The Baltimore Ravens beat the Green Bay Packers on Saturday night to keep their playoff hopes alive for at least one more day. Here are the instant takeaways from the 41-24 win:
John Harbaugh and Todd Monken got the memo
One question was on everyone’s mind after the Ravens’ loss to the Patriots last Sunday: where was Derrick Henry in the fourth quarter? After punching in his second touchdown with 12:53 left in the game, he didn’t see the field for the rest of the game. That sparked some of the loudest criticism of Baltimore’s coaching staff
all year, even raising rarely-asked (but often-thought) questions about John Harbaugh’s job security. He offered explanations of backfield rotations and the chaos of coaching an NFL game, but ultimately acknowledged that Henry should have been on the field with the game on the line, especially with Lamar Jackson on the sidelines.
Fast forward to Saturday, when the Ravens’ season was on the line, again with Jackson unable to play due to injury, and Henry took a career-high 36 carries. In other words: message received.
Derrick Henry is (still) an ageless wonder
Henry’s dominant 2024 season appeared to be proof-of-concept that some running backs could still play at a high level into their 30s. But a number of tough performances this season made some wonder if the 10 seasons and 2,606 career rushing attempts were starting to take their toll.
There were clearly other factors – an inconsistent offensive line, the absence of read-option plays with Jackson, suspect play-calling – but Henry did not seem like he was punishing defenders in quite the same way. Then, December rolled around, and for the last three games, Henry has looked as good as ever. In Weeks 15 and 16, he took 29 carries for 228 yards and two touchdowns before crushing those numbers on Saturday night. On the aforementioned career-high 36 rushing attempts, he gained 216 yards and scored four touchdowns, virtually carrying the Ravens to a must-win victory in his favorite month of the year.
Baltimore’s pass rush is (still) pitiful
Zach Orr appeared to have figured out some ways to generate pressure during the Ravens’ post-bye win streak, but it has been sorely lacking in recent weeks. That continued on Saturday night. Outside of garbage time, Baltimore logged one sack and just three quarterback hits. Packers quarterback Malik Willis had plenty of time in the pocket despite the absence of right tackle Zach Tom. Even when Orr dialed up blitzes, they could not get home in time, often because they were paired with off-coverage from the secondary.
That lack of cohesion between the coverage call and the pass rush has been a problem for the Ravens all year. At its core, the problem starts with a dearth of defensive line talent who can consistently win against above-average offensive lines. Baltimore’s defense has been able to pick on some weaker and/or injured offensive lines this year, but against the Packers’ more reliable unit, they had little impact.
The Ravens’ O-line played…well?
As with the defense, the issues with Baltimore’s offense start in the trenches. But in Green Bay, the Ravens dismantled the Packers’ defensive front. Admittedly, that unit is now without Micah Parsons and Devonte Wyatt, but the Ravens’ offensive line plainly deserves credit. They were consistently winning at the point of attack and hitting their blocks in space, which opened up huge holes for Henry to exploit. They also did a great job pushing the pile when opportunities arose.
Less was asked of the O-line in pass protection, but they held up. The Packers only logged one sack and three quarterback hits all game; in general, their pass rush barely seemed to bother Huntley. It was arguably the unit’s best showing of the season, making it both fortuitous and somewhat of a shame that it came with Jackson on the sidelines.
Baltimore’s season is not over, but it could end tomorrow
The Ravens had to win in Green Bay to keep their playoff hopes alive, but their fate now lies in the hands of the Cleveland Browns. If the Browns can beat the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday, the Ravens could steal back the division title (and make the playoffs) with a Week 18 win over the Steelers.
Harbaugh and several Ravens said after the game that they would be closely watching Browns-Steelers on Sunday, which is projected to be impacted by winter weather in Cleveland. The rest of Flock Nation will be tuning in, too, including those of us at Baltimore Beatdown. Check back tomorrow for our Browns-Steelers Watch Party and Game Thread as we wait to find out if the Ravens have one last chance at the postseason.
