Jackson and Henry edge the Ravens past the Steelers for the AFC wild card

Jackson and Henry edge the Ravens past the Steelers for the AFC wild card

BALTIMORE — There were times Saturday when Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson didn’t feel like he was playing in an AFC wild-card game. As he watched running back Derrick Henry break through the Pittsburgh Steelers defense, Jackson had flashbacks to a certain movie.

“Do you watch the movie ‘Cars’? When Lightning McQueen just flew by, Derrick looked like this,” Jackson said. “He ran past all these guys. It just looked like a movie, bro. I’d rather watch it than be on the other side of the ball. I know that.”

Henry never let off the gas pedal and set a Ravens postseason record with 186 yards rushing and two touchdowns as Baltimore posted a 28-14 victory over the Steelers at M&T Bank Stadium. Henry frustrated Pittsburgh with stiff arms and sprints in the middle of the defense and recorded his fourth postseason game with 150 or more yards rushing, tying him with Terrell Davis for the most in NFL playoff history.

The Ravens advance to the divisional round next weekend, where they play at the Buffalo Bills or at home against the Houston Texans. Meanwhile, Baltimore will remember Henry’s 44-yard touchdown run in the third quarter and smile.

“I thought it was fun watching Lamar run, but watching Derrick Henry run for a touchdown, I think that might be the deciding factor,” Ravens offensive tackle Ronnie Stanley said. “Maybe because he is 1.90 meters tall and walks like a gazelle.”

Jackson and the NFL’s No. 1 offense were without Pro Bowl wide receiver Zay Flowers, who was sidelined with a knee injury. That didn’t matter because the Ravens ran the ball on 50 of 72 plays. On an 85-yard drive in the second quarter, Baltimore ran the ball on all 13 plays, including Henry’s 8-yard touchdown run.

Along with Jackson’s 81 yards rushing, the Ravens totaled 299 yards on the ground, setting a new franchise record. It was the most rushing yards by a team in a playoff game since the 2012 San Francisco 49ers, who gained 323 yards in a divisional round win.

“We’re not going to get too ahead of ourselves and talk about how great we are,” Henry said. “We’re going to stay level-headed, enjoy this movie, watch the movie, see where we can get better and then move on to the next thing.”

Henry’s first long run came on a play that offensive coordinator Todd Monken had just added during practice on Thursday. Henry lined up in the Wildcat formation, took the direct snap and ran 34 yards to set up the game’s first touchdown.

Then, in the third quarter, Henry broke through the Steelers’ defense for a 44-yard scoring run, the longest touchdown run of his postseason career. According to NFL Next Gen Stats, Henry reached a top speed of 20.6 mph, which was the second time this season that he topped 20 mph on a touchdown run, according to NFL Next Gen Stats.

“Derrick is just a workhorse. This guy is just this guy,” Jackson said. “I can just hand the ball off, (and it goes) 10 yards, 20 yards, 30 yards and I just chill.”

When Jackson wasn’t passing the ball to Henry, he was playing it himself. His 15 runs were his second-most of the season and caused him to fall in the back. Between series, Jackson wore a heat pack on his back on the sidelines.

“I’m fine,” Jackson said. “To be honest, it didn’t affect me at all. Just a minor niggle, but I’m fine. No need to worry.”

The Ravens will face either the Bills or the Texans, both of whom they defeated in the regular season by a combined score of 66-12. If the Bills beat the Denver Broncos on Sunday, Baltimore will play in Buffalo next weekend. If the Bills are upset at home, the Ravens will host the Texans.

Because of the way Henry and Jackson run the ball, the Ravens are confident in who they will play next.

“These guys are leaders, so we’re just getting started,” Ravens middle linebacker Roquan Smith said. “This is the appetizer to what we have on the menu.”

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