Ravens Stars Named OPOY Finalists

Two Baltimore Ravens superstars are up for one of the NFL's top awards.
Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson (8) hands off to running back Derrick Henry (22) in the second quarter of the NFL Week 5 game between the Cincinnati Bengals and Baltimore Ravens at Paycor Stadium in downtown Cincinnati on Sunday, Oct. 6, 2024. The Bengals led 17-14 at halftime.
Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson (8) hands off to running back Derrick Henry (22) in the second quarter of the NFL Week 5 game between the Cincinnati Bengals and Baltimore Ravens at Paycor Stadium in downtown Cincinnati on Sunday, Oct. 6, 2024. The Bengals led 17-14 at halftime. / Sam Greene/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
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The Baltimore Ravens' signing of running back Derrick Henry to pair with quarterback Lamar Jackson was expected to produce fireworks, but even the most optimistic fans probably didn't expect it to work out this well.

Henry, arguably the best running back of the past decade, enjoyed one of the best seasons of his illustrious career, rushing for 1,921 yards and 16 touchdowns (plus two as a receiver), while rushing for a career-best 5.9 yards per attempt. Some doubted Henry's ability to fit in with the Ravens' offense, especially in his age-30 season, but he fit in like a dream.

Jackson, on the other hand, had one of the best quarterback seasons the league has ever seen. The 28-year-old completed 66.7 percent of his passes for 4,172 yards, 41 touchdowns and only four interceptions, adding 915 yards and four touchdowns as a rusher.

When both players were rolling, the Ravens' offense was nearly unstoppable. Fittingly, both players are now finalists for Offensive Player of the Year. Joining them as finalists are Philadelphia Eagles running back Saquon Barkley, Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow and Bengals wide receiver Ja'Marr Chase.

Henry has already won the award before, doing so after his 2,000-yard season in 2020. Jackson has not, but he won MVP in 2019 and 2023, and finished very high in Offensive Player of the Year voting in both years.

After such a successful first year with Jackson and Henry together, the Ravens absolutely want to run it back in 2025, and hopefully get over the postseason hump this time.

"I'm just so grateful that Derrick chose us last year," general manager Eric DeCosta told reporters Wednesday. "He came in and … I can honestly just say his attitude and the way that he played was amazing to watch. His relationship with his teammates, his humility as a player, his work ethic – I can't wait to see him next year.

"I know it was tough on him to end the way it did; tough on all of us. But I think we have a chip on our shoulders to come back next year with a vengeance, to start faster than we started this year, to not start 0-2 next year, to get out of the gates faster. I think Derrick will be a big part of that."

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