Ravens' Derrick Henry Makes NFL History vs. Packers

Baltimore Ravens running back Derrick Henry is making records in Week 17 against the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field.

Henry ran for 67 yards in the first quarter, putting him in the top 10 rushing yards in NFL history in the process. Henry passed former Dallas Cowboys legend Tony Dorsett to enter the top 10.

Baltimore Ravens running back Derrick Henry runs for a touchdown during the first quarter against the Green Bay Packers | Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images

Henry Now Top 10 in Rushing Yards

With Henry's 67 rushing yards on 11 carries, the Ravens are turning to him heavily in order to win the game and keep their playoff hopes alive. This is a stark change to last week's game against the New England Patriots where he was hardly featured in the fourth quarter after scoring his second touchdown of the game.

"Players are running on the field fast based on the gameplan, what the rotating coach decides to do, what the tag on the play is, and who's got that play, and there's reasons for all that that are in the gameplan," Ravens head coach John Harbaugh said of Henry's usage.

"So, I'm not defending all that and – heck no – you can pick plays or who goes in, or when they go in, but it's not just as simple as, 'Oh, Derrick Henry didn't play the whole fourth quarter.' It was those plays back-to-back; he was going to go in. That was part of the plan, and it was felt, in making those decisions, guys are running on and off the field as players are being called in the rotation to go in that direction."

"As I look back on it, I'm like, 'Sure, I see the point.' But I'm also not in the midst of saying, 'Oh, whoa, whoa, whoa. Timeout. Keaton, come on. I want Derrick in the game,' in that moment. So, that's a reality, too. So just – I'm not trying to make excuses for it, but I am trying to put it in perspective. That's how it works."

While Henry has dealt with fumbling issues this season, his 1,300 yards and counting is a big part of why the Ravens are playing meaningful football late in December. The Ravens brought him into the fold in 2024, so that they could be dominant on the ground.

The team is going to need another Herculean performance with Henry if they are going to pull out a win against the Packers on the road in Green Bay.

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