GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) — With their backs against the wall, the Baltimore Ravens made sure they wouldn’t underutilize Derrick Henry again.
The five-time Pro Bowl running back responded by delivering one of the greatest performances of his brilliant career to keep the Ravens’ playoff hopes alive.
Henry rushed for a season-high 216 yards and matched a career high with four touchdown runs in the Ravens’ 41-24 victory over the Green Bay Packers on Saturday night.
“It’s one of the greatest performances I’ve ever seen,” Ravens coach John Harbaugh said.
The Ravens (8-8) now must hope the Pittsburgh Steelers lose at Cleveland on Sunday. A Steelers victory in Cleveland would end Baltimore’s playoff hopes. If the Browns win that game, the Ravens could win the AFC North by beating the Steelers in Pittsburgh on Jan. 4.
“I’ll be watching and praying, for sure,” Henry said. “I’m going to pray as soon as I get on the plane, when I get home, in the morning when I wake up. Hopefully we get blessed with the opportunity to play for something on Week 18.”
Green Bay (9-6-1) lost its third straight, enabling the Chicago Bears to clinch the NFC North title. The Packers already clinched a playoff berth on Thursday when the Detroit Lions lost 23-10 at Minnesota.
This was the second straight week in which the Packers lost despite not punting the entire game. Only six other teams have ever gone back-to-back games without punting, and those six teams went a combined 12-0 in those games.
“That was a humbling night,” Packers coach Matt LaFleur said. “Give Baltimore a ton of credit. They came in here and were in complete control the whole game.”
Henry had three touchdown runs in the first half and scored again on a 25-yard run with 1:56 left in the game. His seventh career 200-yard rushing performance moved him ahead of Adrian Peterson and O.J. Simpson for the most in NFL history.
He increased his career rushing total to 12,892 yards to overtake Tony Dorsett for 10th place on the all-time list. Henry now has 122 career touchdown runs to leapfrog Peterson and move into fourth place overall.
Henry’s 36 carries represented a career high. That came a week after Henry didn’t touch the ball in Baltimore’s final two series as the Ravens blew an 11-point, fourth quarter lead in a 28-24 loss to New England that put their playoff hopes on life support.
“Whatever carries it was, it was going to be,” Henry said. “I just wanted to go out there and make something happen.”
Henry became the first player to have at least 200 yards rushing and four touchdown runs in a game since San Francisco’s Raheem Mostert did it against the Packers in an NFC championship game on Jan. 19, 2020.
Both teams were missing their starting quarterbacks as Baltimore’s Lamar Jackson deals with a back injury while Green Bay’s Jordan Love is in concussion protocol. The two replacement starters — Baltimore’s Tyler Huntley and Green Bay’s Malik Willis — were both effective in a game that featured only one punt.
Willis went 18 of 21 for a career-high 288 yards and one touchdown, and he also rushed for 60 yards and two touchdowns. Huntley was 16 of 20 for 107 yards with one touchdown.
The difference in the game was Green Bay’s inability to slow down Henry, who helped the Ravens outrush the Packers 307-79.
Henry’s dominance enabled the Ravens to score on their first five possessions and take a 27-14 halftime lead over Green Bay, which hadn’t allowed more than 24 points in 14 straight home games.
“That was very embarrassing, and that’s just not us at all,” Packers linebacker Edgerrin Cooper said.
Henry totaled 15 carries in Baltimore’s first two series and capped each of them with touchdown runs, from 3 yards and 1 yard away. He was the first player to have at least 15 carries in his team’s first two offensive series since Denver’s Olandis Gary against Green Bay in 1999.
He added another 3-yard touchdown with 10 seconds left in the second quarter.
“He’s one of one,” Ravens tight end Mark Andrews said. “To be able to have a guy like that that runs that hard and plays the way that he does, it’s a joy to be able to block for him.”
Green Bay got back into the game by outscoring Baltimore 10-0 in the third quarter.
After Brandon McManus kicked a 24-yard field goal, the Packers forced the first punt of the night. Willis then ran around right end for an 11-yard touchdown to make it 27-24 with 2:02 left in the third.
But the Ravens responded .
Henry ran for a 9-yard gain on third-and-5 from Baltimore’s 20. He closed the third quarter with a 30-yard burst up the right sideline. Those two plays set up Huntley’s 10-yard touchdown pass to Zay Flowers, which came on a third-and-8 play with 10:10 left.
“In those critical moments when we needed a stop, we didn’t get it done,” LaFleur said.
Willis drove the Packers into Baltimore territory before hurting his shoulder and heading to the locker room. Clayton Tune took over, and his only pass was intercepted by Marlon Humphrey.
Henry added the knockout punch a few minutes later.
Injuries
It was a painful night in every respect for the Packers.
Green Bay safety Zayne Anderson (ankle), defensive lineman Jordon Riley (Achilles) and cornerback Kamal Hadden (ankle) were carted into the locker room. Cornerback Nate Hobbs suffered a knee injury and receiver Dontayvion Wicks was evaluated for a concussion.
Right tackle Zach Tom (back/knee) and receiver Savion Williams (foot) joined Love in sitting out Saturday’s game.
Up next
Ravens: At Pittsburgh on Jan. 4.
Packers: At Minnesota on Jan. 4.
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