With Baltimore’s post-season hopes hanging in the balance, Derrick Henry delivered one of the most dominant performances of his career in a 41–24 win Saturday night, punishing Green Bay from the opening drive and reminding everyone exactly what happens when the Ravens fully commit to their star running back.
Advertisement
Henry was unstoppable from the start, torching the Packers for a career-high 216 rushing yards on 36 carries while scoring four touchdowns. He found the end zone on Baltimore’s first two possessions, added a third score late in the second quarter, and sealed the night with a 25-yard touchdown run in the fourth. By halftime alone, Henry had already piled up 21 carries for 106 yards and three touchdowns, setting the tone for a game Green Bay never truly controlled.
Watching that workload, former NFL quarterback Kurt Benkert publicly questioned why Baltimore hadn’t leaned on Henry like this earlier. “Maybe if the Ravens decided to use Derrick Henry like this last week, they’d still have real playoff hopes.” Benkert echoed that frustration, calling out the Ravens for underutilizing Henry at critical moments this season, especially when the offense has stalled or when injuries forced the team to simplify its approach.
Maybe if the Ravens decided to use Derrick Henry like this last week they’d still have real playoff hopes.
— Kurt Benkert (@KurtBenkert) December 28, 2025
Beyond the win, the night carried historic significance. With his performance, Henry officially entered the NFL’s top 10 all-time rushing list, passing Cowboys legend and Hall of Famer Tony Dorsett to claim the No. 10 spot. He now sits at 12,892 career rushing yards, trailing only nine backs in league history. A group that includes Emmitt Smith, Walter Payton, Barry Sanders, and other immortals. Seven of the nine players ahead of him are already in the Hall of Fame, while Frank Gore is a semifinalist and Adrian Peterson is not yet eligible.
Henry also continued to climb other all-time leaderboards. His third touchdown Saturday moved him past Adrian Peterson for the fourth-most rushing touchdowns in NFL history, leaving him just three scores shy of Marcus Allen for third place. The game marked Henry’s 32nd career outing with multiple rushing touchdowns, behind only Emmitt Smith and LaDainian Tomlinson, and extended his record as the NFL’s leader in career 200-yard rushing games with seven.
With Lamar Jackson sidelined by a back contusion, Baltimore leaned heavily on Henry to support backup quarterback Tyler Huntley, and the formula worked. The win kept the Ravens’ playoff hopes alive, and Henry now sits just 368 yards away from passing Eric Dickerson for ninth place on the all-time rushing list.
