The Baltimore Ravens fell apart on defense once again in their Week 3 loss against the Detroit Lions. Defensive troubles once again haunted the Ravens, but the recurring fumbling issue from running back Derrick Henry might be the bigger storyline coming from their disastrous loss.
Henry had a costly fumble in Week 1 against the Buffalo Bills, which led to Buffalo’s miraculous comeback win. In Week 2, he fumbled on an eight-yard gain that was recovered by Ravens' wide receiver Tylan Wallace. This time, he lost a fumble at a crucial time deep in Baltimore’s own territory, which eventually gave Detroit a free three points.
Henry is a fierce competitor, and he was none too happy on the sideline after his critical mistake. In his postgame interview with the media, he highlighted what he must do to ensure this does not become a common theme for his 2025 campaign. Henry said:
"I'm my own worst critic, so I'm gonna watch the film. I know we have a short week. It's just crazy, man. Three fumbles straight. I try to fix the problem, it keeps occurring. I'm trying not to beat myself up too much, but it's hard not to."
Derrick Henry distraught after his third straight fumble
Henry is not a known fumbler. Before 2025, he had 20 fumbles in 136 career games. Now, that number is up to 23. His career high in fumbles in a single season is six, and he has already reached half of that in just three games.
The problem is becoming concerning, and while he is a 10-year veteran and will likely clean up those mistakes, his response is not exactly all that confident. After rushing for 169 yards in Week 1, and the team as a whole going for 238 on the ground, Baltimore’s rushing attack has hit a roadblock. With nearly everything hitting the fan right now, the run game is usually the one thing the team can lean on, but that has not been the case in the past two weeks.
In Week 2 vs. the Browns, Henry only rushed for 23 yards, and the team failed to reach 50 yards on the ground. On Monday Night Football in Week 3, the 31-year-old accumulated 50 yards on 4.2 yards per carry, but 28 of those came on a touchdown run on the Ravens’ opening drive. It is clear that the operations are out of sync, and they will have to figure that out quickly.
In Week 4 against the Kansas City Chiefs, they have a chance to find a rhythm against a scuffling contender. The Chiefs have allowed 342 rushing yards, which is tied for 14th-most in the league. Henry and company will have their opportunity to get back on track.