The Ravens opened the playoffs by starting fast and finishing strong.
They weren't in the mood for another nerve-racking game against the Pittsburgh Steelers. Battles between these AFC North rivals usually come down to the wire, often decided on the final possession.
Not this time. Baltimore's offense had too many weapons, and its defense pitched a first half shutout and found enough answers when Russell Wilson started cooking in the second half.
With an emphatic performance on Wild-Card weekend, the Ravens advanced to the divisional round with 28-14 victory before a jubilant Saturday night crowd at M&T Bank Stadium.
Here are my thoughts on a Ravens team that was ready to rumble, rushing for 299 yards on the way to sending the Steelers home:
Derrick Henry's alarm clock rings when the playoffs start.
After a great regular season, Henry opened the postseason with a dominant performance (26 carries, 186 yards, two touchdowns). We've seen this before when he was with the Tennessee Titans, but now we're seeing Henry do it with the Ravens on a journey that could take him farther than he's ever gone.
Henry was a human highlight reel in this game. He set the tone on Baltimore's opening 95-yard scoring drive by shoving Minkah Fitzpatrick to the grass with a Henry-hammer stiff arm on a Wildcat run.
It was an early indication that Pittsburgh would have an all-night problem with No. 22. He continued to have his way in the third quarter when he rumbled 44 yards for a touchdown that gave the Ravens a 28-7 lead.
Lamar Jackson compared Henry's running style to watching the kids movie, "Cars," but there was nothing entertaining about it to the Steelers.
"You know how Lightning McQueen is just flying, flashing past?" Jackson said. "That's how Derrick looked."
Any team that faces the Ravens in the playoffs knows that Henry is waiting. His ability to wear down a defense gives Baltimore a psychological and tactical edge moving forward.
Head Coach John Harbaugh said his father, Jack, must've been proud watching the Ravens pound the rock.
Who enjoys tackling Henry in January? "Nooo-body."
Lamar Jackson won't be reluctant to run this postseason.
Jackson had 81 yards rushing, and his 15 rushing attempts were his most since 14 rushing attempts against Dallas in Week 3.
On Baltimore's first series, Jackson ran the ball five straight plays. At times he looked like "Louisville Lamar," harkening back to his days in college when he terrorized defenses with his legs on a regular basis. Jackson can still do that, but now he's also one of the most precise passers on the planet. He completed 16-of-21 for 175 yards, with a passer rating of 132.0, his highest in any playoff game to date.
So many times, Jackson's dual-threat ability puts the defense at his mercy. The most vivid example against the Steelers came near the end of the first half. Taking the snap 11 seconds before halftime, Jackson coolly scrambled to buy time, then flicked the ball to Justice Hill for a 5-yard touchdown pass with two seconds left on the clock.
Sometimes when it appears Jackson will run out of time, his instincts are right on time.
"In his head he knows what 11 seconds is," Harbaugh said. "The clock was going a little faster for me in my mind. I'm like, 'Throw that thing away.' And he threw it, [and] it was a touchdown. It's like all you can say is 'Wow.' I believe I said 'Wow' about seven times right there."
Jackson is the best running quarterback in the history of the game, and during this playoff run he looks determined to make opponents pay with his legs. At the peak of his powers, he's willing to do whatever it takes to lead Baltimore to a Super Bowl. While he's not looking ahead, we are looking at the best version of a unique talent.
Continuing to pressure quarterbacks will be crucial for Baltimore's defense.
The Ravens' late-season defensive prowess continued, as they held an opponent to fewer than 20 points for the fifth consecutive week.
Baltimore's pass rush was a big part of the equation. The Ravens sacked Wilson four times and had seven quarterback hits, and they will need to generate consistent pressure whether they face Josh Allen, C.J. Stroud, or Patrick Mahomes as they move forward in the playoffs.
The Ravens finished second in the NFL with 54 sacks during the regular season, and their pass rush carried over into this game. Nnamdi Madubuike had two sacks to lead the way, with Odafe Oweh and Michael Pierce adding a sack apiece. Madubuike was happy to see the pass rush get home but knows it must continue for the Ravens to continue advancing.
"It's huge, especially in the playoffs," Madubuike said. "Keeping them off schedule, being disruptive every play, that's the goal."
Todd Monken is a master chef who keeps adding spice to his play calling.
The Ravens were without 1,000-yard receiver Zay Flowers (knee) yet had no trouble finding ways to move the football.
Baltimore was the first team in NFL history with more than 4,000 passing yards and 3,000 yards rushing, and Offensive Coordinator Todd Monken isn't taking his foot off the gas. If anything, he's doubling down in the postseason on showing different looks.
Henry's stiff arm against Fitzpatrick came off a direct Wildcat snap, on which he faked a toss to Jackson then rumbled through the line. It was a new play the Ravens installed late during the week.
This is the most diverse and creative offense the Ravens have ever taken into the postseason, and you get the feeling Monken has plenty more tools left in his box. The Ravens ran the ball on 24 of their first 32 plays, and the offensive line won the battle up front against Pittsburgh's stout defensive line while Jackson was sacked just once. Those are positive signs for Baltimore.
"I feel like Todd did a great job, he called the game really well," Harbaugh said. "He was patient. We had some things we didn't get to because we were running the ball so well. Whatever it takes. We don't have to do it one certain way."
Extra Points
- The Ravens led 21-0 at halftime, the first time in Jackson's postseason career they held the lead at intermission.
- Rookie right tackle Roger Rosengarten shut Steelers All-Pro T.J. Watt out of the box score entirely. Zero sacks, zero tackles.
- Nelson Agholor and Tylan Wallace each had one catch but made it count. Agholor's was for 25 yards, while Wallace's went for 21. Anthony Miller (three catches) and Steven Sims saw significant snaps.
- Neither the Ravens nor the Steelers committed a turnover. Ar'Darius Washington nearly caught one on fourth down, but it was better that he dropped it.
- Pittsburgh was held to 29 yards rushing, led by Najee Harris, who had six carries for 17 yards.
- The Ravens dominated time of possession, controlling the ball for almost 40 minutes (39:33).
