Ravens Legend Hypes Up Derrick Henry, Saquon Barkley Battle

The league's best running backs will face off when the Baltimore Ravens host the Philadelphia Eagles.

Nov 25, 2024; Inglewood, California, USA; Baltimore Ravens running back Derrick Henry (22) carries the ball against Los Angeles Chargers cornerback Tarheeb Still (29) in the second half at SoFi Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images / Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

In an age where the running back position seems to be losing its value across the NFL, some are doing everything they can to show that it's still well worth investing in.

Chief among them are the two best running backs in the game today, Derrick Henry of the Baltimore Ravens and Saquon Barkley of the Philadelphia Eagles. Both in their first season with their new teams, Henry and Barkley are playing arguably the best football of their careers this season. The latter leads the league with 1,392 rushing yards, while the latter is just behind at 1,325 yards.

When the two meet on Sunday in Baltimore, it will be a throwback of sorts to days long past. Former Ravens running back Jamal Lewis, who ran for a franchise-record 2,066 yards in 2003 and surpassed 1,000 yards seven times, can't wait to watch Henry and Barkley square off.

“You can’t name me a back, probably [outside] of those two guys, that there’s a defense out there saying, ‘Man I just do not want any more of him. Please do not give him the ball,’" Lewis told the Baltimore Sun. "You got defenses complaining. … You don’t have those guys that are going to just beat up on the defense to the point where they just don’t want no more.”

Lewis, the Ravens' all-time leader in rushing, was a bruiser at 5-11 and 245 pounds in his playing days. Henry boasts a very similar frame at 6-2 and 247 pounds, so it's almost like looking in a mirror for Lewis.

“Just seeing a back of my stature, my size, and everything else being able to adjust to an offense in 2024, that’s impressive,” Lewis said.

Barkley, on the other hand, prefers to beat defenders with his agility and elusiveness, which has proven to be equally as effective. He's posted some dazzling highlights throughout his first season with the Eagles, most notably his backward hurdle against the Jacksonville Jaguars in Week 9. On Sunday against the Los Angeles Rams, Barkley recorded over 300 total yards and two touchdowns in an absolutely dominant performance.

Sunday's matchup will be a must-watch for any fan of old-school, hard-nosed football, and Lewis is definitely part of that group.

“I gotta get to that game,” Lewis said. “I hope I can get me one of those 22 [jerseys] when I go up there to visit.”

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