BALTIMORE – The last memory the Baltimore Ravens had of M&T Bank Stadium during the playoffs was a disappointing loss to the Kansas City Chiefs, ending in a 17-10 defeat in the AFC Championship last January.

Following that game, offensive coordinator Todd Monken and head coach John Harbaugh faced criticism for shifting away from running the ball, despite being behind for much of the match. Lamar Jackson managed to rush for 54 yards on eight carries, but the rest of the Ravens’ running backs combined for just 23 yards on six attempts.

However, the Ravens’ approach changed dramatically in Saturday’s AFC wild-card playoff game against the Pittsburgh Steelers, which they won 28-14. Derrick Henry, signed this offseason amid a challenging running back market, racked up 186 yards on 26 carries and scored two touchdowns. The Ravens had envisioned a powerful performance like this in chilly conditions (the kickoff temperature was 32 degrees, with a wind chill of 23) against a tough opponent like the Steelers.

In a stunning display, Baltimore chose to run the ball on 24 of their first 32 plays. While this wasn’t the full intended plan—Jackson did scramble on multiple passing attempts—Harbaugh noted, “There’s a lot of people out there happy about it right now” after the game.

Harbaugh emphasized the team’s readiness to adapt and insisted there’s no single strategy for winning a game.

“We’re not like a West Coast offense,” Harbaugh explained. “We operate in our own Ravens system.”

There was one individual clearly pleased with the running performance, as Harbaugh mentioned, “My dad’s proud,” referring to his father, Jack Harbaugh, a renowned college coach known for his running game strategies at Western Kentucky.

Jackson, as noted by Harbaugh, brings his own unique “flair” to the offense. He had 11 rushes by halftime and accumulated 81 yards on 15 attempts, including a long run of 20 yards.

Jackson initiated the rushing attack, carrying the ball on five consecutive plays to lead the Ravens on a 95-yard touchdown drive in their opening possession. Although he absorbed some hits early on and didn’t anticipate being so active as a runner initially, he noted the game’s circumstances dictated his involvement. He described one moment where he was kneed in the back but claimed he felt fine, despite the broadcast capturing him grimacing in pain. Jackson utilized a heat pad between drives for relief.

Following the game, Jackson shared how Henry’s impact was undeniable. “I believe everyone sees it. I just hand the ball off,” he said, imitating the action: “Ten yards, 20 yards, 30 yards, and I’m just chilling. Then they tackle him, and I’m just fresh. It makes my job a lot easier. We just support each other.”

For Jackson, it felt almost like he could relax and watch a show after passing the ball to Henry. “You ever watch ‘Cars’?” he asked, comparing Henry to Lightning McQueen, racing past others on the field. “It looked like a movie, I’m not going to lie. I’d rather be watching it than being on the other side.”

During a second-quarter touchdown drive, Baltimore ran the ball on all 13 plays. Fullback Patrick Ricard expressed the significance of their approach: “To run the ball like that means we’re physically imposing our will on them. It’s a good feeling; it shows we’re executing and keeping our defense rested.”

With their leading wide receiver Zay Flowers sidelined due to injury, three of the Ravens’ four longest plays were rushing attempts. Despite the Steelers being aware of Baltimore’s intent to establish the run game, they were powerless to stop it.

Center Tyler Linderbaum emphasized the joy of blocking for both Henry and Jackson: “It’s the best job in the world. We have to play our hardest out there with those guys behind us.”

Wide receiver Steven Sims, who stepped up with Flowers out, also got involved with a 15-yard run on a jet sweep. Watching Henry and Jackson dominate was “special,” he remarked, emphasizing the desire to contribute to their success.

On first down, Henry ran an outstanding 18 times for 148 yards. The Ravens converted on an impressive 66.7% of their third downs (10 of 15), with 16 of 29 first downs coming as a result of runs. In stark contrast, the Steelers only managed 29 yards on 11 rushing attempts.

A standout moment came when Henry executed a direct snap in the Wildcat formation while Jackson faked a sweep. Henry powered through for 34 yards, setting up the game’s first score and delivered a powerful stiff-arm to Steelers safety Minkah Fitzpatrick during the run.

“He has that big-play ability,” Linderbaum remarked. “Our job is to block and let him do what he does.”

Overall, Baltimore ran the ball 50 times for 299 yards out of 72 total plays from scrimmage.

“Getting 300 yards rushing against you is worse than 300 yards passing,” noted Steelers safety DeShon Elliott. “They really controlled the game today.”

During a thrilling game where Baltimore pulled ahead to a score of 28-7 in the third quarter with a 44-yard touchdown run, Jackson executed a timely fake that distracted the linebackers. This created a huge gap in the Steelers’ defense, allowing Henry, weighing in at 260 pounds, to sprint through without being caught.

“When you see ‘DH’ at 260 pounds speeding past defensive backs and outrunning any angle they try, it’s just mind-boggling,” remarked tight end Isaiah Likely.

Likely highlighted the strong connection in the backfield, noting that he witnesses the rapport between the quarterback and running back every day.

“They make a fantastic pair both on and off the field,” he explained. “Off the field, they’re often seen together, sharing laughs and jokes.”

For Henry, who matched Hall of Famer Terrell Davis’ playoff record by having four games with over 150 rushing yards and set a new Ravens rushing record, this victory is just a stepping stone toward a bigger aspiration.

“We’re not going to get ahead of ourselves or overreact about how good we are,” Henry stated. “We plan to keep a level head.”

On Saturday, it was the Steelers who felt the impact from Henry and Jackson.