Derrick Henry wasted no time making his mark in Baltimore’s season opener against the Indianapolis Colts, and by the end of the first half he had already climbed into rarefied air in NFL history.
The Ravens running back entered Week 1 sitting fourth on the league’s all-time rushing touchdown list. With 4:05 left in the opening quarter, Henry powered in from four yards out to push Baltimore ahead 14-7. It was the 123rd rushing touchdown of his career, a number that tied him with Hall of Famer Marcus Allen for third all time.
Henry wasn’t done there. In the second quarter, he broke the tie with a 32-yard touchdown run, his second score of the half. The run was a reminder of the full package Henry brings - vision, force, and the burst to finish the play once he hits space.
Allen, whom Henry passed on Sunday, retired after the 1997 season as the NFL’s career leader in touchdown runs. His resume is loaded, too: Super Bowl XVIII MVP, the 1985 NFL MVP, the 1993 NFL Comeback Player of the Year, and the first player ever to post at least 10,000 rushing yards and 5,000 receiving yards. Allen also owned the Super Bowl record for longest run at 74 yards in Super Bowl XVIII for 22 years before Willie Parker broke it in Super Bowl XL.
Only Emmitt Smith and LaDainian Tomlinson have more career rushing touchdowns than Henry now. Smith finished with 164 over 15 seasons with the Cowboys and Cardinals, while Tomlinson had 145 across 11 seasons with the Chargers and Jets.
Henry also came into Sunday 10th all time in career rushing yards, and he’s less than 1,000 yards away from becoming only the seventh player to reach 14,000 rushing yards.
In Other News...
Colts Already Face One Ugly Question After Week 1 Collapse
The Colts season opener in Baltimore offered an early reminder that September can expose a lot more than just a final score. Indianapolis fell 41-23 to the Ravens, and the frustration came not only from the loss itself but from the way the defense handled the game, especially in the secondary. With veteran Kenny Moore gone after requesting his release, nickelback Justin Walley was thrust into a tougher role, and the problems around him quickly became part of the story.
Lou Anarumos defense now has an uncomfortable standard to answer after a rough debut, and Shane Steichens offense did not look like the group that had the cleaner game plan. Baltimores first-time head coach Jesse Minter appeared to have his team better prepared, even as the Colts showed enough fight to keep swinging late. The bigger question for Indianapolis is whether this was a one-game stumble or the first sign that the issues run deeper. [Read more 🡒]
Colts Have A Bigger Concern Than The Final Score Against Baltimore
The Colts left Baltimore with more than just a lopsided loss to sort through after the Ravens rolled to a 41-23 win in Jesse Minters debut on the sideline. Indianapolis got a big day from Derrick Henry, who ran for 144 yards and three touchdowns while moving past Marcus Allen into third place on the NFLs career rushing touchdowns list, but the result still put a spotlight on how much ground the Colts have to make up after a shaky outing.
Baltimore, meanwhile, found its own jolt from an aggressive game plan under offensive coordinator Declan Doyle, with Zay Flowers piling up a career-high 150 receiving yards before leaving with a hamstring injury. For Indianapolis, the final score was only part of the issue - the larger concern is how a defense that entered the day looking for answers now has even more to fix, and it comes with the uncertainty of how long Flowers will be sidelined hanging over the Ravens' offensive momentum. [Read more 🡒]
Colts Bring Back A Veteran Corner As Pressure Builds In Crowded Secondary
The Colts made a roster move to bring back veteran corner Cam Taylor-Britt, waiving Johnathan Edwards to clear the spot as the secondary keeps getting tighter. Taylor-Britt is returning from a one-game suspension and gives Indianapolis another experienced option at a position group that already has several corners split between the active roster and practice squad.
For a team trying to sort out roles in the back end, adding a player with Taylor-Britts track record adds both depth and a little more intrigue. He arrived after his run with the Bengals, and his profile comes with on-field value as well as off-field baggage, so his return is the kind of move that can reshape a crowded room while still leaving questions about how the Colts plan to use all of their options. [Read more 🡒]