Derrick Henry has spent the last two weeks in a rut by his standards, and the timing couldn’t be worse for the Baltimore Ravens.
Over that stretch, Henry has 162 yards on 49 carries, which works out to a modest 3.3 yards per carry. Now Baltimore walks into Week 5 against an Atlanta Falcons defense that has been outrageous against the run all season.
The Falcons’ numbers are the kind that jump off the page. They’ve allowed just 193 rushing yards, which ranks first in the league.
Their 2.7 yards per carry allowed also sits first. They’ve given up only two rushing touchdowns, are tied for first with zero runs of 20 yards or more allowed, and have given up a longest run of just 17 yards, tied for second.
That kind of resistance is a brutal matchup for any back, even one with Henry’s track record. And while Baltimore has leaned on him heavily - especially near the goal line - the Ravens have also had trouble creating anything in short-yardage situations. Whether that’s on Henry, the offensive line, or both, the result has been the same: too much resistance when defenses crowd the line.
Atlanta may have even more incentive to tighten things up if Lamar Jackson can’t go. In that case, Tyler Huntley would start at quarterback. Huntley has been accurate, but his arm talent doesn’t really threaten defenses deep, and that could let Falcons defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich keep the coverage condensed, stack the box, and make Baltimore prove it through the air.
That would put even more pressure on Henry, who still enters the game as one of the NFL’s most productive backs. He’s fourth in the league with 374 rushing yards and is tied for first with seven rushing touchdowns. The “slump” is only two weeks old, but the Falcons are the kind of opponent that can make it feel a lot longer.
Baltimore’s offensive line has more to prove, too. The Ravens got solid work up front last week against the Tennessee Titans, but that came against a bottom-10 run defense. Atlanta is a different animal, and the trench matchup tilts toward the Falcons.
There’s also a concern in the middle of Baltimore’s line with Vega Ioane expected to start at center and Andrew Vorhees or Emery Jones Jr. at right guard for at least one game before new acquisition Cam Jurgens puts on the pads. That only adds to the challenge against an Atlanta front that can disrupt both run and pass plays.
The Falcons also have enough interior talent to make life miserable for the Ravens’ game plan. Gervon Dexter Jr. and Brandon Dorlus could create problems no matter the down and distance.
If Baltimore is going to find room, it may have to come through the stretch runs that have served Henry so well. When he gets into space and can build momentum, he’s tough to bring down. The Ravens have also been strong with their downfield blocking on those plays.
Even then, Atlanta has defenders who can close fast and finish. Xavier Watts, Divine Deablo, and Harold Perkins Jr. give Ulbrich more than enough speed to chase Henry down and make him earn every yard.
Henry remains the centerpiece, but this is a rough setup. The Falcons have built a defense that has smothered everyone so far, and Baltimore’s best runner is about to find out just how little room there may be to breathe.
In Other News...
Ravens Face A Real Test Of Depth Without Lamar In Atlanta
Lamar Jacksons absence changes the shape of the Ravens offense, but it does not change the assignment in Atlanta: keep the machine moving with Tyler Huntley and make the most of the pieces still available. Baltimore has spent the week sorting through what Huntley can provide as a starter, how the offense can protect him, and how the rest of the roster can help cover for the missing star power. The matchup also asks plenty of the defense, which will have to deal with Atlantas top passing threat while continuing to hold up despite its own injury concerns.
The ripple effects go beyond quarterback. Baltimore is also adjusting to a changing tight end picture and the loss of some important depth, which matters in a game that figures to hinge on the little things rather than a shootout. Under a new head coach, the expectation is for a more controlled, physical kind of game, one where the Ravens margin for error is thinner than usual and the supporting cast has to carry more of the load. [Read more 🡒]
Ravens Suddenly Have A Marvin Harrison Jr. Decision Worth Watching
Baltimores search for receiver help has turned into a watchful wait, with the Ravens reportedly monitoring the trade market for Marvin Harrison Jr. as they try to strengthen a passing game that has been hampered by injuries and uneven production. The former No. 4 pick in the 2024 NFL Draft arrived in Arizona with huge expectations, and any move involving a player of that profile would instantly ripple across the league, especially for a Ravens team trying to stay aggressive despite salary-cap pressure.
The wrinkle for Baltimore is timing. After recently trading for center Cam Jurgens, the Ravens are still juggling how to improve the roster without boxing themselves in financially, and a pursuit of Harrison would fit the kind of swing-for-upside mindset that can define this part of the season. Nothing is settled yet, but the fact that Baltimore is even in the conversation says plenty about how seriously the team is weighing a major upgrade to its receiving corps. [Read more 🡒]
Ravens Trade Approach Clearly Changed After One Deal Fell Apart
After the Ravens failed attempt to land Maxx Crosby left a cautionary mark on the front office, the team clearly took a more careful path in its recent deal for center Cam Jurgens from the Eagles. Baltimore did not just rely on paperwork and reputation this time, instead gathering medical information before the trade was finalized so it could better understand exactly what it was getting.
Jurgens passed the physical, which was an important box to check after the earlier disappointment. Even so, he is not on the field right now, sidelined by a concussion, so the Ravens revamped approach may have helped them avoid one kind of problem while leaving them to monitor another as he works toward a return. [Read more 🡒]