What we learned from the wins in Baltimore and Arizona

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1. Lamar Jackson lights up another Monday evening. If you thought Jackson's 2023 MVP season was the peak of his powers, you quickly realized you were wrong. Jackson has taken his game to a new level in 2024 and proved it again Monday night, fending off a rough first possession and leading fireworks in the second and third quarters. After punting on their first drive, the Ravens went as follows: touchdown, touchdown, field goal, field goal, touchdown, touchdown, fumble (on a reverse pass from Jackson), touchdown. Baltimore scored 34 unanswered points after falling behind 10-0, and Jackson was at the center of the action, dotting the field with precise passes from various depths before unleashing a majestic rocket Rashod Bateman for a 49-yard touchdown pass that sent a message: These Ravens are unstoppable. Jackson finished the game with fantastic final stats: 17 of 22 for 281 yards and five passing touchdowns along with nine carries for 52 yards. This offense is humming along and Jackson is the engine that drives it. We have a leader in our MVP race, folks.
2. Buccaneers learn the value of Mike Evans. The future Pro Football Hall of Famer caught an underthrow pass for an early Buccaneers touchdown, once again proving to be a trusted favorite target Baker Mayfield. However, when Mayfield later looked at Evans in the end zone, Evans' delicate hamstrings had had enough. Evans dropped the ball and winced in pain as he grabbed his hamstring behind the finish line, ending his evening and putting his immediate future in doubt. The same future became uncertain for the Buccaneers, who showed how important Evans is to their passing offense. Mayfield lost his preferred target, a receiver Mayfield had relied heavily on since arriving in Tampa in 2023, and had nowhere else to turn Chris Godwin becoming the obvious top retention target. After Evans left, the Buccaneers' next four drives ended with two interceptions (including one in the end zone) and a missed field goal, and only when the game was out of reach was Mayfield able to find success with other receivers. Eliminating Evans from the equation undermines the Buccaneers' entire offensive operation, and it was evident Monday night how much more difficult passing became for Mayfield without Evans on the field. Making matters worse, Godwin suffered a potentially serious ankle injury late in the game, potentially presenting a nightmarish prospect for the Buccaneers' offense, which was explosive for most of the first seven weeks of the season.
3. The Ravens defense leaves the mat. Marlon Humphrey beat Mayfield twice in the first half on Monday night, but it came at a price. Humphrey suffered a knee injury on his second pick and didn't return to the game, raising new concerns for a secondary that still hasn't returned Arthur Maulet from injured reserve and played without linebacker Malik Harrison. But that's the bad news, because these Ravens have proven that an early haymaker won't send them down for good. Baltimore quickly gave up 10 points that could have easily been 14, then responded by shutting down Tampa Bay's offense until the game was over. After the Buccaneers' trip, which reached the Ravens' 3-yard line before Humphrey's first interception, Tampa didn't get close to the red zone again until the fourth quarter. Baltimore has earned an infamous reputation as a team that blows leads, but their defense deserves credit for standing firm in crucial moments and allowing their offense extra possessions to score points.
4. Tampa Bay gets a reality check. At 4-2, the Buccaneers entered Monday night as favorites to win the NFC South and presented themselves as the most complete team in the division with an offense that could explode at any moment. After that loss, they left Raymond James Stadium with a different mood. The losses of Evans and Godwin are, of course, concerning, but so is their defense's inability to stop the Ravens even once during their 34-straight point streak. Todd Bowles' aggressive defense collapsed against Jackson and Co., and with the immediate futures of Godwin and Evans now in doubt, the Buccaneers will have to dig deep to find a way to compete with the mercurial Atlanta Falcons in an NFC South to keep up with the race in which it suddenly becomes tight at the front.

Next-Gen Stats Insights from the Ravens-Buccaneers (via NFL Pro): Derrick Henry reached a top speed of 21.72 mph on his 81-yard dash Monday night, recording the fifth-fastest speed by a ball carrier this season and the third-fastest top speed of Henry's career. Buccaneers defensive back Zyon McCollum reached 21.85 mph while chasing Henry to prevent Henry from scoring a touchdown.

NFL Research: Monday night marked the fifth game of his career in which Lamar Jackson scored more than five passing touchdowns and zero interceptions, the most such performances in the NFL since Jackson entered the league in 2018. It was also his fifth career game with a passer rating above 155, tying Peyton Manning and Ben Roethlisberger for the most such games in NFL history.