Ravens five-time Pro Bowl running back Derrick Henry discusses Baltimore鈥檚 upcoming game against the Pittsburgh Steelers for first place in the AFC North, how he鈥檚 sustained excellence for a decade in the NFL and being nominated for the Walter Payton Man of the Year award.
Various NFL Players: Hey, this is Russell Wilson. This is Joe Montana. This is Dak Prescott. Hey, this is Jason Kelce. You鈥檙e listening to Rob Maaddi. Rob Maaddi, Rob Maaddi, Rob Maaddi.
MAADDI: Welcome to On Football. I鈥檓 Rob Maaddi. It鈥檚 Week 14. Playoff races are heating up in the NFL. Gotta give credit to the schedule makers. There are three division games this Sunday for first place: the Packers-Bears, Colts-Jaguars, Steelers-Ravens. And here鈥檚 the great thing. They鈥檙e all gonna face each other again later this season. Other great matchups, including the prime-time games, more about that in Pro Picks. Our guest this week is Ravens running back Derrick Henry. Stay tuned for a special conversation.
The defending Super Bowl champion Eagles are reeling, two straight losses to the Cowboys and Bears, and some of the people who wanted Nick Sirianni fired last year before he led the team to a Super Bowl championship. Well, they鈥檙e starting up again. Offensive coordinator Kevin Patullo鈥檚 first season calling plays isn鈥檛 working out. The offense looks predictable, it lacks creativity. Jalen Hurts and the passing game have struggled. Saquon Barkley isn鈥檛 close to running like he was last year. Much of that has to do with the offensive line, but there really shouldn鈥檛 be any conversation about Sirianni getting fired. He鈥檚 one of the most successful coaches in NFL history. A .700 winning percentage, top five all time, made the playoffs his first four seasons, two Super Bowl appearances, one championship. The Eagles are still 8-4. They have a shot at the number one seed. He鈥檚 got to make changes to the offense, whether that鈥檚 calling plays himself or something else. But can we just stop firing a coach who鈥檚 done nothing but win? Now, as for the fans who threw eggs at Kevin Patullo鈥檚 house in Moorestown, New Jersey, you gotta get a life. Seriously. That should never happen.
Derrick Henry is one of the NFL鈥檚 all-time greatest running backs. He鈥檒l be in Canton one day receiving a gold jacket. But right now, he鈥檚 trying to help Baltimore beat Pittsburgh this week. He鈥檚 also the Ravens’ Walter Payton Man of the Year nominee. You guys started one and five, and here you are, Week 14. You鈥檙e playing for first place in the AFC North. How were you guys able to kind of stay in that moment, stay in that belief and turn things around?
HENRY: We gotta sit together. We’re the only ones that can turn it around by our approach and how we鈥檙e gonna work every day and let it translate from meetings to the field and to the game. We gotta stay locked in to a long season and you know adversity strikes us at some point during the season, just gotta overcome it and be better from it. I think that鈥檚 what we was focused on.
MAADDI: How much does having a a guy like Coach Harbaugh, who鈥檚 been through ups and downs, who鈥檚 been a champion, who knows what it takes, how much does he help you guys get through the tough times and the adversities?
HENRY: Of course, Harbaugh鈥檚 been here 10-plus years, been in the league a long time. So I mean he鈥檚 been through some similar things like this with some of the teams he鈥檚 had in the past. And, you know, he鈥檚 been a great head coach in the league for a long time. So he鈥檚 the leader of men. So you know, it just, we just gotta weather the storm and you know you need to make sure we stay locked in and keep focused on what we need to do week after week and each opponent and not get too far ahead of ourselves.
MAADDI: Derrick, you鈥檙e playing a team, it鈥檚 a rival, the Steelers. You鈥檙e, you guys are both fighting for that first spot in the AFC North. They gave up a lot of yards last week against the Bills on the ground, but it鈥檚 still the Steelers, still tough defense. How much are you able to kind of glean from that, from what you saw last week? Also knowing that they are a pretty great defense.
HENRY: It鈥檚 a week-to-week league. Some weeks gonna be better than others. The Bills had a great, great game plan that they executed and did a great job and sure they learned from that on film. You know, I鈥檓 not going to the game expecting anything. They鈥檙e a great defense, got a great coach and a great coaching staff that are probably having well prepared. The rivalry’s always a fourth quarter battle, so you know, just looking forward to going into a game, physical game and doing my job the best way I can.
MAADDI: Derrick, you鈥檙e 10 years into your career, you鈥檙e having another excellent season. Your work ethic is legendary, your diet, everything. We鈥檝e everybody鈥檚 talked about that. How have you been able to maintain your success for so long?
HENRY: I think it鈥檚 just focusing on hard work and wanting to to to be better, better myself in any way I can to be the best player I could be. That鈥檚 what pride myself on, just this hard work and just having discipline in my routine and keep doing those doing those things and being the best teammate I can be and and let my play speak for itself.
MAADDI: You鈥檝e got an opportunity this year to move into the top ten in all-time rushing yards. I don鈥檛 know if you even know that. If you pay attention to these things, you certainly you鈥檙e going week to week and you鈥檝e got a lot more on your mind. But have you thought about the career goals and the accomplishments and what you鈥檝e been able to do and and what that means to you to be top ten?
HENRY: No, not right now. I鈥檓 just trying to stay present with what we need to do as a team and focus on this season and, you know, this game which with the Steelers this week and preparing the right way and doing everything that I can and that we can to to be ready for Sunday for a four-quarter battle. So but I think whenever I got time to, you know, reflect and I I鈥檒l definitely do that. And it鈥檚 all it鈥檚 all been a blessing but just trying to stay in the moment straight present on what鈥檚 going on right now.
MAADDI: Derrick, you鈥檝e won a a lot of individual awards. You鈥檝e been an all-pro, five-time Pro Bowler, offensive player of the year to be nominated for what you鈥檝e done off the field, not on the field, but the Walter Payton Man of the Year. It鈥檚 a tremendous honor. It really recognizes what you鈥檙e go doing in the community and how you鈥檙e giving back. Tell me about what that means to you.
HENRY: Yeah, I鈥檝e been getting back in in the community, having my Two All Foundation, which is trying to level the playing field for the youth and all the adolescents in need. And you know, just trying to to give back, be a resource. Very blessed to have the platform that I have and you know, God has blessed me tremendously. So, you know, I just wanna do the Lord鈥檚 work of of giving back, being a positive influence, and reaching as reaching as many communities that I have that have had an effect on me and that I鈥檝e that that I鈥檝e been around and just trying to be a blessing to these kids. Thank my Lord and savior Jesus Christ for, you know, giving me opportunity to to do something like this and this award is so so significant. Walter Payton and the Payton family, what they what they represent, what this award represents. I鈥檓 very appreciative and fortunate to be able to be up for this award, represent the Ravens and it鈥檚 it鈥檚 it鈥檚 definitely an honor.
MAADDI: It鈥檚 time for some Pro Picks. We were 3-1 straight up and against the spread last week. Overall, 39-12-1. That鈥檚 a .760 winning percentage. 32-19-1 against the spread. That鈥檚 a .625 winning percentage. For my best bet, I鈥檓 looking at the Eagles and Chargers game on 鈥淢onday Night Football.鈥� Both teams are 8-4. Philly is currently a three-point favorite. That鈥檒l likely change between now and game time, depending on Justin Herbert鈥檚 status. He had surgery on his left wrist. He鈥檚 gonna try and play. Whether he does or not, I still see the Eagles coming out of their funk. Saquon Barkley had 255 yards rushing, including touchdowns of 70 and 72 yards the last time he played at SoFi Stadium. That was against the Rams last year. This is against the Chargers. Still, I see the Eagles winning 24-18. The upset special is one of those matchups for first place. This one in the AFC South. The Colts, 8-4, at Jacksonville, they鈥檙e 8-4. The line is Colts minus 1.5. So they are a road favorite, even though they haven鈥檛 won in Jacksonville since 2014. The Colts are also 3-16-1 against the spread versus the Jaguars since 2015. Daniel Jones, Jonathan Taylor, and the rest of that high-scoring offense has been sluggish during a stretch where Indy has lost 3 of 4. The defense won鈥檛 have All-Pro cornerback Sauce Gardner. That鈥檚 good news for Trevor Lawrence and Jakobi Meyers. He鈥檚 boosted the passing game since coming over at the trade deadline. Jaguars, 22-20. Next I鈥檝e got a bounce back game. The Los Angeles Rams are 9-3. They lost last week to Carolina. They鈥檙e at Arizona. The Cardinals are 3-9. Rams are eight-point favorites. Matthew Stafford鈥檚 coming off a rare three-turnover game, and the Rams look to rebound from a poor defensive effort. They gave up 31 against the Panthers. The Cardinals, Jacoby Brissett is 1-6 as a starter filling in for Kyler Murray. He鈥檚 upgraded the passing game, but not enough to get W鈥檚. The Rams are 26-11 overall and 25-11-1 against the spread in December under coach Sean McVay. The calendar has turned to December. Rams, 31-16. Lastly, I know if you bet bad teams, bad things happen, but I can鈥檛 resist this game. Tennessee 1-11 at Cleveland 3-9. The Browns are four-point favorites. Cam Ward鈥檚 rookie season has been dismal in Tennessee. The Titans have lost seven games by double digits. Now, Shedeur Sanders has brought some excitement to the Browns in his two starts. He鈥檚 shown some of his potential, some good, some bad. But Cleveland has a dominant defense led by Myles Garrett. He鈥檚 got 19 sacks. He鈥檚 going to make all the difference. Browns, 20-13.
That鈥檚 it for this week. Thank you to Derrick Henry. Thank you for listening to On Football, and thanks to Haya Panjwani and Guillermo Gonzalez for producing this episode. Please check out AP 太子探花.com for the full Pro Picks, On Football analysis and more NFL news.
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