Derrick Henry is now seventh on the NFL’s all-time rushing list. The Ravens running back passed Jerome Bettis and LaDainian Tomlinson in the first half of Thursday night’s 33-10 loss to the Jaguars on Nov. 5 at M&T Bank Stadium, ESPN reported.
Henry came into the night with 13,650 career rushing yards and 632 on the season, according to Pro Football Talk. He cleared Bettis (13,662) in the first quarter, then got past Tomlinson (13,684) on a 5-yard run in the second. He had 51 rushing yards by halftime.
Next up is Curtis Martin, sixth all time with 14,101 yards. That leaves Henry roughly 400 yards back, by Yahoo Sports’ halftime count. Over the last four seasons, Henry has averaged 1,578 rushing yards a year, per PFT.
So, what about the game?
The milestone was about the only thing Baltimore had to feel good about. With Lamar Jackson on injured reserve and Tyler Huntley out with turf toe, undrafted rookie Joe Fagnano made his first NFL start and finished 10-of-18 for 60 yards with two interceptions, per ESPN’s game story. The Ravens leaned on Henry from the start, even lining him up under center in the wildcat.
It didn’t hold. Jacksonville (6-2) forced three turnovers and pulled away. Baltimore fell to 4-5 with its fourth straight loss, and its third straight by 20 or more points, which ESPN noted has never happened before in the franchise’s 31-year history. The Ravens are expected to finalize a trade for veteran quarterback Jacoby Brissett this weekend and don’t play again until Nov. 16 against the Chargers.
Why it matters
McGraw Media’s read: Henry is 32, turns 33 in January, and he’s still the most reliable thing on a roster that’s down to its third quarterback. Passing Bettis and Tomlinson in the same half usually gets a stadium on its feet. This one came in the rain, in a blowout. That’s a shame, but it also says a lot about him. Emmitt Smith’s record of 18,355 yards is still a few seasons away, and PFT’s math puts it at three to four more years. Martin is the next name in sight, and the realistic job is carrying Baltimore until Brissett is up to speed. Don’t be surprised if the Ravens hand him the ball a lot more than they’d like.
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