The Baltimore Ravens are off to one of their worst starts in franchise history. They have a record of 1-5 at their bye week, and it is clear they need an overhaul of changes to make a dramatic midseason turnaround. Whether they be schematic, coaching, or starting unit changes, Head Coach John Harbaugh has a lot on his plate to get his team back on the right track.
While the defense has been the main culprit of the issues in 2025, Defensive Coordinator Zach Orr’s unit seemed to be headed in the right direction in the team’s Week 6 loss to the Los Angeles Rams. The addition of Alohi Gilman and the versatile usage of Kyle Hamilton helped turn the page. The offense, however, was once again stagnant without Lamar Jackson.
While Jackson is expected to return in Week 8 against the Chicago Bears, the offense was out of sync long before his hamstring injury. The tendency to start out hot with the running game, just for it to fizzle out later in the game, has been a problem for most of the year. One way that Harbaugh and Offensive Coordinator Todd Monken can fix that is by adjusting the usage of Derrick Henry.
John Harbaugh can fix Ravens by using Derrick Henry more on passing downs
Everyone knows Henry is still one of the best running backs in the league. Despite the perceived slow start, he has still rushed for 439 yards and is averaging 5.0 yards per carry. He is a physically imposing back who wears the defense down, and his numbers tend to go up as the game goes on. However, he is not touching the field nearly as much as he should in Monken’s offense.
The Ravens usually take Henry off the field on passing downs, utilizing Justice Hill’s abilities as a blocker and pass catcher instead. While Hill does well in those situations, Henry has proven he can be a factor in that role, too. His presence on the field alone could offer up a whole new world of possibilities for Baltimore’s offense.
With Henry’s consistent dominance over his 10-year career, teams have learned that they need to stack the box against the five-time Pro Bowler. However, when Henry is off the field, opposing defenses do not do that nearly as often against the Ravens. They can sit back in coverage without much fear of the rushing attack. If Harbaugh and Monken switch up that logic, their electric offense should be able to refind its footing after the bye week.
It is not like the passing offense would suffer with Henry on the field either. Even on obvious passing downs, Henry is proving he is effective. In addition to opening up the field, Henry has shown he can get it done as a blocker and receiver. So far in 2025, Henry has registered a 77.8 pass blocking grade over 22 pass blocking snaps, per Pro Football Focus. He has also caught five of his eight targets out of the backfield for 44 yards.
With Jackson coming off an injury, he will need all the help he can get in the team’s Week 8 matchup, and using Henry more often should make life easier for Jackson and the rest of the Ravens’ offense.