How Ravens’ Derrick Henry moves toward an old season for running backs

Four-time Pro Bowl running back Derrick Henry is back in the NFL in rushing yards (704) and rushing touchdowns (8) through his first six weeks as a Baltimore Raven. The natural response to those details for the average NFL fan is something along the lines of “That’s King Henry doing King Henry things.”

That wouldn’t do Henry’s 2024 season justice for a couple of reasons. Let’s get into them now. His 2024 season is only the ninth season in which a player totaled at least 700 rushing yards and eight touchdowns in the first six games of the season, according to CBS Sports Research. It’s also the second such season start for Henry, putting him in a two-man club with him and Pro Football Hall of Famer Jim Brown.

700 rushing yards and eight rushing TDs in first 6 games of season

Henry Derrick 2021, 2024
Alexander Shaun 2005
Terrell Davis 1998
Emmitt Smith 1995
Eric Dickerson 1983
Jim Brown 1958, 1959, 1963

*Won NFL MVP

Let’s dig a little deeper. According to CBS Sports Research, there have been 1,915 instances of a running back with 50 or more rushing attempts during Generation 6 since the AFL/NFL merger of 1970. The only two have led all running backs in rushing attempts, rushing yards, rushing touchdowns and rushing yards through Class 6 since 1970: 2,024 Henry (704 rushing yards and eight rushing touchdowns on 119 carries for 5.9 straight yards). with increase) and 1998 Terrell Davis (865 yards and 9 touchdowns on 144 carries for 6.0 yards in line with increase). That 1998 season catapulted Davis into the Hall of Reputation as he led the league in rushing yards and touchdowns in both the regular season and the postseason on his way to a Super Bowl title.

Henry, this season, is ready to do something for the third time: win the Triple Crown (leading the NFL in carries, yards and touchdowns), something Davis has never done before. If Henry maintains his flow time and does so, he will tie Hall of Famers with Steve Van Buren (three times) and Brown, a player whom one undeniable game claims to be the most productive football player they have ever seen. (four times) as the only players to perform the feat three times. Alternatively, Henry can also build his own club as the first player in NFL history to win a fancy triple crown at age 30 on his 30th birthday in 2024.

Led all RBs in Accelerate Makes an Attempt, Accelerate Yards, Accelerate TD, and Yards/Accelerate

(Through Generation 6 since 1970; minimum 50 acceleration attempts)

Accelerate Try 144 119
Accelerate yards 865 704
Yards/Accelerate 6.0 5.9
Accelerate TD 9 8

How Henry is blowing up the clock again

How come Henry is still participating in Find It irresistible’s 2021 and is 27 years old in 2024 when he is 30 years old? Well, he has the help of an old assist device in his quarterback Lamar Jackson, a two-time NFL MVP (2019 and 2023). Jackson, who has back-to-back 300-yard passing games in the last two weeks, is currently the leading quarterback in rushing yards this season with 403 rushing yards, which also ranks as the eighth-most among all NFL players. .

Opposing defenses must appreciate Jackson’s warning on every handoff because there’s a chance he’ll simply pull the ball, like Lucy does with Charlie Brown, and rack it up himself for a big score. On this very day, Jackson and Henry are on schedule to become the first quarterback-running back duo in Super Bowl week since 1966 to complete the 10th rushing yardage supremacy in the same season. Playing alongside Jackson and on a Ravens team that has a 74.0 run-blocking rating, fifth-best in the NFL according to Pro Football’s Focal Point, has Henry primed to launch into an all-time brilliant season. and enter the Professional Football Hall. of Reputation.

Source link

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here