Lamar Jackson throws 5 touchdowns as the Baltimore Ravens cruise past the Tampa Bay Buccaneers

The Baltimore Ravens won their fifth straight game on Monday night, defeating the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 41-31.

The Buccaneers took a 10-0 lead in the first quarter before the Ravens scored the next 34 points. Baltimore QB Lamar Jackson threw five touchdowns.

Baker Mayfield got off to a good start for Tampa Bay, completing eight of his first nine passes for 101 yards and a score. But he threw two first-half interceptions that led to 10 Baltimore points, and the Bucs’ offense never regained its previous form.

The Ravens’ offense, however, was dominant.

In addition to Jackson’s 281 yards passing, the team added 244 rushing yards on 30 carries – an average of 8.1 yards per carry. Derrick Henry was unstoppable, running for 169 yards on just 15 carries – including an 81-yard rumble in the third quarter that set up Jackson’s fourth touchdown.

Baltimore averaged 9.4 yards per play even after using its backups on the final possession.

Meanwhile, the Buccaneers didn’t just lose the game; They also lost several key contributors.

After being limited in practice during the week with a hamstring injury, receiver Mike Evans’ injury appeared to worsen in the first half. He limped off the field, went to the locker room and never returned after dropping a pass in the end zone in the second quarter.

And in the fourth quarter – with the game virtually out of control – receiver Chris Godwin was taken off the field with an air throw to his left leg with just 43 seconds left. Godwin suffered the injury as Tampa Bay tried to mount a comeback from a 10-point deficit with less than a minute left and no timeouts.

The Ravens improved to 5-2, keeping pace with the Pittsburgh Steelers and remaining tied for first place in the AFC North.

After a 3-1 start, the Buccaneers have lost two of their last three games and are now 4-3.