OWINGS MILLS, Md. — Derrick Henry took the handoff and ran right on the Ravens’ first play from scrimmage against Buffalo in Week 4.
Eighty-seven yards later, the untouched five-time Pro Bowl running back was in the end zone as the rout was on. Henry ran for 199 yards to lead Baltimore’s 271-yard rushing performance in the 35-10 blowout victory back on Sept. 29. For good measure, backup running back Justice Hill finished the night as the Ravens’ leading receiver with six catches for 78 yards and a touchdown.
The Ravens don’t expect it to be that easy on the road for Sunday’s divisional-round showdown, but that doesn’t mean the objective will change against an undersized Buffalo defense that uses nickel personnel (five defensive backs) 80.4% of the time, according to Next Gen Stats. That was easily one of the highest rates in the NFL this season, and the Bills — who used “base” personnel for a league-low 42 snaps all season — were particularly vulnerable against the run in Week 4 with starting linebackers Matt Milano and Terrel Bernard and starting nickel corner Taron Johnson out with injuries for that prime-time clash in Baltimore.
To be clear, we’re not talking about Hall of Fame talents, but Milano, 30, was a first-team All-Pro selection two years ago before a fractured tibia and a torn biceps limited him to nine games over the last two regular seasons. The 28-year-old Johnson — who returned a Lamar Jackson interception 101 yards for a touchdown in Buffalo’s 2020 divisional-round win over the Ravens — has been one of the league’s better slot corners over the last several years.
Milano, Johnson, and Bernard, a 25-year-old middle linebacker who started 30 games the last two seasons, will all be on the field this time around.
“Those guys play so well together. They are experienced players,” head coach John Harbaugh said. “Taron Johnson, he’s a [defensive back], but he plays like a linebacker in there. He gets in the box, and he plays the ‘Sam’ or the ‘Will’ nickel backer based on your formations just like a linebacker would, and he’s 190 pounds. Or he shows up and is out there in the apex — boom, he’s in the B gap before you blink an eye when playing the run. He does a great job, and those are great players.”
The presence of those second-level defenders for the rematch wouldn’t figure to alter the Ravens’ game plan too much, especially with the bitter cold forecasted for Orchard Park Sunday evening. The Bills ranked 12th in rushing yards allowed per game (115.5), 19th in yards per carry allowed (4.5), eighth in run defense DVOA, and fifth in rush EPA allowed per play in the regular season. Buffalo held a below-average Denver rushing attack to 79 yards rushing in last weekend’s 31-7 wild-card win with Broncos rookie quarterback Bo Nix responsible for 43 of those.
Of course, slowing down the combination of Henry and Jackson is a challenge unlike any other.
The Ravens may need to continue to lean on that ground attack more than usual with Pro Bowl wide receiver Zay Flowers still rehabbing a right knee injury suffered in the regular-season finale. Baltimore had no problems handling Pittsburgh without Flowers in the opening round, but you’d certainly prefer having his playmaking ability against an opponent with much more offensive firepower than the Steelers.
Flowers did not practice on Wednesday as the Ravens remain in “we’ll see” mode with the second-year receiver.
“It’s a huge challenge. That’s a guy who has been with us all season long and been making things happen for us,” Jackson said. “And just him being him [and] what he brings to the game, we’re going to miss that. But we have guys who are locked in and are ready to step up to the plate for us.”
Flowers was the only member of Baltimore’s 53-man roster not to practice Wednesday. Designated to return to practice from injured reserve last week, return specialist and wide receiver Deonte Harty was listed as a full participant, but it’s unclear whether the Ravens will activate him to face the Bills. The punt returner job — currently held by wide receiver Steven Sims — has been in flux for much of the season.
Though conducting only a walk-through Wednesday, the Bills had their entire 53-man roster on the practice field. Two offensive reserves — running back Ray Davis (confussion) and interior lineman Alec Anderson (calf) — were listed as limited participants while everyone else practiced fully.
Below was Wednesday’s full injury report:
BALTIMORE
DID NOT PARTICIPATE: WR Zay Flowers (knee)
FULL PARTICIPATION: WR/RS Deonte Harty (knee)
BUFFALO
LIMITED PARTICIPATION: OL Alec Anderson (calf), RB Ray Davis (concussion)
FULL PARTICIPATION: CB Christian Benford (back), RS Brandon Codrington (hamstring), WR Amari Cooper (back), CB Taron Johnson (neck), TE Dalton Kincaid (knee), DB Cam Lewis (shoulder/neck), LB Matt Milano (biceps), TE Quintin Morris (groin), DE Greg Rousseau (finger), LB Dorian Williams (elbow)
