Looking for themes in Baltimore Ravens' seven losses since acquiring Derrick Henry
Allen Park — Last year, when the Baltimore Ravens paired the most physical and productive running back of the past decade with the best dual-threat quarterback the league has ever seen, you can only imagine the collective reaction of the NFL's 31 other defensive coordinators.
Outside of failing to bring a Super Bowl championship to Baltimore in his first season with the franchise, the addition of Derrick Henry otherwise played out as envisioned. Even on the wrong side of 30, he managed to deliver the best year of his career, rushing for 1,921 yards and 16 touchdowns.
Combined with quarterback Lamar Jackson’s ability to due extensive damage with his legs, the Ravens not only led the NFL in rushing yardage last season, they reset the bar for efficiency during the Super Bowl era, averaging 5.8 yards per carry.
With Jackson’s vastly improved passing ability, Baltimore’s offense borders on unstoppable. In 2024, only two teams — division rival Pittsburgh and eventual Super Bowl champion Philadelphia — managed to hold the Ravens to fewer than 20 points.
Still, the Ravens aren’t invincible. They lost five games last season and got bounced in the division round by the Buffalo Bills. They also coughed up a double-digit lead in the fourth quarter, falling to Buffalo in this year’s season-opener.
That sent us down a rabbit hole, looking for overlapping themes in those defeats as the Detroit Lions prepare to come to town, seeking their first road win against the Ravens. Here were the takeaways.