TAMPA, Fla. – The Baltimore Ravens made a strong case Monday night that they are the best team in the NFL, and quarterback Lamar Jackson looked like the best player in the league. Although the Kansas City Chiefs remain the NFL’s only undefeated team, the Ravens have won five straight games, including a 41-31 win over the NFC South-leading Tampa Bay Buccaneers. During this winning streak, Baltimore has defeated three current division leaders – Tampa Bay, the Buffalo Bills and Washington Commanders – by a combined score of 106-64.

Jackson threw for five touchdown passes and combined for 333 yards, improving his campaign for a third NFL Most Valuable Player award. Running back Derrick Henry ran for 169 yards, which is the fourth time in five games he has surpassed 100 yards rushing. The Ravens offense remains No. 1 in the NFL, producing explosive plays in the passing and running game.

After trailing 10-0, Baltimore scored 34 unanswered points and recorded its fifth straight game of 27 or more points, the longest current streak in the NFL.

Baltimore Ravens (5-2)

QB breakdown: Jackson continued his dominance of the NFC, improving to 23-1. This is the best interconference record since 1970, when the AFC and NFC were founded. It was also another great performance for him in front of a national audience. Jackson is 18-5 as a primetime starter, the best of any quarterback since the 1970 merger.

Eye-popping statistic: The long pass returned for Jackson. His 49-yard touchdown pass to Rashod Bateman in the third quarter was the third touchdown pass of Jackson’s seven-year career to travel at least 45 yards in the air and his first in two years. Bateman became the first Ravens player with multiple receptions of at least 30 yards downfield in a single game since John Brown in 2018.

Troubling trend: In the span of a year, the Ravens have gone from a team that rarely gave up big plays to a defense that can’t stop them. Mike Evans’ touchdown catch of 25 yards on the opening drive was the 19th reception of 25 or more yards allowed by Baltimore – the most in the NFL through seven games this season. In 17 games last season, the Ravens gave up just 22 completions of 25 or more yards, which was tied for the second-fewest in the league.

Most surprising achievement: Ravens cornerback Marlon Humphrey recorded multiple interceptions in a game for the first time in his eight-year career. Humphrey picked off Baker Mayfield in the end zone in the second quarter, which was converted into Justice Hill’s 18-yard touchdown catch. On Tampa Bay’s next possession, Humphrey Mayfield intercepted again, but he injured his knee on the turnover and was later ruled out. Humphrey has four of Baltimore’s five interceptions this season. — Jamison Hensley

Next game: at Cleveland Browns (1 p.m. ET, CBS, Sunday)

Tampa Bay Buccaneers (4-3)

Buccaneers quarterback Mayfield found Pro Bowl wide receiver Evans for a 25-yard touchdown on the opening drive, and the defense sacked Jackson twice on back-to-back plays for a 10–0 lead. But things fell apart on both sides of the ball when the 11-year veteran receiver left the game midway through the second quarter with a hamstring injury. They couldn’t recover from that. Receiver Chris Godwin was later injured and carted off the field with 43 seconds left.

The Bucs didn’t lose any ground in the NFC South, as the Atlanta Falcons also lost to the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday, but they did miss an opportunity to make a statement on a national level against the reigning MVP. A win this week against Atlanta would give them a chance to break away after their Thursday night heartbreaker in Week 5. But could they do it without Evans, who entered Week 7 tied for the league lead with six touchdowns?

Silver lining: Heading into Monday night, the Ravens gave up 59 rushing yards per game. The Bucs had already racked up 59 rushing yards midway through the second quarter. Offensive coordinator Liam Coen used running backs Rachaad White in the screen game, Sean Tucker for straight rushing and Bucky Irving for a mix of both. They generated 108 rushing yards and 87 receiving yards through the first three quarters, finishing the night with 125 rushing yards.

Troubling trend: Once again, the middle of the field was a vulnerable spot for the Bucs defense, especially with Mark Andrews, who scored two touchdowns and made things particularly difficult for safety Jordan Whitehead. Jackson went 8-for-9 for 148 yards, with two passing touchdowns among the numbers in the first half, according to ESPN Research.

Biggest surprise: Nothing involving Jackson should come as a surprise, but the Bucs’ defense has given up five passing touchdowns in a game just twice since Bowles arrived in Tampa in 2019 — in a 39-37 loss to the Houston Texans last season and in a 40-34 loss to the Seahawks in 2019. –Jenna Laine

Next game: vs. Atlanta Falcons (1 p.m. ET, CBS, Sunday)