went three-and-out on their first. Gilman finished the game with 4 total tackles, including a pair of solos.
RB Derrick Henry: While running room was hard to come by in the first half with the Miami defense playing inspired to open the game, as it wore on, the Ravens' five-time Pro Bowler began to wear them down. After managing just 30 rushing yards on 9 carries before halftime, he came out in the second half and recorded 89 more on 10 carries, which was highlighted by chunk runs of 35, 19 and 13 yards to finish with 119 in total and 121 yards from scrimmage after catching a pass for a couple of receiving yards.
CB Marlon Humphrey: The two-time All Pro had a really strong game all-around but especially in coverage, where he contested almost every pass that was thrown in his direction, allowing a few receptions but coming up with a pair of impressive pass deflections as well to lead the team. He forced the Ravens' second turnover of the game on a play where he rallied to assist a tackle and not only ripped the ball out but recovered it as well.
WR Zay Flowers: In his homecoming to South Florida, where he grew up with around 40 family and friends in attendance, the Ravens' homegrown Pro Bowler didn't have a monster game but was still highly impactful when it came to moving the chains with drive-extending catches. Flowers caught all 5 of his targets for a team-leading 64 receiving yards that included a long of 39 that he would've scored on had it not been for a shoestring tackle tripping him up 9 yards shy of crossing the goal line.
DT Travis Jones: The fourth-year defensive tackle fought through double and sometimes triple teams in this game and still was able to stack a second straight impressive performance. Jones was unyielding in the run game between the tackles, finishing with 5 total tackles, including 2 solos and one for a loss, and split a sack with veteran defensive end Brent Urban.
WR Rashod Bateman: Coming off a breakout 2024 campaign where he hauled in a career-high 9 receiving touchdowns, the fifth-year veteran recorded his second of the season and first since Week 3 on his second catch to extend the Ravens' lead to three scores.
DB Malaki Starks: At long last, the Ravens' first-round rookie made his first splash play as a pro when he high-pointed and came down with his first career interception in the fourth quarter. He also recorded his first career pass breakup as well and had several impressive solo tackles in which he ran the alley in run support of underneath completions and got the ball carrier down short of the line to gain for a first down.
P Jordan Stout: Once again, the fourth-year specialist was a difference-making weapon for the Ravens in the battle for field position, and he helped them flip it multiple times by having 4 of his 6 punts either downed or angled out of bounds inside the Miami 20-yard line. Stout is well on his way to being the Ravens' next great punter and is well-deserving of an extension sooner rather than later.
DB Keondre Jackson: Sticking with standouts from the third phase of the game, the Ravens used the third and final standard elevation on the undrafted rookie safety, and he didn't disappoint yet again. He recorded a pair of solo tackles on kickoff coverage and downed Stout's first punt at the Dolphins' 4-yard line, further bolstering his claim for a full-time spot on the 53-man roster.
EDGE Mike Green: Coming off notching his first career sack to end a red zone drive in Week 8, the second-round rookie helped the Ravens defense head into halftime on a high note after joining forces with fourth-year pro David Ojabo to close out the second quarter. Green also set a strong edge against the run a couple of times, assisted in making a pair of tackles and logged a quarterback hit.
Losers
Katie Stratman-Imagn Images
DB Sanoussi Kane: The second-year pro didn't even dress for this game, but the fact that he was a healthy scratch for the second straight coupled with Jackson's emergence as a certified special teams ace, means Kane could find himself on the chopping block or shipped off as part of a trade at or ahead of the deadline.
FB Patrick Ricard: In his second game back in action after making his 2025 debut four days earlier, the five-time Pro Bowler made some nice blocks in the run game to spring Henry, but had a rough rep in pass protection where Dolphins Pro Bowl edge rusher blew him up and flushed Jackson into a sack. He went from going viral for making a crushing block against a Bears linebacker in Week 8 to trending for getting put on his butt.
“HE’S BACK UNDER CENTER!” — 49ers Turn to Mac Jones Once Again as Starting QB vs. Giants 🔥🏈
The San Francisco 49ers are running it back with Mac Jones — and the decision has the NFL world buzzing.
Head coach Kyle Shanahan confirmed Thursday that Jones will start again on Sunday against the New York Giants, signaling renewed faith in the veteran quarterback after weeks of speculation and uncertainty about the team’s offensive direction.
For Jones, it’s another shot to prove he belongs — not just as a backup option, but as a legitimate leader capable of guiding one of the league’s most talented rosters.
“Mac gives us the best chance to win right now,” Shanahan said in a press conference. “He’s been sharp in practice, he’s confident, and the locker room trusts him.”
It’s been a winding road for the former Patriots signal-caller. After being traded to San Francisco in the offseason, Jones spent the early part of the year learning Shanahan’s complex offensive system and battling inconsistency in limited action. But with the 49ers’ season hanging in the balance, the coaching staff believes he’s ready to take control.
Last week, Jones showed flashes of his old Alabama precision — completing 72% of his passes and engineering two long touchdown drives in a close loss. While he still took a few costly sacks, the offense looked noticeably steadier with his decision-making and rhythm-based passing attack.
Now, facing a Giants defense ranked in the bottom third of the league against the pass, this could be the perfect opportunity for Jones to reestablish his reputation.
The stakes are high. San Francisco, sitting at
“He doesn’t have to be a hero,” Shanahan added. “Just distribute the ball, protect it, and let our playmakers do what they do best.”
For Jones, Sunday represents more than just another start — it’s a redemption shot. After enduring criticism and a messy exit from New England, he now has a chance to rewrite his story in San Francisco.
If he delivers a statement performance against the Giants, the narrative could shift quickly — from “placeholder” to “comeback story.”
Because for Mac Jones and the 49ers, this isn’t just another game.
It’s a chance to turn the page — and maybe, to spark something special. 🔴⚡
