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Derrick Henry Is ‘Praying’ the Browns Beat the Steelers on Sunday for Playoff Reasons

If Pittsburgh wins in Week 17, then Baltimore is eliminated from playoff contention.

Madison Williams

Ravens running back Derrick Henry said he was going to “pray” for the Browns to beat the Steelers.
Ravens running back Derrick Henry said he was going to “pray” for the Browns to beat the Steelers. / Tork Mason / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
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The Ravens kept their playoff chances alive on Saturday night after beating the Packers 41–24. Baltimore desperately needs its AFC North rival Steelers to lose on Sunday to the Browns in order to remain in contention. A Pittsburgh win on Sunday would officially eliminate the Ravens from any postseason hope.

So, in a funny turn of events, the Ravens are actively rooting for one of their other AFC North rivals, the Browns, on Sunday. The players made that very known after Saturday’s victory.

Derrick Henry had a historic performance on Saturday, becoming the first running back to score four rushing touchdowns in a single game with two different teams. He also moved up in the all-time rankings for most rushing touchdowns as he now has 121. But, the Browns were on his mind after the game.

“I’m going to pray as soon as I get on the plane, when I get home in the morning, when I wake up,” Henry said. “Hopefully, we get blessed for the opportunity to have to play for something Week 18.”

Backup quarterback Tyler Huntley, who played for an injured Lamar Jackson, competed with Cleveland quarterback Shedeur Sanders during camp this past summer, so he jokingly said he needed to call him after the game to motivate him to beat the Steelers.

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“I’m trying to make it out of here, so I can call Shedeur really quick and make sure he gets it done,” Huntley said.

The Ravens even tweeted a message on Sunday morning to their fans and the Browns. It’s funny what the NFL playoffs can make a team do.

“Good morning to the Ravens Flock and the Cleveland Browns only!!” the tweet read.

We’ll see if the 3–12 Browns can deliver a miracle for the Ravens on Sunday afternoon. Otherwise, the 9–6 Steelers will clinch the AFC North playoff bid. If the Browns win and give the Ravens hope, then Baltimore and Pittsburgh will play for a chance to win the playoff spot in Week 18 when they face one another.

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Madison Williams
MADISON WILLIAMS

Madison Williams is a staff writer on the Breaking and Trending News team at Sports Illustrated, where she specializes in tennis but covers a wide range of sports from a national perspective. Before joining SI in 2022, Williams worked at The Sporting News. Having graduated from Augustana College, she completed a master’s in sports media at Northwestern University. She is a dog mom and an avid reader.

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