Derrick Henry’s Explosive Start Fuels Ravens’ Dominant Win and Turnaround

If anyone still questioned why the Ravens signed running back Derrick Henry this offseason, Sunday night’s opening offensive play provided the perfect answer.

On the very first play, Henry took a handoff from Lamar Jackson, made a quick cut, and dashed 87 yards for a touchdown. The play was a prime example of the explosive runs Henry has been known for throughout his NFL career. From there, the Ravens cruised to a 35-10 victory. After the game, Henry admitted he had been “anticipating” that kind of start.

Henry revealed he “felt pretty good about that play all week.” He finished the night with an impressive 199 yards on 24 carries, making it clear when asked about his fit in the Ravens’ offense.

“If tonight doesn’t show I’m comfortable, I don’t know what else will,” Henry said, according to a team transcript. “It’s been a lot of fun. We didn’t start the season how we wanted, but I told the guys this is why I came here—because of the culture. We were 0-2 with our backs against the wall, but we kept believing, kept fighting, and now we’re back where we want to be. Let’s keep building from this win in all three phases.”

Henry now leads the league in rushing, amassing 480 yards in his first four games with the Ravens. Remarkably, 350 of those yards came in the last two games, a major factor in the team’s bounce-back to a 2-2 record after opening the season with two losses. With Henry leading the charge, the Ravens are shaping up to be a tough opponent over the next 13 weeks of the regular season.