The Baltimore Ravens’ Week 16 loss to the New England Patriots was a classic late-game collapse. It was the type of fourth-quarter showing that fans have grown accustomed to seeing from Baltimore in 2025. While it looked like the momentum had completely shifted in their favor in Sunday’s loss, the team let it all slip away.
The game was full of head-scratching errors throughout. Running back Derrick Henry’s fumbling problem returned, a lack of pass rush presence was evident from the first snap of the game, and wide receiver Zay Flowers had another late-game blunder. Still, it was coaching and game planning that caught the eye of most people.
Up 24-21 in the fourth quarter, the Ravens started a drive with nine minutes to play. The plan should have been obvious: continue to feed Henry and run out the clock. Instead, Henry was nowhere to be found. Baltimore got the clock down to just over five minutes before punting the ball back to the Patriots. They scored the game-winning touchdown three minutes later.
Ravens’ late-game usage with Derrick Henry sparks collapse
On that unsuccessful drive, backup running back Keaton Mitchell saw two carries, and quarterback Tyler Huntley threw it three times. Henry got zero touches.
That type of gameplanning is frustrating. Following the game, Head Coach John Harbaugh talked about the decision to start the drive with Mitchell. His answer made the occurrence all the more controversial.
“[Henry] was coming back in the game,” Harbaugh said. “Keaton started the other drive, and Derrick came in and finished it off, so it was part of that rotation. He was going back in the game, and then we got stopped.”
When asked about potentially involving Henry early in the drive, Harbaugh added:
“We’re rotating [Henry and Mitchell] throughout the game as two backs. But yeah, game-winning drive, do I want Derrick Henry on the field? Sure, I do want him on the field.”
Put him on the field then. Sure, your running backs need breathers, and it is common to rotate backs when one gets tired, but this is the game-sealing drive we are talking about. Your playoff hopes are on the line. Put the football in your best player’s hands.
Mitchell seemed to have a perfect shot to break out on Sunday, but it just was not in the cards. Prior to that drive, Mitchell had seven carries for nine yards. He finished the night with nine carries for 13 yards. In comparison, Henry had 18 carries for 128 yards and two touchdowns.
New England clearly had no answer for Henry. However, the Ravens once again showed an inability to understand the moment. Their second-to-last drive was that exact moment where playoff-caliber teams close out games. Instead, it was another late-game choke.