Why is Derrick Henry Not Playing?
Derrick Henry isn’t playing much against the Bengals because of how the Ravens chose to run their offense in specific situations, not because he’s hurt or benched in some dramatic way. He came out blazing in Week 13 with five carries for 33 yards and a 28-yard touchdown, then basically vanished over the final two drives of the second quarter, which naturally had everyone asking “what on earth are they doing?”
On Baltimore’s early second-quarter drive, it looks like Henry simply got a breather after a strong opening stretch, something most workhorse backs get even if fans hate seeing it when the guy is clearly in rhythm. The next two drives were classic Ravens two-minute and pass-heavy sequences, the kind of situations where the team usually leans on lighter personnel and a different back, so Henry staying on the sideline fits a pattern more than a conspiracy. One of the fans, Yarnell Marks (@BigBeastMarks), shared on X that the #Ravens confuse him, noting that #DerrickHenry has missed two straight series and hasn't had more than two carries since his touchdown.
Still, in a close game, seeing your star running back stuck at just five carries by halftime is maddening, and the fan reactions online – from “what are the Ravens even doing??” to “this feels scripted” – honestly felt very understandable in the moment.
What Happened to Derrick Henry?
What happened is pretty simple on paper: after a late first-quarter carry, Henry didn’t get another rushing attempt for the rest of the first half and appears to have played only one snap over those final two drives. That sudden disappearing act, after he had already ripped off a long touchdown and was clearly the one guy the Bengals’ defense did not want to see, is exactly what set off all the “is he hurt?” and “is this rigged?” conversations.
One of the fans, YA NOT BAD YOU! (@frankdallas52) shared on X that it’s strange how sports analysts haven’t mentioned Derrick Henry not playing after his strong opening drive, with 5 carries, 33 yards, and a TD, especially against the worst rush defense.
From a pure usage standpoint, the numbers tell the story: five first-half carries, 33 yards, one long house call…and then nothing when the game script shifted toward hurry-up and obvious passing downs. If you were just casually watching, it almost felt like someone accidentally turned off his controller – great start, then radio silence – and that’s not what people expect when the Ravens traded for Derrick Henry and sold the idea of him being a centerpiece of the offense.
As a fan, it’s hard not to compare it to past games where coaches got a little too cute with situational football and ended up sidelining their best playmaker at the worst possible time; this has that same energy.
Derrick Henry Injury Update
There is no indication that errick Henry suffered an injury in this game, and current reports say he is not dealing with any health issue. All available info points to his limited snaps being about situational play-calling and rotation, not a physical problem, which should be a relief even if it doesn’t make Ravens fans any less annoyed about the usage.
On that early second-quarter drive, Henry was likely just getting rest, which is normal even if it felt badly timed given how he was rolling. For the final two drives of the half, Baltimore shifted into two-minute, pass-heavy mode, and that’s historically not when Henry is on the field, so the staff essentially followed their usual pattern – just in a way that looked terrible optically because their star back finished two quarters with only five carries in a tight game.
From an “effort and trust” standpoint, that kind of deployment feels almost disrespectful to what Henry brings, and in fantasy circles and fan chats alike, the consensus is pretty blunt: for a back of his caliber, that first-half workload is just not acceptable, no ifs, ands, or buts.
Disclaimer
This article is for general information and entertainment only and is not official NFL or team communication. Details may change as new updates emerge. Readers should verify roster, injury and game-status information from official league and team sources before making any decisions based on this content.
