Ravens' OC Blamed for Loss vs. Patriots

One of the features that this disappointing Baltimore Ravens season will be remembered for is a question, one that's echoed in every collapse-filled sequence and after every painful loss; "Where's Derrick Henry?"

Even when he's thriving as an ageless wonder of a power back, still one of the best accumulator of yards after contact, it's never seemed like he's being used as much as he could be. This is one of the great workhorses that the NFL's seen over the last decade, and no matter how exciting his heirs apparent may be, the Ravens should still be riding with their franchise back in every tight moment.

Perhaps the most confounding instance of his questionable usage arrived over the weekend, when the Ravens succumbed to the New England Patriots in a 28-24 heartbreaker. Henry watched their last drive, a final attempt at saving their season that resulted in a fitting fumble, from the sideline.

New England Patriots Quarterback Drake Maye — Dec 21, 2025; Baltimore, Maryland, USA; New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye (10) walks off the field after defeating the Baltimore Ravens at M&T Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: James Lang-Imagn Images | James Lang-Imagn Images

And it wasn't like he just sat out for a snap here or there at an inconvenient point in the game. After he crashed the opposing end zone for a touchdown, the final one the Ravens would score just inside the fourth quarter, he never touched the ball again.

The head coach's explanation offered little comfort.

"Looking back on it, it's pretty easy to say that he should've been in there, but we're rotating those guys throughout the game as two backs," John Harbaugh said postgame. Game-winning drive, do I want Derrick Henry on the field? Sure."

It would appear that Baltimore, once again, couldn't sniff the moment coming, and failed to address the high-leverage situation as so. Now, the Ravens will need about everything that's out of their hands to go their way, and the fans have plenty of reason to be irate with the coaching staff.

Who's to Blame?

Offensive coordinator Todd Monken was named as the team's biggest loser following the loss for Henry's misusage alone, such an oversight that it may have doomed their chances of seizing their most winnable division in years.

"Barring an injury to Henry, Baltimore's coaching staff made a massive mistake, subbing him out for Keaton Mitchell and Rasheen Ali for most of the fourth quarter," Bleacher Report's Brent Sobleski wrote.

"The Patriots continued to push their comeback, while Baltimore fell into complacency, resulting in an embarrassing collapse with its best offensive player watching from the sidelines. As head coach, John Harbaugh answers the tough postgame questions, but Monken must explain this questionable coaching decision."

Baltimore Ravens Head Coach John Harbaugh and New England Patriots Head Coach Mike Vrabel — Titans head coach Mike Vrabel shakes hands with Ravens head coach John Harbaugh after the team's shutout loss at Nissan Stadium Sunday, Oct. 14, 2018, in Nashville, Tenn. 8509158 | George Walker IV / Tennessean.com

This was confusing even in the moment, and the on-field analysts din't hold back in their criticism. Henry had been cutting through New England all night, notching 128 yards with barely any snaps logged in the game's most pressing quarter of action.

"That's the one guy the Patriots did not want to tackle," Rodney Harrison said. "I absolutely, at times, hate the Ravens' offensive strategy...What are you saving him for? You saving him for next year?"

Heads already seemed likely to roll after leaving the fans as crestfallen as they are, with the former contenders now sitting at 7-8 with embarrassing losses peppering every crucial junction of this season. The last thing they needed was a confusing decision to add even more questions for the coaches to explain away, with this most recent blunder sending the Ravens down a dark path as their offseason rapidly approaches.

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