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Flacco, Ravens end Dolphins' 6-game run with 38-6 rout

Posted at 5:11 PM, Dec 04, 2016
and last updated 2016-12-05 10:23:16-05

Joe Flacco threw for 381 yards and four touchdowns, and the Baltimore Ravens overwhelmed the Dolphins in the first half of a 38-6 victory Sunday that ended Miami's six-game winning streak.

Baltimore (7-5) led 24-0 at halftime behind Flacco and a dominant performance from the league's second-ranked defense. Flacco went 27 for 34 for 258 yards and three scores over the first 30 minutes, and the Ravens yielded only 115 yards and intercepted a Ryan Tannehill pass.

That was enough to provide the Ravens with their fourth win in five games and at least a share of first place in the AFC North.

Flacco finished with a franchise-record 36 completions in 47 attempts, by far his most impressive outing in an uneven season. He entered with 11 TD passes and 10 interceptions.

Miami (7-5) didn't score until Tannehill threw a touchdown pass in the fourth quarter following a fumble recovery that started the drive at the Baltimore 8.

That made it 24-6, and Flacco answered with a 53-yard touchdown pass to Breshad Perriman with 12:49 left.

Two of Flacco's TD passes went to tight end Dennis Pitta, who's enjoying a fine season in his return from a second hip surgery. Pitta had nine catches for 90 yards and leads Baltimore with 61 receptions, but he hadn't reached the end zone since December 2013.

Tannehill went 29 for 40 for 226 yards and three interceptions. He was picked off only once during Miami's six-game streak.

The Ravens scored a touchdown on their first possession for the second week in a row, moving 75 yards before Flacco connected with Terrance West for a 3-yard score.

Unlike last week, when Baltimore managed just one TD in a win over Cincinnati, the Ravens immediately built on their early advantage. Following a missed field goal by the Dolphins, Flacco deftly took Baltimore downfield before throwing a 13-yard touchdown pass to Pitta.

The drive was extended by Kenneth Dixon's 10-yard run on a fourth-and-1.

Flacco capped an 18-play drive in the second quarter with a 9-yard touchdown pass to Pitta. The methodical march took up 8 minutes, 57 seconds.