Ravens Say Patriots Didn't Pay Price to Tackle Henry

Baltimore's defense plans to be aggressive, use 'all 11' to stop NFL's leading rusher

It is clear to anyone who saw the Tennessee Titans on Saturday that the New England Patriots had a hard time tackling running back Derrick Henry.

When Baltimore Ravens safety Earl Thomas watched the film, though, he had questions about how badly the Patriots really wanted to get the 6-foot-3, 247-pound NFL rushing champion to the ground.

“Guys didn’t seem like they were too interested in tackling him,” Thomas said Tuesday. “So, I think our mindset is a little different. We’re going to try to tackle him. Try to swarm. And we’re going to see how it plays out.”

The Ravens were one of eight teams that allowed fewer than 100 rushing yards per game. Their average of 93.4 yards allowed per contest is tied to the fact that they led so often (Baltimore was a league-best 14-2 during the regular season) and that they were the NFL’s best at holding the ball with an average of 34:47 possession time per contest.

Those that ran the ball best against that defense were Cleveland and San Francisco, each of which averaged 6.0 yards or better on 29 attempts. The Browns had Nick Chubb, who finished as the NFL’s second-leading rusher behind Henry. The 49ers were the only team other than the Ravens that had more rushing yards than the Titans, who averaged 138.9 per contest.

Only one team, Cincinnati, attempted more handoffs against Baltimore.

The Titans have had more than 25 running plays in each of their last seven games.

“I’m going to get an extra lift in this week and see how that works for me,” cornerback Marlon Humphrey said before he added that he was serious. “I really think it’s going to take all 11. (Henry) is (big) and he has really elite speed also. He can run people over here and there all the time, but he also has the speed that if he gets to the edge, he can really outrun you.”

Henry’s longest run against the Patriots went for 29 yards. However, on 34 carries he produced 182 yards, the most in an NFL playoff game since 2007 when Green Bay’s Ryan Grant ran for 201 against Seattle.

Of course, when Humphrey watched the film, it was nothing he had not seen. The 16 overall pick in the 2017 NFL Draft played at Alabama, where he and Henry were teammates. Humphrey’s second season with the Crimson Tide was the one in which Henry won the Heisman Trophy after having rushed for 2,219 yards, the sixth-best total in FCS history.

“Big challenge,” Humphrey said. “Seeing (Henry) against the Patriots, it looked like he was back at Bama when he won the Heisman. It’s going to take all 11 [on defense]. He led the league in yards. Shoot, he’s been doing his thing.

“I’m happy for what he’s done. I just hope we can get him to the ground Saturday.”