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Derrick Henry’s first season with the Ravens was a roaring success, and the fun continued in his playoff debut for the team.
Henry ran 26 times for 186 yards and the Ravens piled up 299 yards in a convincing 28-14 win over the Steelers at M&T Bank Stadium. The win moves them into the divisional round of the playoffs, but they will have to wait until Sunday to find out if they go to Buffalo or host the Texans next weekend.
The Ravens will likely be full of confidence against both opponents. Saturday night’s win was their fifth in a row and it was the closest final score in those games. Their offense is firing on all cylinders as Lamar Jackson was 16-of-21 for 175 yards and two touchdowns while also running 14 times for 82 yards to complement Henry’s effort in the win.
The signature moment for the Ravens came in the second quarter when they ran 13 straight plays to pick up 85 yards and a Henry touchdown. Henry’s second score came on a 44-yard run shortly after the Steelers cut Baltimore’s lead to 14 points in the third quarter, and both drives illustrated how much the Ravens dominated the Steelers on offense.
It was the second time during that winning streak that the Ravens shut out the Steelers, and Pittsburgh’s season ends on a five-game losing streak that makes it hard to feel good about the franchise’s immediate future. While they showed some life after trailing 21-0 at halftime, the Steelers’ offense has been out of action too often in the second half of the season, and their defense couldn’t get the stops they needed Saturday.
The loss means the Steelers haven’t won a playoff game since the 2016 season and questions will be asked about what needs to change to change that. Quarterback is an obvious spot to address as Russell Wilson’s occasional success throwing deep isn’t enough to build on and it was clear the team didn’t think Justin Fields had much to offer as their season went down the drain.
There will also likely be questions about Mike Tomlin, but the Steelers haven’t fired a head coach in a very long time, so that may not be a particularly likely development. The team is in a rut, however, and finding a way out of it will likely be the main focus of Pittsburgh’s offseason.
With Henry, Jackson and a defense that has steadily improved in the second half of the season, the Ravens have no reason to think about next season. Their recent performances make them look like a serious Super Bowl contender, and they’ll have a chance to continue their case next weekend.
