Ravens Collapse Late in Week 16, and the Derrick Henry Decision Looms Large
The Baltimore Ravens had the game in their grip - up 11 points in the fourth quarter, playoff hopes within reach, momentum on their side. But in a season full of missed opportunities and puzzling decisions, Week 16’s 28-24 loss to the New England Patriots might be the most frustrating chapter yet.
And at the heart of it all? A baffling decision to sideline Derrick Henry when the Ravens needed him most.
Let’s be clear: Baltimore didn’t lose because of one play. But they might’ve lost because of one very big absence.
After Henry bulldozed his way to 128 yards and two touchdowns on 18 carries, the five-time Pro Bowler was nowhere to be found in the final 12 minutes. Not a single snap.
Not when the Ravens were trying to close out the game. Not when the Patriots were mounting their comeback.
Not when Baltimore desperately needed a closer.
Instead, the Ravens turned to Keaton Mitchell and Rasheen Ali - a pair of young backs with upside, sure, but not the same game-breaking, clock-killing presence Henry brings. Mitchell finished with nine carries for just 13 yards.
Ali didn’t make a dent either. And as the Patriots clawed back, the Ravens’ offense sputtered, leaving the door wide open for a comeback that felt all too familiar.
This wasn’t just a questionable rotation - it was a full-on strategic breakdown.
After the game, the decision lit up headlines and postgame shows alike. NBC’s Rodney Harrison didn’t hold back, calling out Offensive Coordinator Todd Monken in a fiery on-air segment.
“I absolutely at times hate the Ravens’ offensive strategy,” Harrison said. “What are you saving [Henry] for?
You saving him for next year? You might as well run him now.
That’s the reason why you redid his contract, you paid him a lot of money, for moments like this… [Monken] took Derrick Henry out, and it cost them the game.”
Tony Dungy backed him up with a fitting analogy: “If Steph Curry just hit six threes in a row, you don’t take him out.”
And that’s the crux of it. Derrick Henry was hot.
He was the guy who had been setting the tone all night. He was the one chewing up yardage and dragging defenders in his wake.
This was exactly the type of situation Baltimore signed him for - late-game leads, playoff implications, a chance to slam the door shut. Instead, they left the door wide open.
On Monday, Head Coach John Harbaugh revealed that Henry and Running Backs Coach Willie Taggart had decided to open the potential game-sealing drive with Mitchell. But here’s the thing: Harbaugh and Monken had every opportunity to override that call. That’s what head coaches and coordinators are there for - to read the moment, adjust on the fly, and make sure the best players are on the field when it matters most.
And in this case, they didn’t.
This isn’t a one-off, either. All season, we’ve seen the Ravens start fast with Henry, only to dial him back late. Whether it’s a matter of load management, play design, or just misreading the flow of the game, the result has been the same: an offense that fades when it should be finishing.
Sunday night’s loss wasn’t just painful - it was emblematic. It captured everything that’s gone wrong for the Ravens in 2025.
A team with talent, grit, and opportunity, undone by head-scratching decisions and untimely execution. With the postseason hanging in the balance, Baltimore had a chance to take control.
Instead, they let it slip - and they did it with their best weapon standing on the sideline.
Now, with their playoff hopes flickering, the Ravens are left to answer the same question fans and analysts have been asking for weeks: When the game is on the line, why isn’t Derrick Henry on the field?
It’s a question that could define their season.