The Jacksonville Jaguars defense ranks No. 2 in opponent points allowed per game in 2026, and that may be a point of emphasis for apologists who still believe in Ravens offensive coordinator Declan Doyle after Thursday night's debacle.
Still, the Buffalo Bills, Cleveland Browns, and Cincinnati Bengals each held the Ravens offense under 17 points over their current losing streak, and none of those teams rank within the top 10 in points allowed per game. Additionally, in each of those losses, running back Derrick Henry had fewer than 20 rushing attempts.
Stats speak louder than the words of the wishful who hope greatly in Doyle, and running back Derrick Henry's disfigured facial expressions in recent post-game conferences tell a deeper story. Doyle seems
stuck in a pattern that badly needs to be undone.
The Ravens went four for 14 on third-down in the 33-10 loss to the Jaguars and were afforded 54 plays on offense. Still, the offense produced only 10 first downs. Reserve quarterback Joe Fagnano threw two interceptions on just 18 passing attempts, and Henry was stuffed on his 17 rushing attempts, averaging just 3.4 yards per carry.
Doyle's pistol formation was likely designed to keep Fagnano upright due to the offensive line's recent struggles. However, the Ravens allowed only one sack, and Fagnano had enough time to read the progressions and make quality throws. However, within Doyle's ideated scheme that features tons of telegraphed passing plays, prolonged drop backs, and pretentious pre-snap motion plays, Henry has found himself becoming a second-thought, a shadow to Doyle’s endless quest to try to create a workable passing scheme with the team's reserves.
Ultimately, Henry wants to turn things around, but if Doyle won't deviate from his deceptive counter-intuition, the team will keep struggling. Jacoby Brissett isn't the antidote, and the Arizona Cardinals had a reason to let him walk. The only chance at revival depends heavily on Henry's legs, and Doyle needs more carries.
This article originally appeared on Ravens Wire: Ravens' third-down struggles are limiting Derrick Henry's impact
