Former Coach Blasts Ravens Offense

The Baltimore Ravens' offense has been too easy for opposing defenses to figure out.

Baltimore Ravens running back Derrick Henry (22) stiff arms Las Vegas Raiders defensive tackle Christian Wilkins (94) during the second half at M&T Bank Stadium. / Tommy Gilligan-Imagn Images

It has been an up-and-down start to the season for the Baltimore Ravens offense.

Among the bigger question marks for the Ravens has been their use of Derrick Henry. Henry played just 30 of the team's 63 offensive snaps and finished the day with 18 carries for 84 yards and a touchdown. Fellow running back Justice Hill played on 35 of the team's offensive snaps.

The former All-Pro and Offensive Player of the Year found his most success at the end of the third quarter and the beginning of the fourth when he had six carries for 38 yards and capped it off with a three-yard touchdown that put Baltimore up 23-13 after the extra point with 12:11 remaining in the game.

Henry only got the ball one more time the rest of the game as Baltimore went on to blow another double-digit lead in a 26-23 loss to the Las Vegas Raiders (1-1) on Sunday at M&T Bank Stadium. Now, the Ravens are 0-2 for the first time since 2015.

Among those confused with Henry's lack of touches was former Ravens defensive coordinator, New York Jets head coach and current ESPN analyst Rex Ryan. Ryan heavily criticized the Ravens' usage of Henry on ESPN's show Get Up over only giving him the ball one time after his touchdown."

"What do the Ravens need to do? Close games out in the fourth quarter," Ryan said. "This guy's the best closer in the business, so give him the football."

ESPN analyst and former NFL quarterback Dan Orlovsky was also critical of the Ravens offense and how opposing defenses have managed to slow them down because of their predictability with either Henry or Hill in the game.

"When Derek Henry is in the game, they know the runs coming," Orlovsky said. "Watch it, where the Raiders look at when Derek, he's in the game, five guys at the line of scrimmage. Just watch the flow. They are just teeing off on the run. There's no hesitation. Everybody is just selling out. It's like run blitz after run blitz after run blitz. They're putting five guys at the line of scrimmage, because more than likely, when Derek's in the game, early downs we're going to get run. The contrast is this, when Justice Hill is in the game, it's like 90% pass...I think they've become predictable in that way."

The Ravens' predictability and lack of touches for Henry in the fourth quarter of a game in which they have a lead are befuddling, to say the least. Few running backs can take over a game late like Henry, especially when his team is up. For his career, the former All-Pro has averaged 4.8 yards per carry in the second half and scored 46 touchdowns.

Baltimore has time to get its offense and how it wants to use Henry figured out but time is of the essence. If the Ravens continue to struggle in both areas, they may soon face a deficit that's too big for them to climb out of this season.

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