Week 9 of the 2025 NFL schedule kicks off Thursday night with the Miami Dolphins hosting the Baltimore Ravens (8:15 p.m. ET, Prime Video) at Hard Rock Stadium.
At first blush, it’s not all that compelling a matchup − two disappointing teams entering the contest with two wins apiece as the season nears its halfway point. And even despite that, oddsmakers aren’t expecting a whole lot, either − BetMGM installing the Ravens as 7½-point favorites.
That doesn’t mean it won’t be a consequential game, perhaps on multiple levels.
What should you be looking for? Let’s go three and out ahead of this week’s ‘TNF’ installment:
Lamar Jackson is back
The two-time league MVP will be behind center for the Ravens for the first time since injuring his hamstring in Week 4. Up to that point, Jackson had been his typical spectacular self, and his 130.5 quarterback rating easily paces the NFL − and would smash the single-season record set by Aaron Rodgers (122.5 in 2011) if he can somehow maintain it. After some oddities last week, when Jackson practiced but was eventually ruled out of Baltimore’s game against the Chicago Bears, he was a full participant this entire week and doesn’t carry any kind of injury designation going into Thursday.
“I am extremely excited,’ Jackson, a native of South Florida, said Tuesday. ‘I can’t wait to touch the grass with my guys; it’s been a while.”
Saying he’s back to 100%, expect Jackson and backfield mate Derrick Henry to take aim at a Miami defense that currently ranks as the league’s fifth-worst against the run and surrenders 5.0 yards per carry.
Ravens about to roll?
Even without Jackson, the Ravens handled the Bears 30-16 on Sunday and wound up as the only AFC North team with a victory in Week 8. Though Baltimore, a popular preseason pick to win Super Bowl 60, is currently in 12th place in the 16-team conference, a squad that’s won its division the past two seasons appears set to go on a heater with Jackson and several other injured players returning to the lineup. Based on opponents’ collective winning percentages, the Ravens have the league’s fifth-easiest schedule the rest of the way and their next five games come against teams currently sporting sub-.500 records. After that, they face the division-leading Pittsburgh Steelers, who are only two games up on Baltimore in the standings.
‘Each and every game is going to be like a ‘win or go home game,’’ said Jackson.
‘This is the first season ever (that we’re) starting off this slow. So, it’s do or die right now, each and every week.”
Trade deadline showcase for Dolphins?
While Miami’s 2-6 record is comparable to Baltimore’s 2-5 on the surface, the Fins’ talent quotient can’t touch the Ravens’. The vibes in South Florida haven’t been great going back to the offseason, and questions about the job security of head coach Mike McDaniel and GM Chris Grier persist.
Even coming off a 34-10 shellacking of the Falcons in Atlanta, the main focus on the Dolphins right now pertains to next Tuesday’s trade deadline − and which players might get offloaded. And while dealing wideout Jaylen Waddle seems like a long shot, especially with Tyreek Hill out for the rest of the year and possibly at the end of his tenure with the Dolphins, pass rushers Jaelan Phillips, Bradley Chubb and Matt Judon could all be available. A strong showing by any of them against Jackson and Co. could drive up their price tags while fueling interest heading into the weekend.
Not that Miami’s players are focused on such outside narratives.
“We look at it like there’s still a lot of ball left. We just want to be 1-0 every week. We believe in the process for sure,’ said Dolphins defensive lineman Benito Jones.
‘Wins and losses, they happen but we always want to win more than we lose. That’s why we come to work every day to try to get better.”