One of the standout teams in the NFL is undoubtedly the Baltimore Ravens. Despite starting the season a bit inconsistently, they’ve found their groove and now hold a 2-2 record. Their resurgence has caught the attention of multiple champion Bill Belichick, who made it clear just how impressive this team is, particularly their star running back, Derrick Henry.
In a recent appearance on The Pat McAfee Show on ESPN, the former head coach of the New England Patriots analyzed the current state of the team led by Lamar Jackson: “I think they definitely found their stride here the last couple of weeks,
“Coming off last year’s game with the Chiefs, not running the ball enough [or] running game getting established, it’s so much easier to do that when you play from ahead [and] getting off to a good start like they did last night. And of course, Derrick Henry, once he gets rolling, he’s tough to stop.”
Belichick showered praise on Derrick Henry, who delivered a stellar performance in the recent matchup against the Buffalo Bills, where John Harbaugh’s squad secured a decisive 35-10 victory.
Derrick Henry had an impressive outing with 24 carries for 199 yards, including a spectacular 87-yard touchdown run, marking the longest rushing touchdown in Baltimore Ravens history. Lamar Jackson also contributed with a rushing touchdown against Buffalo. As a team, the Ravens rushed for over 250 yards and secured at least two rushing touchdowns for the second consecutive week.
Belichick also praised the performance of Van Noy
While the Ravens’ offense is one of the strongest aspects of John Harbaugh’s team, it’s also important to highlight the contributions of other key players, such as Kyle Van Noy.
“Kyle is a real instinctive player,” Belichick said. “He’s a little bit of a combination of defensive and outside linebacker. [He] can also play a little bit inside linebacker, but he’s very aware, instinctive and crafty out there.”
It’s worth noting that Kyle Van Noy played for Belichick on the New England Patriots from 2016 to 2020, serving as a key component in his defensive schemes.
The impact of Ricard on the Ravens’ game
After significantly increasing his playing time compared to the first two weeks of the season, fullback Patrick Ricard has become a key player in the Ravens‘ operations. On this situation, Belichick was straightforward.
“It’s sort of hard to set your defense because you don’t know where he’s going to be,” Belichick said “He builds that extra gap. And obviously, he’s a big guy when he gets matched up on the linebackers, which is usually who he’s blocking. And so that extra gap that gets created in those two back sets is tough. You don’t know where it’s going to be.”