Ravens star admits ‘tall task’ stopping Saquon Barkley this week, but Derrick Henry could be the solution
The Baltimore Ravens came away with a huge road win over the Los Angeles Chargers on Monday night as John Harbaugh beat his little brother, Jim, for the third time in their illustrious coaching careers.
While the Ravens got back in the win column, they have a short week and a very tough opponent upcoming which requires special attention from one player in particular when breaking down the film.
Saquon Barkley, the elite running back for the Philadelphia Eagles, has been putting together an MVP-caliber season that notched another milestone in the team’s latest win over the Los Angeles Rams.
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Philadelphia Eagles running back Kenneth Gainwell is congratulated by running back Saquon Barkley after scoring against the Los Angeles Rams in Inglewood, California, Sunday, Nov. 24, 2024. (AP Photo/Ryan Sun)
Barkley set the single-game franchise record for rushing yards with 255, breaking Eagles Hall of Fame member LeSean “Shady” McCoy, who had previously held it with 217 yards. Barkley did so by ripping over two monster rushing touchdowns, while also hauling four catches for 47 receiving yards to break 300 yards from scrimmage on his incredible night.
At the moment, Barkley is on pace to beat Adrian Peterson’s 2012 rushing season with the Minnesota Vikings, where he ultimately won MVP after falling just nine yards shy of breaking the single-season rushing record by Eric Dickerson.
All of that is to say the Ravens have a “tall task,” as one of their star defenders said to Fox News Digital.
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“A lot of teams have tried and failed at it this season,” Ravens star safety Kyle Hamilton said while also discussing his choice of Our Military Kids as the organization to represent for “My Cause My Cleats” this week. “But I think on a short week, it’s gonna be a lot of preparation, just mental stuff to put us in the right position to be successful. Not being in the wrong gaps, not fitting wrong as a DB, tackling well.
“[Running the ball] I think that’s such a big part of this team. They run the ball really well, but they also have weapons on the outside to throw the ball to if you get too aggressive. They keep you honest, but I think knocking out the run game will help us out a lot winning that game.”
Barkley leads the NFL with 1,392 rushing yards and has scored 10 times on the ground this year, making him one of the most productive backs in the NFL.
But Hamilton knows Barkley and the Eagles, while owning the top rushing attack at 193.4 yards per game, are not the best all-around offense in the league. He watches it every week when he’s on the sidelines.
Baltimore Ravens safety Kyle Hamilton prior to the game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Raymond James Stadium. (Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images)
The Ravens are averaging a whopping 426.7 yards per game compared to the Eagles’ 389.1. And while quarterback Lamar Jackson’s dual threat abilities with his arm and legs play a large role there, a lot of it has to do with the addition of Derrick Henry this offseason, which is clearly paying dividends.
In the Ravens’ win over the Chargers, Henry totaled 140 yards on the ground, giving him 1,325 total on the year – just behind Barkley. He also has 13 rushing touchdowns, though for the first time this season, he wasn’t able to find the end zone against Los Angeles.
While Hamilton and his defensive brothers are ready to make plays in one of the league’s most anticipated games this Sunday, he also wants to see himself on the sidelines more often than not.
That means Jackson, Henry and the Ravens’ offense are in control.
“We want to be out there playing and making plays, but typically if you dominate time of possession, you win the game,” Hamilton explained. “Having those long drives, keeping us fresh and going out there playing fast. We get three-and-outs, you kinda get into a groove right there and you can get the score really high at that point. Score points, get a three-and-out.
Philadelphia Eagles running back Saquon Barkley uns the ball against the Los Angeles Rams at SoFi Stadium. (Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images)
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“We’ve had plenty of games like that where we’ve made big waves. So, it’s something that’s easier said than done, but if we get consistent with that, we’re going to be tough to beat.”
Two of the league’s best teams, with the top two running backs in terms of yards, will be going head-to-head for a 4:25 p.m. matchup Sunday in Baltimore.
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