In perhaps the most anticipated game of the NFL Playoffs divisional round, the Baltimore Ravens will be hoping for a repeat performance from Derrick Henry against the Buffalo Bills to what he did against them in the regular season.
Henry had his most prolific rushing game of the regular season in Baltimore's week four route of the Bills. Henry rushed for 199 yards on 24 carries and added a touchdown as the Ravens won 35-10. On Baltimore's first play from scrimmage, Henry broke free for an 87-yard touchdown to get the party started.
While Baltimore will hope for a repeat performance, Buffalo will undoubtedly be keyed on stopping the King from running all over them again. Being the focal point of a defensive gameplan is nothing new for Henry; that was his life for his entire career with the Tennessee Titans.
Sharing a backfield with Lamar Jackson has been a godsend for both Henry and Jackson, and it's incredibly difficult to stop both of them at once. That has made Baltimore a popular pick to win the AFC and go to the Super Bowl.
Jackson's struggles in the postseason have been well-documented, but for the first time in his career he has another MVP-caliber player able to take the weight off of his shoulders. Henry did just that in Baltimore's 28-14 win over the Steelers in the wildcard round, rushing for 186 yards and a pair of touchdowns in the win.
Can he find similar success against a stout Buffalo defense?
Projecting Derrick Henry's rushing stats against the Bills
According to FanDuel, Henry's rushing prop is set at 96.5 yards. That number might seem low considering what he did against the Bills in the regular season and the performance he had last week against Pittsburgh, but that's a pretty high number for a sportsbook to set for a running back.
In what will likely be frigid temps in Buffalo, I expect Baltimore to lean on Henry as much as they can. He might get off to a slow start, but as anyone knows who has paid any attention to his career, Henry gets better and better as the game chugs along.
Look for Henry to have another good game, and to overcome a slow start with a big second half that leads the Ravens to a road win over the Bills and a berth in the AFC Championship Game.