Baltimore Ravens vs. Miami Dolphins: 2008 Week 18 Recap

Game story

In Week 18 of the 2008 NFL season on 2009-01-04, the Baltimore Ravens took care of business against the Miami Dolphins, pulling away with a 27–9 final that controlled the game from start to finish.

The highest-scoring period was Q4 with 13 combined points — the stretch that most shaped the final margin.

C. Pennington (Miami Dolphins) paced the passing game, with -9.50 total EPA, and +0.5% completion percentage over expected.

On the individual side, D. Mason (Baltimore Ravens) delivered the top overall EPA impact at +6.32 — the clearest player-of-the-game signal on the analytics sheet.

The momentum swing (-20.9% win probability) landed in the second quarter when Miami Dolphins changed the game: (2:51) (Shotgun) 10-C.Pennington pass deep left intended for 19-T.Ginn INTERCEPTED by 20-E.Reed at BAL 36. 20-E.Reed for 64 yards, TOUCHDOWN.

Line score

Final score and points by quarter.

Stars of the game

Top performers by total expected points added (EPA) across passing, rushing, and receiving.

1. 1 D. Mason · Baltimore Ravens · Receiving · +6.32 total EPA · 4 snaps · +1.58 EPA/play
2. 2 P. Cobbs · Miami Dolphins · Receiving · +3.97 total EPA · 4 snaps · +0.99 EPA/play
3. 3 D. Bess · Miami Dolphins · Receiving · +3.85 total EPA · 2 snaps · +1.93 EPA/play
4. 4 R. Brown · Miami Dolphins · Receiving · +3.33 total EPA · 6 snaps · +0.55 EPA/play
5. 5 T. Ginn · Miami Dolphins · Receiving · +2.81 total EPA · 5 snaps · +0.56 EPA/play
6. 6 T. Heap · Baltimore Ravens · Receiving · +2.41 total EPA · 1 snaps · +2.41 EPA/play
7. 7 M. Clayton · Baltimore Ravens · Receiving · +2.16 total EPA · 2 snaps · +1.08 EPA/play
8. 8 L. Polite · Miami Dolphins · Rushing · +1.47 total EPA · 3 snaps · +0.49 EPA/play

Player of the game

FantasyHQ analytics player-of-the-game pick based on total EPA and signature plays.

Who scored touchdowns and field goals

Every touchdown and field goal with the player named in official play-by-play.

Touchdowns

• Baltimore Ravens — E. Reed (Q2 32:51)
• Baltimore Ravens — L. McClain (Q3 22:41)
• Miami Dolphins — R. Brown (C. Pennington pass) (Q4 13:19)
• Baltimore Ravens — J. Flacco (Q4 4:00)

Field goals

• Miami Dolphins — D. Carpenter (Q1 53:21)
• Baltimore Ravens — M. Stover (Q1 47:52)
• Baltimore Ravens — M. Stover (Q2 30:21)

How it unfolded, quarter by quarter

A quarter-by-quarter recap built from live scoring plays and play descriptions.

The opening quarter: The quarter finished even at 3–3. Miami Dolphins connected on a field goal from the BAL 1 (Q1 53:21) — (8:21) (Field Goal formation) 5-D.Carpenter 19 yard field goal is GOOD, Center-92-J.Denney, Holder-2-B.Fields.; Baltimore Ravens connected on a field goal from the MIA 5 (Q1 47:52) — (2:52) (Field Goal formation) 3-M.Stover 23 yard field goal is GOOD, Center-70-M.Katula, Holder-4-S.Koch..

The second quarter: Baltimore Ravens won the period 10–0. Baltimore Ravens found the end zone from the BAL 81 (Q2 32:51); Baltimore Ravens added 1 points from the MIA 2 (Q2 32:30) — (Kick formation) 3-M.Stover extra point is GOOD, Center-70-M.Katula, Holder-4-S.Koch.; Baltimore Ravens connected on a field goal from the MIA 13 (Q2 30:21) — (:21) (Field Goal formation) 3-M.Stover 31 yard field goal is GOOD, Center-70-M.Katula, Holder-4-S.Koch..

The third quarter: Baltimore Ravens won the period 7–0. Baltimore Ravens found the end zone from the MIA 8 (Q3 22:41) — (7:41) (No Huddle) 33-L.McClain up the middle for 8 yards, TOUCHDOWN.; Baltimore Ravens added 1 points from the MIA 2 (Q3 22:33) — (Kick formation) 3-M.Stover extra point is GOOD, Center-70-M.Katula, Holder-4-S.Koch..

The fourth quarter: Baltimore Ravens won the period 7–6. Miami Dolphins found the end zone from the BAL 2 (Q4 13:19) — (13:19) 10-C.Pennington pass short left to 23-R.Brown for 2 yards, TOUCHDOWN.; Baltimore Ravens found the end zone from the MIA 5 (Q4 4:00) — (4:00) 5-J.Flacco up the middle for 5 yards, TOUCHDOWN.; Baltimore Ravens added 1 points from the MIA 2 (Q4 3:53) — (Kick formation) 3-M.Stover extra point is GOOD, Center-70-M.Katula, Holder-4-S.Koch..

Turning points

Plays that moved win probability the most — the swings that decided the game.

• Miami Dolphins (Q2 32:51) — (2:51) (Shotgun) 10-C.Pennington pass deep left intended for 19-T.Ginn INTERCEPTED by 20-E.Reed at BAL 36. 20-E.Reed for 64 yards, TOUCHDOWN. [WPA -20.9% · EPA -6.72]
• Baltimore Ravens (Q1 57:42) — (12:42) (No Huddle) 33-L.McClain left guard to MIA 39 for -1 yards (96-P.Soliai). FUMBLES (96-P.Soliai), RECOVERED by MIA-55-J.Porter at MIA 44. 55-J.Porter to MIA 49 for 5 yards (42-L.Neal). [WPA -16.9% · EPA -5.64]
• Miami Dolphins (Q2 39:11) — (9:11) 10-C.Pennington pass deep left intended for 19-T.Ginn INTERCEPTED by 36-J.Leonhard [57-B.Scott] at BAL 35. 36-J.Leonhard to MIA 45 for 20 yards (15-D.Bess). [WPA -10.5% · EPA -4.58]
• Miami Dolphins (Q3 24:52) — (9:52) (Shotgun) 38-P.Cobbs left end to MIA 25 for 7 yards (91-M.Douglas). FUMBLES (91-M.Douglas), RECOVERED by BAL-55-T.Suggs at MIA 19. 55-T.Suggs to MIA 19 for no gain (64-S.Satele). [WPA -7.1% · EPA -3.32]
• Miami Dolphins (Q4 8:44) — (8:44) 10-C.Pennington FUMBLES (Aborted) at BAL 33, recovered by MIA-19-T.Ginn at BAL 44. 19-T.Ginn to BAL 44 for no gain (55-T.Suggs). [WPA -6.8% · EPA -2.60]

Impact plays

Highest expected-points added snaps that flipped field position and scoring chances.

• Miami Dolphins (Q2 32:51) — (2:51) (Shotgun) 10-C.Pennington pass deep left intended for 19-T.Ginn INTERCEPTED by 20-E.Reed at BAL 36. 20-E.Reed for 64 yards, TOUCHDOWN. [WPA -20.9% · EPA -6.72]
• Baltimore Ravens (Q1 57:42) — (12:42) (No Huddle) 33-L.McClain left guard to MIA 39 for -1 yards (96-P.Soliai). FUMBLES (96-P.Soliai), RECOVERED by MIA-55-J.Porter at MIA 44. 55-J.Porter to MIA 49 for 5 yards (42-L.Neal). [WPA -16.9% · EPA -5.64]
• Miami Dolphins (Q2 39:11) — (9:11) 10-C.Pennington pass deep left intended for 19-T.Ginn INTERCEPTED by 36-J.Leonhard [57-B.Scott] at BAL 35. 36-J.Leonhard to MIA 45 for 20 yards (15-D.Bess). [WPA -10.5% · EPA -4.58]
• Miami Dolphins (Q3 17:04) — (2:04) 10-C.Pennington pass short middle intended for 38-P.Cobbs INTERCEPTED by 20-E.Reed at BAL 8. 20-E.Reed to BAL 20 for 12 yards (64-S.Satele). [WPA -6.0% · EPA -4.35]

Quarterback report card

C.Pennington led all passers in efficiency for Miami Dolphins, setting the tone in the passing game according to FantasyHQ analytics.

• C.Pennington (Miami Dolphins) · 43 dropbacks · 58.1% completion · +0.5% CPOE · -0.22 EPA/play · -9.50 total EPA
• J.Flacco (Baltimore Ravens) · 24 dropbacks · 37.5% completion · -12.4% CPOE · +0.05 EPA/play · +1.09 total EPA

Team stats comparison

Side-by-side offensive and defensive efficiency from FantasyHQ analytics.

By the numbers

Despite the final score, Baltimore Ravens generated the better offensive EPA per play (-0.03 vs -0.29), suggesting they moved the ball more efficiently.

• Baltimore Ravens: 12 drives, -2.09 total EPA, 4 scoring drives
• Miami Dolphins: 12 drives, -23.22 total EPA, 2 scoring drives

Key takeaways

What to remember for fantasy research, film review, and follow-up box score digging.

• Baltimore Ravens leaves with the win and the better postgame narrative for Week-to-week momentum.
• D. Mason (Baltimore Ravens) is the first name to pull up for highlight reels and prop-retrospective research.
• J. Flacco (BAL) finished below expected efficiency — volume may have masked accuracy issues.

Every scoring play

Chronological scoring with field position and full play-by-play context.

1. Miami Dolphins FG (+3) — Q1 53:21 · BAL 1 · Score 0-3
   (8:21) (Field Goal formation) 5-D.Carpenter 19 yard field goal is GOOD, Center-92-J.Denney, Holder-2-B.Fields.
2. Baltimore Ravens FG (+3) — Q1 47:52 · MIA 5 · Score 3-3
   (2:52) (Field Goal formation) 3-M.Stover 23 yard field goal is GOOD, Center-70-M.Katula, Holder-4-S.Koch.
3. Baltimore Ravens TD (+6) — Q2 32:51 · BAL 81 · Score 9-3
   (2:51) (Shotgun) 10-C.Pennington pass deep left intended for 19-T.Ginn INTERCEPTED by 20-E.Reed at BAL 36. 20-E.Reed for 64 yards, TOUCHDOWN.
4. Baltimore Ravens XP (+1) — Q2 32:30 · MIA 2 · Score 10-3
   (Kick formation) 3-M.Stover extra point is GOOD, Center-70-M.Katula, Holder-4-S.Koch.
5. Baltimore Ravens FG (+3) — Q2 30:21 · MIA 13 · Score 13-3
   (:21) (Field Goal formation) 3-M.Stover 31 yard field goal is GOOD, Center-70-M.Katula, Holder-4-S.Koch.
6. Baltimore Ravens TD (+6) — Q3 22:41 · MIA 8 · Score 19-3
   (7:41) (No Huddle) 33-L.McClain up the middle for 8 yards, TOUCHDOWN.
7. Baltimore Ravens XP (+1) — Q3 22:33 · MIA 2 · Score 20-3
   (Kick formation) 3-M.Stover extra point is GOOD, Center-70-M.Katula, Holder-4-S.Koch.
8. Miami Dolphins TD (+6) — Q4 13:19 · BAL 2 · Score 20-9
   (13:19) 10-C.Pennington pass short left to 23-R.Brown for 2 yards, TOUCHDOWN.
9. Baltimore Ravens TD (+6) — Q4 4:00 · MIA 5 · Score 26-9
   (4:00) 5-J.Flacco up the middle for 5 yards, TOUCHDOWN.
10. Baltimore Ravens XP (+1) — Q4 3:53 · MIA 2 · Score 27-9
    (Kick formation) 3-M.Stover extra point is GOOD, Center-70-M.Katula, Holder-4-S.Koch.