The Real Reason Derrick Henry is Failing in Short Yardage (And It’s Not What You Think)

Derrick Henry is a future Hall of Famer and one of the most physically dominant running backs this league has ever seen. So why is he currently one of the worst short-yardage runners in the entire NFL?

That sentence shouldn’t make sense. And yet, the numbers don’t lie.

There is a concrete reason this is happening, and it has almost nothing to do with Derrick Henry himself. The real story here isn’t about a legendary running back losing his touch. It’s about something broken in front of him that almost nobody is talking about correctly. There’s a pattern that’s been building since last season, and finding the solution could completely flip the script by the time the playoffs roll around.

The Alarming Short-Yardage Stats

To understand the problem, you need to see exactly how bad this short-yardage situation actually is.

Start with the recent game against the Dallas Cowboys in Brazil. Henry had two separate fourth-and-one attempts. Early in the game, deep in Baltimore’s own territory, he was stuffed. Later, down near the goal line in the fourth quarter with the game hanging in the balance, he got zero yards on one attempt and negative three yards on the next.

Think about that. A back with his massive size and reputation is getting pushed backward on the exact plays where he is supposed to be unstoppable. It didn’t stop there. He also faced a third-and-one where he lost four yards, and a third-and-two at the two-yard line where he picked up only one, forcing yet another fourth-down decision. He was stuffed for no gain seven times in that game alone.

Among players with at least 15 short-yardage attempts since the start of last season, Henry ranks near the very bottom of the entire league in first-down rate. His success rate in those situations sits in the bottom handful of qualified backs, and his yards per carry in short yardage barely clears 2.5 yards. A running back who routinely runs through arm tackles in open space is somehow getting stopped cold the moment the field shrinks.

It’s a Trenches Problem, Not a Derrick Henry Problem

Here’s where most fans jump to the obvious, lazy conclusion. They see these numbers and assume Henry has lost a step, that he’s aging, or that his power game is gone.

That narrative is entirely flawed.

First, Henry has never been a traditional short-yardage specialist. He is the type of back who needs room to build momentum and get moving downhill before contact. That has been a hallmark of his game his entire career.

But the second, more critical factor is that the Baltimore Ravens offensive line has been in a state of disarray, quietly sabotaging Henry in these exact situations. When your offensive line can’t consistently win the point of attack on a yard-or-less run, it doesn’t matter who is carrying the ball. We watched it happen live against Dallas: defenders were in the backfield at Henry’s legs before he even had a chance to get his shoulders square.

Searching for Stability on the Interior Line

The Ravens’ front office seems to understand the urgency of this trench issue. Following the bruising Cowboys matchup, reports indicated the team brought in multiple offensive linemen for tryouts, actively hunting for a veteran presence to stabilize the interior.

While rumors have circulated in the fanbase about unheralded young players stepping up in emergency roles, the reality is that the Ravens desperately need continuity at the center and guard positions. Without a line that can consistently win inches at the line of scrimmage, no scheme adjustment or change in running style will fix the problem.

How Fixing the O-Line Changes Everything

Let’s not pretend this is only about Henry’s individual stat line. Every stalled fourth-and-one is a possession that dies and a scoring chance that evaporates. In close games, those dead possessions are the difference between a gritty win and a brutal loss.

If the Ravens can solidify the offensive line—especially finding the right long-term fit at the guard spots—Henry’s short-yardage numbers could completely flip by the second half of this season. We’re talking about turning a glaring weakness into a genuine strength simply by giving him what he’s needed the entire time: a push up front.

Think about how dangerous this Baltimore offense becomes if that happens. A short-yardage back who can actually convert third and fourth downs consistently, paired with Lamar Jackson’s elite ability to extend plays and Zay Flowers stretching the field. That’s a nightmare scenario for any AFC defense in January.

The Bottom Line

Don’t let anyone tell you Derrick Henry is declining. Look at his body of work outside of short yardage: he is still doing serious damage between the twenties, breaking off chunk runs, and demanding extra defenders in the box on early downs. Judging a Hall of Fame talent off the worst-case version of a situation he’s never specialized in—while ignoring the collapsing pocket in front of him—is just lazy analysis.

The only question left is whether this coaching staff can fix the interior offensive line fast enough for it to matter.

What do you think? Will the Ravens’ front office find the right combination on the offensive line to unlock Henry in short yardage, or is this a flaw the team will have to scheme around all year? Drop your take in the comments below!