Teams usually have to pick their poison when defending the Baltimore Ravens’ offense. They can commit extra bodies to stop Derrick Henry from running downhill, but doing so risks leaving too much space for Lamar Jackson to exploit on the read option. Selling out inside helps limit Henry’s ability to wear defenses down, yet it immediately stresses edge discipline and second-level integrity.
That constant conflict makes Baltimore’s run game so difficult to defend. If you stay patient on the edges and account for Jackson, Henry runs against favorable numbers and has room to build momentum between the tackles. Few offenses in the NFL force defenses into this many lose-lose situations in the run-fit game, which is why the Ravens’ rushing attack is among the hardest — if not the hardest — to contain in the league.
Baltimore’s rushing attack ranks third in EPA per rush and will test the Green Bay Packers on Saturday night. Jackson’s availability will likely be uncertain until gametime, but Tyler Huntley still provides the Ravens with a mobile quarterback capable of executing the read-option and stressing defensive edges. Still, containing Baltimore’s rushing attack starts with stopping one of the offense’s most underrated elements: Patrick Ricard.
The Ravens are 1–5 in games when Ricard does not play, compared to 6–3 when he is active. His impact goes beyond the box score, but his presence consistently shows up in the results. Ricard is arguably the most important piece of Baltimore’s offense, other than Jackson or Henry, because he’s central to the structure and efficiency of their rushing attack.
Baltimore’s rushing profile shifts noticeably when viewed over time. In the first six games of the season, the Ravens topped 150 rushing yards in three contests, but failed to reach 100 yards in the other three, including two outings below 50. Over Ricard’s first four games back in the lineup, Baltimore averaged 165.75 yards on the ground, a surge that lifted the unit back into the NFL’s top-five rushing offenses.
“I think having Pat Ricard back has been a tremendous boost for us,” Ravens’ offensive coordinator Todd Monken said in November. “The things he allows us to do in the run game, [pass] protection, his physicality that he brings is a big part of that.”
Ricard’s impact extends well beyond the 2025 season. He earned Pro Bowl honors last year and was a central piece of an offense that eclipsed 3,000 rushing yards, one of only two teams in the league to reach that mark. With Ricard on the field, Henry rushed for 1,324 yards at 6.2 yards per carry and scored 15 touchdowns.
“Any time 42 [Ricard] is in front of me, I’m comfortable,” Henry said last year. “I’ve got to make something happen.”
From a structural standpoint, Green Bay would prefer to lean on single-high safety looks to condense running lanes and improve numbers in the box. However, that approach is contingent on Jackson’s availability. Playing extended stretches of single-high coverage against Jackson invites vertical stress, and he is one of the best deep throwers in football. Given Green Bay’s inconsistent cornerback play this season, relying on single-high shells for four quarters creates coverage vulnerabilities that Baltimore is well-equipped to attack.
If Tyler Huntley gets the start, Jeff Hafley could lean into a more aggressive approach. Huntley’s 79.9 passer rating on throws of 20 yards or more ranks 33rd among qualified quarterbacks, which lowers the penalty for challenging Baltimore vertically.
In that scenario, John Harbaugh would likely prioritize protecting his quarterback by leaning on Derrick Henry and incorporating quick-game concepts. That’s where Green Bay’s awareness of Patrick Ricard becomes critical. The more effectively the Packers can neutralize his impact, the better their chances of disrupting early-down efficiency and getting off the field.