Detroit Lions plucked apart by Baltimore Ravens in 38-6 wake-up call

BALTIMORE – Lamar Jackson can do certain things other humans can’t, and on Sunday, he did a little of everything while having his way with the Detroit Lions.

Jackson threw for a season-high 357 yards and three touchdowns and ran for another score, extending countless plays with his feet and slipping a handful of sacks as the Baltimore Ravens handed the Lions their second-worst loss of the Dan Campbell era, 38-6, at M&T Bank Stadium.

The Lions, who had won four straight by double digits, remain alone in first place in the NFC North heading into next week’s Monday night game against the Las Vegas Raiders. Their only worse loss under Campbell came on Halloween in 2021, when they lost to the Philadelphia Eagles, 44-6.

On Sunday, the Lions (5-2) went three-and-out on their first three possessions, did not get a first down until early in the second quarter, scored their only touchdown on a Jahmyr Gibbs run with 13:59 left and had no answer for Jackson and the efficient Ravens’ offense.

The Ravens (5-2) scored touchdowns on their first four possessions, outgained the Lions, 503 yards to 337, and averaged more than 10 yards per play until the end of the game. Jackson finished 21 of 27 passing and added 36 yards rushing on nine carries.

Baltimore marched down the field and scored on the game’s opening drive, with Jackson completing a 46-yard pass to Zay Flowers on the game’s third play and Jackson capping the possession with a 7-yard touchdown run on fourth-and-1 when he ran around left end on a designed keeper.

Jackson converted three third downs on the Ravens’ next possession, and threw his first touchdown of the game on a third-and-3 when he extended the play for nine seconds, stepping up in the pocket to avoid a pass rush, then scrambling to his right as Nelson Agholor slipped away from Brian Branch in the back of the end zone.

The Ravens led 28-0 at halftime after an 11-yard touchdown pass from Jackson to Mark Andrews and a 2-yard touchdown run by Gus Edwards, and Andrews caught his second touchdown of the game on Baltimore’s first possession of the third quarter, two plays after the Lions gave up an 80-yard catch-and-run to Edwards on a coverage bust in the back end.

Edwards had 64 yards rushing on 14 carries and the Ravens sacked Lions quarterback Jared Goff five times.

Goff finished 33 of 53 passing for 284 yards and threw his fourth interception of the season on a heave to Jameson Williams in the second half.

Gibbs, making his second start of the season in place of the injured David Montgomery, had 68 yards rushing on 11 carries and added nine catches for 58 yards. His fourth quarter touchdown, from 21 yards out, was the first of his career.

Amon-Ra St. Brown caught 13 passes for 102 yards for the Lions, who finished 2 of 6 on fourth downs.

Contact Dave Birkett at dbirkett@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @davebirkett.

More: Lions RB Mohamed Ibrahim carted off field with hip injury

Contact Dave Birkett at dbirkett@freepress.com. Follow him @davebirkett.

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Detroit Lions plucked apart by Baltimore Ravens in 38-6 wake-up call