Jamal Lewis believes Baltimore made a costly mistake by taking Derrick Henry out of the flow of Sunday’s 24-17 loss to the New Orleans Saints. The Ravens led 14-6 at halftime, but Henry received only five second-half rushing attempts as New Orleans erased an early 11-point deficit.
Lewis, Baltimore’s career rushing leader, said the Ravens cannot afford to underuse a back of Henry’s caliber. The former Ravens star called Henry a workhorse and said the club should take advantage of him while it can.
Quick facts
- Henry had 16 rushes for 68 yards and one touchdown against New Orleans.
- He posted 51 yards and a 1-yard score on 11 first-half carries.
- Baltimore is 12-3 when Henry reaches 20 or more carries during his Ravens tenure.
- Henry opened this season with 144 yards on 24 attempts in a 41-23 win over Indianapolis.
- The Ravens will travel to Brazil to face the Dallas Cowboys next week.
Henry, 32, produced 17 yards on his five carries after intermission. Lewis said he would have been angry if he had been limited to 10 second-half touches during his own playing days, although he acknowledged that Henry plays alongside Lamar Jackson, the NFL’s most productive rushing quarterback.
The Saints game was not the first time Baltimore has sharply reduced Henry’s workload after a strong opening half. In the Ravens’ season-ending 26-24 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 18 of 2025, Henry ran 15 times for 112 yards before halftime and then carried only five times in the second half.
Lewis remains first in Ravens history with 7,801 rushing yards. Both Lewis and Henry have recorded 2,000-yard rushing seasons, though Lewis also won a Super Bowl during his Baltimore career.
For the Ravens to make a serious push for the Lombardi Trophy, Lewis said first-year offensive coordinator Declan Doyle must keep turning to Henry. He urged Doyle and the coaching staff to treat the Saints loss as an early-season lesson and not repeat the decision.
Baltimore’s upcoming matchup offers a favorable test of that approach. Dallas has allowed more rushing yards than every NFL team except two so far this season, giving head coach Jesse Minter and his staff a chance to lean on Henry when the Ravens meet the Cowboys in Brazil.
