Lamar Jackson, Derrick Henry get Ravens off to quick start in AFC wild-card game

Lamar Jackson, Derrick Henry get Ravens off to quick start in AFC wild-card game

If the Baltimore Ravens are going to capture their first Super Bowl since 2012, Lamar Jackson and Derrick Henry will likely have everything to do with it.

The Lombardi Trophy glimmers are still far down the road, but the offensive duo, at least thus far, has more than held up their end of the bargain.

Lamar Jackson celebrates with Tylan Wallace after throwing a pᴀss for a touchdown during the second quarter of the Ravens-Steelers AFC wild-card playoff game. USA TODAY Sports via Reuters Con

Through the first half of the Ravens’ AFC wild-card matchup against the Steelers in Baltimore, Jackson and Henry have combined for 164 rushing yards and three total touchdowns. 

Jackson was 13-of-15 on completions with 144 pᴀssing yards in the first half as the Ravens took to the locker room with a 21-0 lead.

Baltimore reached the end zone on their first drive of the game — a methodical 13 play, 95-yard undertaking capped by a 15-yard touchdown pᴀss to wide receiver Rashod Bateman. 

The biggest play of the drive came several snaps earlier when Henry took a direct snap and busted his way to the Steelers’ 12-yard-line, a gain of 34.

The Ravens’ second drive of the game was something of an outlier — lasting just six plays.

Derrick Henry dives for a touchdown during the second quarter of the Ravens-Steelers AFC wild-card game. Getty Images

However, Baltimore bounced back, with the third and fourth drives looking similar to the first.

Henry accounted for the Ravens’ second touchdown — an 8-yard run at the end of a 13 play, 85-yard drive — and Jackson hooked up with running back Justice Hill on the third score of the evening.

That latter scoring drive — nine plays, 90 yards — took only 1:51.

Justice Hill scores on a touchdown pᴀss from Lamar Jackson during the first half of the Ravens-Steelers playoff game. AP

Baltimore has dominated on both sides of the ball, with Mike Tomlin and the Steelers mustering together just 59 total yards in the half compared to the Ravens’ 308.

“It’s Lamar, man — he’s making plays, he’s extending plays when they get behind the chains,” the Steelers head coach told Amazon Prime’s sideline reporter as he head for the locker room. “We just got to be more solid. We have to possess the ball and we haven’t done that enough.”

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