The Ravens X-factor against the Bills in the 2025 NFL playoffs, and it’s not Lamar Jackson
When is it The Baltimore Ravens take the field against the Buffalo Bills In the Division Round 2025 NFL playoffsall eyes will be on matchup between Lamar Jackson and Josh Allen.
On paper, it makes sense, right? While MVP voting is officially over, since the award is for the regular season only, its eventual winner will almost certainly play in this game, even if the final results of the contest won’t necessarily match the AP vote total.
And yet, what if the most important player in this game isn’t the quarterback at all, but a potential difference-maker who could set the tone for the ice-cold showdown in Orchard Park? That’s right, we’re talking about “King Henry” himself: Derrick Henry.
There’s no two ways about it: while both quarterbacks will almost certainly make incredible hand plays, rip off impressive runs with their legs, and pull off the kind of rabbit-out-of-the-hat magic tricks that would make Criss Angel blush, if Henry gets this on the ground against the NFL 12th ranked rushing defenseit will be a real X-factor in Baltimore’s quest for Super Bowl glory.
Derrick Henry’s production leads directly to playoff success
During his nine-year NFL career, Henry has appeared in eight playoff games, seven with the Titans and one – so far – with the Ravens.
During that tenure, Henry’s performance was directly proportional to his team’s overall success, with his team winning every game in which he rushed for at least 100 yards – technically 150 yards – and his team lost every game in which it failed to reach triple digits.
Of course, is it really a one-to-one correlation? No, probably not, as usual, teams don’t continue to commit to the run when they’re losing, with coordinators often turning to the passing offense in search of picking up yards down the field through the air. However, in wins so far in his career in the playoffs, Henry has never had less than 23 yards, while in losses he has reached 20 only once, while the other three losses have all fallen short of the mark.
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Either way, when it comes to the playoffs, Henry has been better on the ground, with the former 2,000-yard back averaging 5.04 yards per carry in the playoffs vs. 4.9 yards per carry average during his 136 regular season. While the sample size may be quite small, in Baltimore, Henry has already proven why he’s a top rushing talent in Charm City, picking up 186 yards on 26 carries for a 7.15-yard average in his first postseason game with the team. So if the Ravens can give him 23 or more carries and push him over the 100-yard mark – technically 150 yards – again in Buffalo, the team’s chances of winning are borderline guaranteed, right?
The Ravens believe in Derrick Henry’s offensive abilities
While statistics prove that Henry is undefeated in the playoffs in games where he rushes for over 100 yards, when it comes to the good old eye test, “The King” brings a big advantage to the Ravens as well, as catching the football is noticeably more difficult in cold weather, even and when you’re wearing the best gloves the modern NFL has to offer. Pursuing the ball, by contract, remains largely the same; if anything, defenders’ chances of staying locked actually decrease as the temperature drops, since it’s harder to maintain their lateral agility in flight in freezing conditions.
Need proof? Look no further than Ravens cornerback Marlon Humphrey, who made it known during his Sunday media session that he believes Henry he could make the difference in the game because of the challenge his hard-nosed physical style presents in the cold weather game.
“Yeah, having (Derrick Henry) is huge. He upset us in our stadium and he’s also just had a great game with us so I know it’s not fun to take those hits because he usually brings the hits to you – the defender – so it’s great to have him in the team,” he said. Humphrey to reporters. “Something that really impressed me, with him — being with him in college — but when I see him … He’s always a pretty closed-off guy, but seeing the urgency that he takes, the approach, the lockdown that I’ve seen in him over the last few weeks (on end) of the season, he appears to be locked in at another level. I think it really helps to keep the balance, to keep the team… I’m really impressed with how he works. He is a professional. He’s been that all year, but it seems like as we’ve gotten closer to the postseason, closing out some of those games and this last game, it seems like his poise, his closure has gone to another level.”
So what exactly makes Henry such a cheat code in general, and especially in the cold weather game? Well, the answer to that question is really simple: Henry may just be the most physically imposing player in the NFL, with a unique blend of size and power that makes it nearly impossible for any player to bring him down with ease.
“(Derrick Henry) moves a lot faster than he looks. That’s probably what really disrupts the corners when he hits the edge, disrupts the linebackers, and then his hands are… He’s a specimen build. You kind of think you can tackle it, and sometimes it works, but if it freezes you, it’s just different,” Humphrey noted.
“He’s definitely one of a kind, but I think the visuals and what’s actually happening don’t match up.” It’s like, ‘Oh, I have the perfect angle.’ Then it bypasses you. ‘Oh, I can tackle him here.’ Then, not to attack my guy Minkah (Fitzpatrick), Minkah was there, looking all right, and then, out of nowhere, just a stiff arm in the face, and a stiff stiff arm at that. It’s more of a kick. It probably should… Maybe it should be illegal, because it’s (more like) a hit, but if he’s on my team, it’s fine. If it’s against me, I want it to be illegal. He’s just different, so I know the Bills are going to have their hands full… It’s going to be tough.”
Considering Humphrey has to rub shoulders with Henry weekly in training, it’s safe to say he’s an expert on the subject. Good luck, defenders of the law; you will need it.
2025-01-16 13:00:00
