After Derrick Henry made an early house call, the Ravens enjoyed a feel-good night.
Henry sent a bolt of lightning through M&T Bank Stadium on his first carry – an 87-yard touchdown gallop that was the longest run from scrimmage in franchise history.
It gave the Ravens a quick lead and an early adrenaline rush, sparking them to a 35-10 victory over on the Buffalo Bills on "Sunday Night Football" that got the Ravens (2-2) back to .500 after their 0-2 start.
Here are my thoughts on the victory that reminded a primetime audience that the Ravens are still a heavyweight in the AFC:
Henry is both a hammer and game breaker.
Henry (24 carries, 199 yards) is a unique running back, still a breathtaking combination of power and speed at age 30. According to Next Gen Stats, he reached 21.29 mph on his touchdown run, tied for the fourth fastest by a ball carrier this season. When Henry reaches the second level, he can still outrun the secondary.
Henry had three carries against Buffalo that went for at least 25 yards, and he's capable of hitting a home run at any time. Roger Rosengarten and Pro Bowl fullback Patrick Ricard threw key blocks on Henry's long run, and when he gets the ball, his teammates know that their block could be the one that springs him. He's also a capable receiver out of the backfield as he showed on his 5-yard touchdown catch.
Henry's power makes defenders think twice about tackling him. Henry doesn't just break tackles — he can break a defense's will. The Bills were undefeated heading into this game, but when Henry plays like this, the Ravens can dominate anyone.
"I believe in my training, the player I am," Henry said. "The Bills are a great team, they were hitting on all cylinders. We were the better team tonight. We've got some momentum going and were able to finish the game."
Defense finished strong as Kyle Van Noy stars again.
After giving up 19 points in the fourth quarter in Week 3 and losing a 10-point lead in the fourth quarter in Week 2, Baltimore's defense finished this game with fury, giving up just seven points in the second half and none in the fourth quarter.
Any discussion about the Ravens' defense can't start without mentioning veteran outside linebacker Kyle Van Noy, who had two sacks for third straight game. Van Noy's strip sack of Josh Allen in the third quarter was exactly what the Ravens needed. They only led 21-10 at that point and Allen had just changed the game's momentum, showing his remarkable arm strength with an incredible 52-yard completion to Khalil Shakir that led to Buffalo's first touchdown.
When the Ravens went three-and-out on their next possession, the Bills were driving again, and there was some nervous murmuring in the crowd.
"I can't lie … they scored that touchdown we were like, 'We don't need to do this again,'" All-Pro safety Kyle Hamilton said.
Van Noy didn't let that happen. Buffalo ran a trick play and Van Noy blew it up. Wide receiver Curtis Samuel took a direct snap and lateralled to Allen, but Van Noy knocked the ball away before Allen could throw. Lamar Jackson (13-of-18, 156 yards, and two passing touchdowns) ended the next drive with a 9-yard touchdown scamper and the Ravens cruised from there after going ahead 28-10.
A host of Ravens on defense had strong games as part of a collaborate defensive effort that held the Bills in check after they came into this game with the NFL's top-ranked offense. Allen is a tremendous talent, but on this night the Ravens were better. It was their best performance of the season and gave them tangible evidence that the unit is coming together.
"The trick play, it was kind of like the last fight they had," Hamilton said. "We ended up getting that big play, put out that fire."
Don't overlook Justice Hill.
Hill made the most of his opportunities as an explosive target out of the backfield (six catches on six targets for 78 yards) and got many of his yards on individual effort.
Hill, who recently received a contract extension, used elusive moves to put Bills defenders in the spin cycle on several runs after his catches. This game would have been much closer if not for Hill's efforts, because while Henry was dominant, the offense continued to roll when Hill got reps.
"Justice Hill's been very integral," Head Coach John Harbaugh said. "I'm just really glad we got him re-signed before he broke out the last few weeks."
The offensive line and Patrick Ricard deliver.
With starting left guard Andrew Vorhees (ankle) out of the lineup, Patrick Mekari shifted from right tackle to left guard and rookie Rosengarten made his first career start at right tackle next to right guard Daniel Faalele. They all played a huge role in Henry's night, as did Ricard.
Rosengarten didn't play Week 3 against the Cowboys, but he stayed ready and delivered a performance that should boost his confidence.
"Sunday Night Football, the Blackout Game, M&T — for sure I was a little nervous," Rosengarten said. "After that first play, I settled down. We played well."
Henry appreciated the support.
"The O-line's been incredible the last two weeks," Henry said. "They took a lot of heat the beginning of the season. They didn't complain. They went to work."
Extra Points
- Jackson is now 9-1 in primetime home games during his career. One of the few blemishes Jackson had in a steady performance was a lost fumble, but he was sharp completing passes to six different targets. He also rushed six times for 54 yards and a touchdown.
- Henry finished just one yard short of his seventh career 200-yard game, which would have broken his tie with O.J. Simpson, Chris Johnson, and Adrian Peterson. Johnson and Peterson are the only players in NFL history with more touchdown runs of 80 or more yards.
- Defensive lineman Travis Jones (four tackles) was a constant presence in Buffalo's backfield putting pressure on Allen. With Michael Pierce (shoulder) out of the lineup, Jones stepped forward. Odafe Oweh had a sack and continued his strong season at outside linebacker.
- Rookie cornerback Nate Wiggins dropped two possible interceptions but had a solid game as did Baltimore's entire secondary, except for the lapse on the long pass to Shakir when he got behind Baltimore's defense on Allen's scramble. Hamilton was already giving the rookie a hard time about his missed turnover opportunities.
