Derrick Henry has spent years making Father Time look helpless, but the last two weeks have forced an uncomfortable conversation in Baltimore.
The Ravens’ 35-13 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals was ugly enough on its own, and Henry’s line only added to the frustration: 45 yards on 17 carries, a 2.6-yards-per-carry night that followed another quiet outing against the Cleveland Browns. A week earlier, he had 58 yards on 17 carries and also lost a costly fumble. Two straight games like that are enough to make anyone pause and ask whether this is just a rough patch or the start of something more concerning.
Henry didn’t hide from it afterward. He called his performance "terrible" and said, "he’s not making plays and not helping his team." That kind of accountability is part of why he’s been so respected, but it doesn’t erase the reality that he needs to rebound quickly.
There are reasons to be careful before sounding the alarm. Baltimore’s run blocking has been shaky over these past two games, and Lamar Jackson hasn’t been there to keep defenses honest. With Tyler Huntley under center, opposing fronts can crowd the line more aggressively, and that changes the math for any runner.
Still, this isn’t just about circumstances. Henry opened the season with a 144-yard, three-touchdown eruption against the Indianapolis Colts in Week 1, and just two weeks ago he went for 102 yards. That’s why these last two games look more like a bad stretch than a full collapse.
Even so, Sunday was a missed chance. The Bengals came into the game bottom-10 in rushing yards allowed per game, which gave Henry an opportunity to snap out of it.
Instead, he managed just one run longer than nine yards. The Browns game offered another chance, and that one came with Mason Graham out.
The situation around him hasn’t been perfect, but it hasn’t fully explained away the drop-off either.
What stood out most was how little burst Henry showed. He wasn’t creating the kind of explosive plays that usually define him, and he was much easier to tackle than normal. That matters even more because he’s 32 now, and the question of age is no longer something anyone can ignore.
This doesn’t mean Henry is done. He can still be an above-average back, and a bounce-back remains very much on the table.
But whether he’s still operating at that elite level is a fair question after two rough weeks. If he doesn’t turn it around soon, the decline talk is going to get louder fast.
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Ravens Need Tyler Huntley To Hold Up In Their Toughest Spot Yet
Tyler Huntley is set to take the Ravens offense into another division test in Week 7, with Lamar Jackson still sidelined by the high ankle sprain that has kept him out for two straight games. Against a Bengals defense that has been a sturdy run unit, Baltimore will need Huntley to keep the offense on schedule and avoid putting the game in a position where every snap feels heavier than it should.
The matchup also brings a few layers beyond the quarterback spot, with Baltimore eyeing how it can attack Cincinnati while managing the other side of the ball. Trey Hendrickson is in line for his first game against the Bengals since leaving the team, adding another edge to a matchup that already asks plenty of the Ravens as they try to navigate a tricky road in the AFC North. [Read more 🡒]
Ravens O Line Has Another Injury Concern Fans Will Hate
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Ioane exited during the Ravens third drive and was replaced by Emery Jones Jr., leaving Baltimore to adjust on the fly again. His status to return was listed as questionable, and for a team that has already spent plenty of time managing its line depth, this was the kind of scare fans did not want to see. [Read more 🡒]
Ravens Collapse Put One Late Decision Under The Microscope
The Ravens had an early lead and looked capable of riding out Lamar Jacksons injury with backup Tyler Huntley under center, but the game slipped away in a hurry against the Bengals. Baltimore was outscored badly after halftime in a 35-13 loss, a result that left the whole afternoon feeling like a missed chance long before the final whistle.
What drew the sharpest scrutiny was a late fourth-down call from Jesse Minter, one that ended without a payoff and seemed to swing momentum squarely to Cincinnati. With the Ravens already trying to survive without Jackson, the decision became a focal point in a game where every possession mattered, and it only deepened the frustration around a collapse that had been building for much of the second half. [Read more 🡒]