What happened on Ravens’ fake punt vs. Dolphins? ‘I’d f---ing do that against us, too’

The cruelest bit of unnecessary punishment the Miami Dolphins’ received in their 59-10 thrashing at the hands of the Baltimore Ravens came courtesy of the Ravens punt unit.

Baltimore, already ahead 35-3 in the second quarter, lined up to punt with about three minutes left in the half and saw an opening in the middle of the Dolphins’ return unit. Lined up as one of the punt protectors, Anthony Levine took a direct snap and charged up the middle for 60 yards and a first down. Three plays later, Lamar Jackson hooked up with Mark Andrews for the Ravens’ sixth touchdown of the half.

John Harbaugh defended the somewhat unusual play call after the game in Miami Gardens. Baltimore saw the play available, so it took it.

“It’s there. That’s what we do. You play football,” the Ravens coach said. “There’s a lot of time left in the game and if they’re going to give us an opportunity to run a play, we just want to make sure it’s executed well, so it’s no different than throwing a pass or anything else we want to do.”

Special teams were as much a debacle as offense and defense for the Dolphins on Sunday at Hard Rock Stadium. The only other time Baltimore lined up to punt, punter Sam Koch boomed a kick 56 yards down the field and wide receiver Jakeem Grant muffed it. Three plays later, Jackson hit wide receiver Miles Boykin for a touchdown to put the Ravens ahead 35-3.

Miami couldn’t even be miffed about the fake after the game. Coach Brian Flores and Harbaugh had a cordial exchange at the end of the game, even after the Ravens kept passing inside the final two minutes of the biggest blowout in Dolphins history. There was only one scrum of any sort of significance, lasting just a few seconds in the waning moments of the first half.

After the game, there weren’t hard feelings about the decision, either. As one player put it privately: “I’d f---ing do that against us, too.”