Derrick Henry has a lot of records to his name, and he's poised to join another exclusive club Sunday in Cincinnati.
Henry needs just 18 rushing yards to reach 10,000 for his career. Only 31 running backs have ever accomplished the feat and Henry would be the first to get there since Marshawn Lynch in 2017. The moment is not lost on Henry.
"As a kid I always wanted to play running back and make it to the NFL," he said. "For me to play this long and be able to reach that milestone that so many great ones before me reached that I idolized – it's like a kid at a candy store where you can't believe what's in front of you achieving that milestone.
"I'm grateful – grateful for every coach [and] every teammate that helped me get to this part. I'm just very thankful for it all."
With 10,009 rushing yards, Ricky Williams, who finished his career with one season (2011) in Baltimore, is next on the all-time rushing list for Henry to pass.
Henry is already the active leader in rushing yards, nearly 1,000 yards ahead of the Dallas Cowboys' Ezekiel Elliott. They both entered the league the same year (2016), though Elliott was the fourth-overall pick while Henry was 45th.
While Henry feels honored to be climbing up the record books, he said there isn't any particular milestone that he set for his career.
"[It's a] team sport," he said. "I put the team first – everything else is window dressing."
Henry ran for 122 yards and a touchdown against the Bengals last season, but Sunday will mark his first AFC North game. Henry said he's looking at it like any other game.
"I think he's built for it," Head Coach John Harbaugh said. "I'm sure he's ready."
Yannick Ngakoue Could Make His Debut in Cincinnati
Defensive end Yannick Ngakoue could be ready for Take 2 of his Baltimore tenure.
After signing to the Ravens' practice squad last week, Ngakoue has had two weeks to get his football legs under him.
Asked whether Ngakoue had shown that he's ready to play if needed, Harbaugh said, "I would say that, yes."
The Ravens could either bring him up to their 53-man roster, which has an open spot right now, or activate him from the practice squad for Sunday's game in Cincinnati. Rookie outside linebacker Adisa Isaac was active last week against Buffalo.
"I feel good. Getting two weeks in of football, it always allows you to knock off rust. I just kind of treated it like my own minicamp," Ngakoue said. "You can train all day long, but it's different when you're actually pushing and pulling against another big man."
Zay Flowers: There's No Complaining in Winning
Much has been made of Mark Andrews' two straight games without a catch. Leading wide receiver Zay Flowers has also been quiet the past two weeks during run-heavy offensive games.
Flowers has four catches for 30 yards the past two weeks. He saw two targets against the Bills. That's a big difference from the 11 targets he had versus the Las Vegas Raiders in Week 2.
"I feel like we can play any way we need to to win a game," Flowers said. "Whatever's working, that's what working. Can't complain as long as we're winning. Ain't no complaining in winning. So I'm good."
Flowers made arguably his best play of his rookie season in Cincinnati when he caught a 52-yard bomb between two Bengals defenders, which set up a touchdown in the Ravens' 27-24 win.
Harbaugh: Orioles' Postseason Success Is Coming
The Ravens and Orioles are in similar positions. They've been two of the best teams in the regular season but have fallen short in the playoffs (most recently to teams from Kansas City).
One day after the Orioles were swept in the wild-card round, they confirmed that Manager Brandon Hyde will return for the 2025 season.
On Friday, Harbaugh, who hosted Hyde, Gunnar Henderson and several other players at training camp this summer, expressed his confidence in Hyde and the Orioles.
"I'm a fan. I'm a fan who has the privilege and the opportunity to talk to the skipper," Harbaugh said. "I think Brandon is a great coach, and I have a lot of respect for him, and I learn a lot [from] talking to him.
"I just think they're a great team and a great up and coming team, and they have so much success in their future with these guys. They just compete and love to play, and that postseason success is coming. It's coming. There's no doubt about it, and I'm proud to be a fan of that team."
