Week 2 Preview: Baltimore Ravens vs Miami Dolphins

The Miami Dolphins visit the Baltimore Ravens in a Week 2 clash that could go a long way to establishing the pecking ordering the AFC. Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson will look to make up for a humiliating showing in Miami last year, and the Dolphins will attempt to forge a new offensive identity under the leadership of third-year quarterback Tua Tagovailoa and offseason acquisition wide receiver Tyreek Hill. The Ravens are 3.5-point favorites to win.

Superstar quarterback Lamar Jackson had one of his worst performances as a pro when he faced the Dolphins in last year's Week 10 Thursday Night Football game. The two-way threat struggled as a passer AND a runner, stumbling to 4.47 net yards passing per attempt and rushing for a mere 39 yards on 9 attempts. The Dolphins battered the Ravens 22-10 despite entering the game 7.5-point underdogs, relying on a blitz-heavy approach to frustrate and harass Jackson all night. Both teams' fortunes flipped that night: the Ravens entered the game 6-2 and finished the season losing seven of nine, and the Dolphins turned around a 2-7 start to end the year 9-8.

The Dolphins defense might be primed to repeat last year's dominant performance. The unit absolutely pummeled their division rival New England Patriots in a 20-7 victory in Week 1. The Dolphins delivered huge plays all afternoon on defense, forcing three takeaways including a fumble returned for a touchdown. They'll be facing a Ravens offense that managed a meagre 13 first downs and 274 yards of total offense against the lowly New York Jets. If quarterback Tua Tagovailoa and wide receivers Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle can build on the chemistry they began developing last week, they'll have a real chance to score an upset over the Ravens for a second straight year.

The Miami Dolphins visit the Baltimore Ravens this Sunday in Week 2.