BALTIMORE – On Saturday, Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson felt like he wasn’t playing in an AFC wild-card game at times. Watching running back Derrick Henry dominate the Steelers’ defense reminded him of a movie.
“Have you seen the movie ‘Cars’? When Lightning McQueen speeds past everyone, that’s how Derrick looked,” Jackson said. “He was running past all those guys like it was a movie. Honestly, I’d rather watch it than be on the other side of the ball. I know that.”
Derrick Henry set a Ravens postseason record with 186 rushing yards and two touchdowns, helping Baltimore secure a 28-14 victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers at M&T Bank Stadium.
Henry dominated the game with stiff arms and powerful runs, reaching 150 or more rushing yards for the fourth time in his playoff career, tying him with Terrell Davis for the most in NFL history.
Thanks to Henry’s impressive performance, the Ravens advanced to the divisional round, where they will either face the Buffalo Bills on the road or the Houston Texans at home. Baltimore will also remember Henry’s 44-yard touchdown run in the third quarter.
Ravens offensive tackle Ronnie Stanley praised Henry’s running style, saying, “Watching Lamar run is fun, but Derrick Henry running for a touchdown might be even better. He’s like 6-foot-5, running like a gazelle.”
Despite being without Pro Bowl wide receiver Zay Flowers due to a knee injury, the Ravens focused on their ground game, running the ball 50 times out of 72 plays. In the second quarter, they ran all 13 plays on an 85-yard drive, ending with Henry’s 8-yard touchdown run.
The Ravens rushed for a total of 299 yards, a new franchise record, with Jackson contributing 81 yards. This marked the most rushing yards in a playoff game since the 2012 San Francisco 49ers, who had 323 in a divisional round win.
“We’re not going to get carried away and brag about how great we are,” Henry said. “We’ll stay focused, enjoy this win, review the game to find areas we can improve, and then move on to the next one.”
Henry’s first big run came from a play that offensive coordinator Todd Monken added in Thursday’s practice. Lining up in the wildcat formation, Henry took the direct snap and ran for 34 yards, setting up the game’s first touchdown.
In the third quarter, Henry broke through the Steelers’ defense for a 44-yard touchdown, the longest postseason run of his career. He reached a top speed of 20.6 mph, marking the second time this season he surpassed 20 mph on a touchdown run, according to NFL Next Gen Stats.
“Derrick is just a workhorse. He’s the guy,” Jackson said. “I hand him the ball, and he gets 10, 20, or 30 yards while I’m just relaxing.”
When Jackson wasn’t handing the ball to Henry, he was running it himself. His 15 carries were his second most of the season, and it led to him being kneed in the back. He had a heat pack on his back between series on the sidelines.
“I’m good,” Jackson said. “It didn’t affect me much, just a little nag, but I’m fine. Nothing serious.”
If the Bills beat the Denver Broncos on Sunday, Baltimore will play at Buffalo next weekend. If the Bills lose at home, the Ravens will host the Texans. The Ravens beat the Bills and Texans by a combined score of 66-12 during the regular season.
With Henry and Jackson running so well, the Ravens are confident about who they’ll face next.
“Those guys are leading the way, so we’re just getting started,” said Ravens middle linebacker Roquan Smith. “This is just the beginning of what’s to come.”