The Ravens left Green Bay with a victory and hope.
With the great Derrick Henry leading the way, the Ravens avoided being eliminated from playoff contention by defeating the Packers, 41-24, at Lambeau Field.
Henry had 216 rushing yards, four touchdowns, and a career-high 36 carries, and the Packers felt every one of them.
The finishing touch was Henry's last carry, a 25-yard touchdown scamper that made Henry the first running back in NFL history to have seven 200-yard games in his career.
The Ravens still need the Browns to defeat the Steelers on Sunday, or Baltimore (8-8) will miss the playoffs for the first time since 2021. However, should the Browns upset the Steelers, the Ravens-Steelers game in Week 18 will decide the AFC North championship.
But this game belonged to Henry. It was his night, fit for a king. When Henry goes to the Pro Football Hall of Fame, this game will be part of his highlight montage.
"It's one of the greatest performances I've ever seen," Head Coach John Harbaugh said.
Here are my five thoughts on the Ravens staying alive:
Henry can be a dominant force if the Ravens remain in playoff contention.
Baltimore won the coin toss, took the football, and Henry took over.
The Ravens established their offensive identity from the first snap, and Henry is a weapon who can lead them past Pittsburgh, or even farther, if their season extends beyond Week 18.
Tyler Huntley (16 for 20, one touchdown, 60 yards rushing) had an excellent game filling in for Lamar Jackson (back). But with either quarterback, the Ravens' chance to win improves greatly when Henry is a major part of the equation. His running takes pressure off their defense, controls time of possession, and can demoralize any opponent.
By halftime, he had already rushed for 106 yards and three touchdowns, staking the Ravens to a 27-14 lead that they never relinquished.
Henry is always quick to credit his teammates for opening running lanes, and this performance was a group effort. The Ravens bullied Green Bay with physicality. Baltimore's offensive line, Pro Bowl fullback Patrick Ricard, tight ends Mark Andrews, Isaiah Likely, and Charlie Kolar, and the wide receivers all threw key blocks that sprung Henry.
No matter how long their season lasts, the Ravens need to keep riding Henry. And if it does end this weekend, it raises questions about why they didn't do it more often before.
Huntley is a lifesaver as a backup quarterback.
Huntley was masterful at making quick decisions, accurate throws, and proper pre-snap reads, and using his legs at the right time to keep the offense moving. Considering the stakes and the result, it was probably the best game of Huntley's career, but it was not a surprise.
In addition to having talent, Huntley has charisma and confidence, which are important traits for any backup quarterback. His teammates believe in him, and he keeps showing them why they should.
The Ravens reached 30 points for the first time since Week 8, when Huntley also started and led them to a 30-16 victory over the Chicago Bears. In a season when Jackson has been inactive for four games, the Ravens would already be out of the playoff picture if not for Huntley.
"I knew whenever his time comes, he's going to deliver," Henry said. "It wasn't no surprise to me."
Baltimore's defense remains nerve-racking.
When the Ravens shut out the Bengals, 24-0, in Week 15, the Ravens thought their defense was ready to peak down the stretch.
It hasn't happened. In Week 15, Baltimore couldn't stop the Patriots in the fourth quarter and lost an 11-point lead. In this game, Baltimore gave up too many big plays, missed too many tackles, and Green Bay receivers were consistently open.
On their first drive, the Packers needed just two plays to drive 69 yards for a game-tying touchdown. Backup quarterback Malik Willis completed passes of 40 yards and 39 yards on that drive.
Willis hurt the Ravens badly with his arm (18 for 21, 288 yards, one touchdown) and legs (60 yards, two touchdowns). Ravens cornerback Nate Wiggins had a particularly difficult night in coverage, but he was not alone.
The defense did get essentially three turnovers, including a clutch fourth-quarter interception by Marlon Humphrey when the Packers were threatening to make it a game down the stretch. Humphrey picked off third-string quarterback Clayton Tune after Willis went to the locker room with a shoulder injury.
"I thought the defense did a good job kind of picking themselves up off the mat," Harbaugh said. "Just too many big plays in the passing game, just crazy, how did this happen kind of plays. We were on our heels, a little discombobulated there. We were all kind of shocked by it. I got to give Malik Willis a lot of credit. He got out of the pocket numerous times and made plays."
The offensive line can savor a dominant day.
The Ravens' offensive line has taken criticism this season, but they took it to the Packers in a critical situation. Even when the Packers crowded the box, they couldn't stop the Ravens from running effectively.
The Packers are a playoff team. But the Ravens were the more physical team.
"They throw big people at us, we throw big people right back at them," Pro Bowl center Tyler Linderbaum said. "It comes down to who wants it more. We've had moments of a successful run game like that, but it's not just carrying over for four quarters. I was proud of the guys and how they responded."
Extra Points:
- Henry passed Tony Dorsett to move into 10th place on the NFL's all-time rushing list.
- The Ravens rushed for a season-high 308 yards. Their previous season high was 238 yards in Week 1 against Buffalo.
- Defensive tackle Travis Jones was a defensive standout with 1.5 sacks. He has a career-high four sacks this season.
- Humphrey's interception gave him the team lead with four this season, and he has 10 picks over the last two seasons. Humphrey had some tough moments, and was guilty of being faked on one of Willis' two touchdown runs, but he's had an interception in each of the past three games.
- Henry's 21 first-half carries were the most he's had in any first half of his career.
