Derrick Henry Struggles Again with Fumble in Ravens’ Loss

Running back Derrick Henry faced intense frustration after committing his third fumble in as many games, a critical mistake that contributed to the Baltimore Ravens‘ 38-30 loss to the Detroit Lions on September 25, 2023. Following the game, Henry slammed his helmet against the bench in disbelief and left the field visibly shaken, reflecting on the pivotal moment that led to the defeat.

With the Ravens trailing 28-24 midway through the fourth quarter, Henry lost the ball after being hit from behind by Lions defensive end Aidan Hutchinson at the Ravens’ 16-yard line. The Lions swiftly capitalized on the turnover, converting it into a field goal that extended their lead. This marked Henry’s second fourth-quarter fumble of the season, both occurring during losses for the Ravens.

In his previous nine seasons, Henry had lost only two fourth-quarter fumbles across 136 games, making this current trend particularly concerning. “I’m at a loss for words,” Henry admitted post-game. “This sucks right now. I ain’t going to lie to y’all.” He expressed remorse to his teammates, coaches, and fans, emphasizing his determination to rectify the situation. “It’s just crazy. Three fumbles [in three games] straight. I’m trying every day to fix the problem that just keeps occurring.”

Ravens head coach John Harbaugh weighed in on the incident, expressing confidence that Henry would overcome this challenge. “That was kind of a blind shot there,” Harbaugh noted. “I thought he had the ball in good position. Still, we just want to protect the football; all our guys do, and we have to do it. We have to be good at it.”

Despite his fumble troubles, Henry remains one of the most accomplished running backs in NFL history. He currently ranks 18th on the league’s all-time rushing list with 11,665 yards and holds 109 rushing touchdowns, placing him sixth in that category. However, his performance against the Lions was disappointing, as he managed just 50 yards rushing, following a meager 24 yards in the previous week’s victory over the Cleveland Browns.

The Ravens, now sitting at 1-2, are set to face a challenging matchup against the Kansas City Chiefs, where they have struggled historically, holding an 0-3 record against quarterback Patrick Mahomes. “Adversity is rough right now,” Henry acknowledged. “But as long as we stay focused — and everybody else will stay focused — we’ll try to turn this thing around. I know we will.”

As the Ravens prepare for their upcoming game, the focus will be on addressing Henry’s ball security issues and finding ways to regain momentum in their season.