Elsewhere, James Conner rushed for 100 yards while Kyler Murray ran for a touchdown as the Arizona Cardinals beat the Los Angeles Chargers; Week Eight begins Thursday when the Minnesota Vikings visit the Los Angeles Rams from 1.15am in the early hours of Friday, live on Sky Sports NFL
Tuesday 22 October 2024 10:37, UK
Lamar Jackson threw for 281 yards and five touchdowns as the Baltimore Ravens overcame an early double-digit deficit to extend their winning streak to five games with a 41-31 victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, who lost their top two receivers to injuries.
The two-time NFL MVP improved to 23-1 against NFC teams, the best mark by a quarterback against an opposing conference in NFL history. He's 3-0 against the Bucs (4-3), who faded after taking a 10-0 lead with help from the 100th touchdown reception of Mike Evans' career.
Evans departed with a hamstring injury after Baker Mayfield tried to connect with him in the end zone again, and late in the fourth quarter with the game out of reach, leading Bucs receiver Chris Godwin was carted off the field with a left ankle injury.
Jackson completed 17 of 22 passes without an interception, including touchdown throws of nine and four yards to Mark Andrews.
"I'm proud of him. I'm happy for him. He's a great leader, a great player." said head coach John Harbaugh. "He's the ultimate competitor on a level with the greatest competitors I've ever seen."
He also tossed scoring passes of 49 yards to Rashod Bateman, 18 yards to Justice Hill and 11 yards to Derrick Henry, who rushed for 169 yards on 15 carries.
The Ravens (5-2) rebounded from a slow start on defense, with cornerback Marlon Humphrey turning the game around with a pair of second-quarter interceptions - one of them in the Baltimore end zone.
Jackson led a four-play, 80-yard touchdown drive after the first pick, before the second interception set up Justin Tucker's 28-yard field goal for a 17-10 half-time lead.
Baltimore Ravens
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Mayfield finished 31 of 45 passing for 370 yards, three touchdowns and two interceptions. Evans meanwhile joined Hall of Famers Jerry Rice, Randy Moss, Marvin Harrison and Terrell Owens as the only players to have at least 100 touchdown receptions in the first 11 seasons of a career when he caught a 25-yard scoring pass in the first quarter.
Evans, who missed two days of practice last week with what the Bucs described as a nagging hamstring issue, appeared to aggravate the injury on the scoring reception.
Mayfield nearly connected with him in the end zone again in the second quarter, but this time the ball glanced off Evans' hands as he and Ravens cornerback Brandon Stephens went to the ground. Evans remained on the turf for several minutes before being helped to his feet and limping to the locker room. He did not return.
Kyler Murray ran for a 44-yard touchdown and led the Cardinals on a drive that set up Chad Ryland's 32-yard field goal as time expired as Arizona rallied for a 17-15 win over the Los Angeles Chargers.
Cameron Dicker kicked his fifth field goal of the night - this one from 40 yards - to give the Chargers a 15-14 lead with 1:54 left. But the Cardinals (3-4) quickly moved into field goal range, aided by an unnecessary roughness call on Cam Hart that cost Los Angeles (3-3) 15 yards.
Arizona followed that with a bruising 33-yard run by James Conner, who finished with 101 yards on the ground. That eventually set up Ryland's short field goal and a Cardinals celebration.
It was a frustrating night for the Chargers' offense, which gained 395 yards but couldn't find the end zone. Justin Herbert completed 27 of 39 passes for 349 yards.
Los Angeles Chargers
Arizona Cardinals
Dicker booted field goals of 59, 50, 28, 47 and 40 yards, the first of which tied a franchise record for distance.
Murray ran for a spectacular touchdown early in the fourth quarter, rolling to his left before turning on the jets, beating safety Junior Colston to the sideline and then coasting into the end zone for a 14-9 lead.
It was Murray's second long touchdown run in three weeks after he scored on a 50-yard sprint against San Francisco. It was also Murray's 20th career game with a touchdown pass and run.
Dicker's 28-yarder late in the third quarter gave the Chargers a 9-7 lead. Los Angeles gained possession after stopping Cardinals backup quarterback Clayton Tune on third-and-one and fourth-and-one.
Arizona scored on a five-yard touchdown pass from Murray to Greg Dortch in the second quarter to take a 7-6 into halftime. It was Dortch's first touchdown catch of the season.
Dicker made two field goals in the first half for the Chargers, including the 59-yarder. That was the longest kick of Dicker's career after he previously made two from 55 yards.
Week Eight begins Thursday night when the Minnesota Vikings visit the Los Angeles Rams from 1.15am in the early hours of Friday, live on Sky Sports NFL; Also stream with NOW.
