Ravens Get Worrying Derrick Henry Prediction vs. Bills

The Baltimore Ravens will be worried about how struggling running back Derrick Henry's predicted to fare against the Buffalo Bills in Week 8. GettyHenry should take a page from Hall of Famer Allen, who successfully adjusted his game late in his career. GettyDerrick Henry put the ball on the ground in a key moment the last time the Baltimore Ravens faced the Buffalo Bills, but another fumble isn’t what the struggling running back should fear most when the two teams renew acquaintances at Highmark Stadium in Week 8.Instead, Henry has a bigger reason to fear the Bills’ defense. It involves a niche statistic that shows they’re capable of taking away what the two-time NFL rushing champion does best.Henry’s something of a contradiction in terms among pro backs. He’s a 6-foot-3, 252-pound bruiser who’s always been more effective bouncing runs to the outside than attacking defenses between the tackles.Unfortunately, that’s just where the Bills’ rush defense is strongest, according to ESPN’s Seth Walder. He noted Buffalo’s “defense ranks first in yards allowed before contact on opponent runs. And another set of numbers that stood out: The Ravens run outside zone at the third-highest rate in the NFL (49%), while the Bills have allowed just 2.8 yards per outside zone run.”Those are worrying numbers for the Ravens because they tie into how “the story around Henry has long been that he’s elite once he gets going but not as dangerous if he gets hit early — even relative to other running backs. In other words, Buffalo might be better equipped to stop the Ravens’ run game than anticipated.”Walder believes the Bill will stop Henry and limit him to just 48 yards on 16 carries. That’s hardly the stat line the Ravens need from a player who can help ease the burden returning franchise quarterback Lamar Jackson.The underlying numbers add up to trouble for Henry, who’s struggled mightily when forced to run inside this season. He’s also finding it tough to overcome those costly fumbles in clutch moments.Derrick Henry Must Reinvent His GameHenry knows there’s a problem with the “stagnant” way he’s running, but there’s no easy solution. Not when the 32-year-old is no longer showing the outside speed that once set him apart at his position.A physical decline is inevitable for a workhorse who’s been as busy as Henry during nearly 11 seasons in the pros. His struggles in 2026 are a sign he should reinvent his game.Many of the great running backs made changes late in their careers to stay productive. Perhaps the best example is Hall of Famer Marcus Allen.GettyHenry should take a page from Hall of Famer Allen, who successfully adjusted his game late in his career. He’d lost the speed that made him a highlight-reel favorite and NFL Films icon with the then-Los Angeles Raiders in the 1980s. So Allen reinvented himself as a grinder between the tackles and a short-yardage specialist when he joined the Kansas City Chiefs in 1993.Henry hasn’t been able to do the same. Nor has he solved the ball security issues that prompted this critical turnover during the epic shootout with the Bills in Week 1 of last season.BILLS FORCE A FUMBLE AND TAKE OVER.BALvsBUF on NBCStream on @NFLPlus + Peacock pic.twitter.com/e1YpjdpXDk— NFL (@NFL) September 8, 2025That 41-40 defeat continued the Ravens’ recent woes against the Bills. The same opponent infamously dumped them out of the playoffs to close the Ravens’ 2024 season, a defeat that left Jackson fuming.Jackson’s back for this return bout, but he’ll need the support of a more productive Henry. It won’t happen unless the Ravens make some changes to the way they run the ball.Ravens Need Changes on the GroundHelping Henry adjust his game will be tricky when these Ravens aren’t suited to what he does best. General manager Eric DeCosta’s decision to let six-time Pro Bowl fullback Patrick Ricard walk in free agency looks increasingly like a fatal misstep.Ricard, all 300 pounds of him, consistently helped seal the edges so Henry could cut to the outside. The Ravens don’t have another mobile blocker as powerful as Ricard, particularly with rugged tight end Durham Smythe on the shelf with a torn Achilles.It also doesn’t help Baltimore’s O-line is more suited to inside runs. There’s extra beef along the interior, in the form of veteran John Simpson, center Cam Jurgens and formidable rookie right guard Vega Ioane.The latter’s dealing with a knee injury, but Ravens’ offensive coordinator Declan Doyle can still find ways to get Henry rolling behind inside blockers. It’s where the Bills are vulnerable and how the Ravens’ RB1 returns to form.This article was originally published on HEAVYThe post Ravens Get Worrying Derrick Henry Prediction vs. Bills appeared first on HEAVY.