BALTIMORE -- The Baltimore Ravens made the Miami Dolphins, one of the hottest teams in the NFL, look like the Cleveland Browns.
Why? Joe Flacco went on a tear.
The Ravens have the NFL's No. 2 defense and best kicker in Justin Tucker. If Flacco can continue to play anywhere close to this level, the Ravens can put together a bigger playoff run than anyone expected.
"We've seen it before -- when Joe is on like that, we're tough to beat," Pro Bowl guard Marshal Yanda said.
In Sunday's 38-6 rout of the Dolphins, the Ravens pushed aside the running game and put the offense on the shoulders of Flacco, who was 36-for 47 for 381 yards (fifth-highest of his career) and four touchdowns. Lining up primarily in the shotgun, he broke out of a season-long funk and picked apart the NFL's ninth-ranked pass defense with pass after pass in between the numbers. Flacco hit Dennis Pitta, Steve Smith and whoever else was open over the middle of the field and in stride.
"There were people open," Flacco said. "I mean, guys were running into pretty big open holes. I had time to sit back there and drill them in it."
Maybe everyone should've expected this from Flacco and the Ravens' offense, even though they were going against a Miami team that had won six in a row.
It was a week ago when Flacco called out the play-calling for being "conservative," and the quarterback and offensive coordinator Marty Mornhinweg hashed out Flacco's criticism in a meeting Tuesday. The response: Flacco's 34 pass attempts in the first half were the most by any quarterback since Peyton Manning in 2013. His 36 completions for the game were a franchise record.
"They had a little back-and-forth in one of the quarterback meetings," coach John Harbaugh said. "We challenge each other, and everybody is able to do it in a way that makes each other better."
It's also now more than a year that Flacco tore two ligaments in his left knee. Flacco posted his most yards passing, touchdowns and passer rating (119.2) since his season-ending injury on Nov. 22, 2015.
For weeks, the Ravens have been searching for a killer instinct. Flacco and Baltimore showed it twice Sunday.
Leading 14-0, the Ravens kept piling it on with an 18-play, 88-yard drive that lasted 8:57. On that drive, Flacco was 12-of-14 for 91 yards.
After the Dolphins ended the shutout in the fourth quarter, the Ravens responded by scoring less than two minutes later. Flacco hit wide receiver Breshad Perriman for a 53-yard touchdown.
The Ravens were so dominant that Flacco was pulled from the game with 9:46 left.
What makes Flacco's performance more impressive is that it came against the same Dolphins who picked off the San Diego Chargers' Philip Rivers four times and held the Pittsburgh Steelers' Ben Roethlisberger under 200 yards passing.
Flacco ranked No. 29 in passer rating entering this game. Only Case Keenum, Ryan Fitzpatrick and Brock Osweiler had been worse.
But Flacco couldn't get hotter at a better time. The Ravens (7-5) finish out the season with the Philadelphia Eagles at home and road trips to New England, Pittsburgh and Cincinnati.
Baltimore has been able to hold onto first place on the strength of its defense and special teams. With Flacco playing better, the Ravens are a complete team. They're also a menacing one.
"He was playing lights out," wide receiver Steve Smith Sr. said. "We go as he goes."