With the Ravens going down their third-string quarterback Thursday night against the Jaguars, Baltimore will lean heavily on the return of Derrick Henry. Unfortunately for the Ravens, it’s been a long time since a running back had a big game against the Jaguars’ defense.
The Jaguars have not allowed an opposing rusher to gain 75 or more yards in a game in the last 24 games. If the Jaguars don’t allow a 75-yarder against the Ravens on Thursday night, they will become just the third team in the Super Bowl era to go 25 straight games without allowing an opposing rusher to gain 75 yards.
Henry is leading the NFL with 158 rushing attempts this season, and he could get the ball even more than the 20 times a game he’s averaged so far this season. Undrafted rookie quarterback Joe Fagnano is making his first career start for the Ravens, so they’ll likely need to make a big play on the ball if they’re going to pull off the upset over the Jaguars.
Although Henry is still carrying the ball a lot at age 32, his effectiveness has waned. He averages a career-low 4.0 yards per carry. It won’t be easy to have an outstanding game against the Jaguars, but the Ravens need him to do it.
