As the calendar flips to December, the NFL’s identity shifts with it.
Games tighten, weather worsens, and the margin for error narrows to a sliver. It’s the time of year when teams lean into what they do best -- and for the Baltimore Ravens, that means handing the rock to Derrick Henry, an athlete built for winter football, and a ballplayer capable of tilting a divisional race on his own.
For Baltimore, they enter Week 14 with an opportunity to create meaningful separation from the Steelers in the AFC North. While the spotlight will, as always, orbit around Lamar Jackson’s electric playmaking, the true key to controlling the matchup sits behind him in the backfield.
The Ravens didn’t bring Henry in simply to complement Jackson; they added him for moments like this -- physical, high-stakes ballgames in cold weather where toughness, tempo, and body blows decide who walks out of M&T Bank Stadium with a win.
Derrick Henry set to be unleashed in season's final stretch
Looking at his physical gifts, few running backs in league history have been as imposing as Henry, and fewer still have maintained their dominance deep into the season like he has. Defenses can prepare for him, scheme for him, and brace for him, but nothing simulates the punishment of tackling a 6-foot-3, 250-pound freight train snap after snap. Eventually, the will bends. Eventually, the pursuit slows.
And December magnifies those effects, no matter how tough you think your defense is.
The Steelers know that pain all too well. The last time these two rivals met -- late in 2024 --- Henry put together one of his most efficient outings in a Ravens uniform, posting 162 yards on 24 carries with an absurd 6.8 yards a pop against a defense that will deploy similar names this week.
That’s what makes him the centerpiece of the game plan in Week 14. His presence allows Baltimore to control tempo, set the tone, and dictate terms rather than react to Pittsburgh’s pressure packages. Need to churn clock? Give it to Henry. Need to settle into a rhythm after a slow start? Hand it to 22. Need a conversion on third-and-2 or a punch-in from the 5-yard line? There’s no more reliable sledgehammer arguably in NFL history.
He also provides something less visible but equally critical: balance. Jackson remains the engine, but a dominant run game prevents Pittsburgh from pinning their ears back with TJ Watt and company, forces lighter boxes, and keeps the offense on schedule. That controlled rhythm is the formula Baltimore leans on when games get tough, and the stakes get bigger.
Overall, Sunday likely won’t be remembered for style points. It will be remembered for the bruises, the attrition, and the team that imposed itself for 60 minutes. For the Ravens, that means leaning on the most physically intimidating running back of his generation -- because December football is Derrick Henry football, and the Ravens don't have to get cute with how they'll attack Pittsburgh this week.