On Wednesday, the NFL recognized Baltimore Ravens running back Derrick Henry as the AFC Offensive Player of the Week for Week 17 for his performance in a 41-24 victory over the Green Bay Packers on Dec. 27.

On Friday, the NFL Players Association recognized Henry as its Community MVP for Week 18 of the season for his charitable work with youngsters in Baltimore, Nashville and Yulee, Florida.

On Sunday night, the Ravens are hoping for another award-winning performance from the former Alabama All-American when Baltimore plays the Pittsburgh Steelers.

The winner of the Ravens-Steelers game will claim the final spot in the AFC playoff field.

“It’s win or go home,” Henry said. “It’s basically like we’re in the playoffs. Going into Pittsburgh, a division rival who we both know each other very well. I feel like we’re the underdog going into this game. They came into our house and beat us. They have a better record, so I feel like they’re up on us.”

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If the Ravens beat Pittsburgh, Baltimore would become the fifth team during the 56 seasons of the NFL’s AFC/NFC era to reach the playoffs after winning only one of its first six games in a season.

“We’ve been through a lot this season,” Henry said, “but we have to heck of an opportunity this weekend, so we have to go out there and do our job to get the job done. We know it’s going to be tough, going to be a four-quarter battle, but it’s a testament to everybody who’s part of this team, this organization, to get to this point knowing what’s transpired.”

While 2025 has been a journey for the Ravens, Henry said his 10th season had been one for him, too.

“I feel like this season has just been on a spiritual journey,” Henry said during an interview with NBC Sports, which is televising Sunday night’s game. “I thank Jesus for everything — the good, the bad and the ugly, and just how far I’ve come with my spiritual journey and being closer to God. Just been amazing, and I just overflow with thankfulness for everything. …

“In this business profession and in this game, you try to control every single outcome and try to control just everything. And I just learned to lean on his understanding than mine and let him lead. … Just have faith in God that whatever has happened and whatever I want to happen, whatever I work for and pray for, that it’s not on my time, it’s on his time, and his time is always perfect.”

Based on his statistics, Henry’s time is now. No running back who has played at least 30 NFL regular-season games in December and January has produced down the stretch the way that Henry has. Henry has averaged 103.8 rushing yards per game in the regular season in December and January, and in his five regular-season-ending games in January, Henry’s average is 143.0 rushing yards.

“I’m not sure,” Henry said about his success as the season progresses. “I wish it would start better and end even better, but I mean that’s just been a story of how it’s been going. I mean, I’m thankful that it has, but, I guess, just, like, through the season and through the repetition and going against different teams — and I don’t know what it is.

“I can’t really say, but I just know when you get in that flow, you get in that rhythm, it just feels different.”

Ravens offensive coordinator Todd Monken had an explanation Henry’s late-season success.

“He’s proven that throughout his career, just by the way he takes care of himself,” Monken said. “It’s his size. It’s just the way it is. Obviously, we’re lucky to have him. That’s just the way it is. The way he takes care of himself, as the year goes on, he’s going to continue to get stronger. As the weather turns the way it does, you’re going to need him. And at the end of games, you’re going to need him.”

Steelers coach Mike Tomlin zeroed in on what Pittsburgh needs to do against Henry this week after he ran for 216 yards and four touchdowns on 36 carries against Green Bay last week.

“I think you minimize his downhill running lanes,” Tomlin said. “When he has a downhill running lane to the second level and then to the third, his unique talents really take center stage — his ability to run away from people, his stiff arm that wards off much smaller would-be tacklers, his leg strength as he runs through arm tackles and so forth.

“And so we better do a good job of winning the line of scrimmage, not giving him downhill angles and holes to the second and third level. I think that’s a major component of working to minimize the big runner.”

Pittsburgh defeated Baltimore 27-22 on Dec. 7 by keeping Henry out of the end zone as he ran for 94 yards on 25 carries

“They got an upper hand on me,” Henry said. “They played better than we did last time. They had a great game plan, a great scheme, executed it well. I didn’t like how I played last game, but they were the better team and better on defense than I was. I’m just watching the film from that game and going out in practice just trying to be better and make sure I’m better when that time comes.”

Henry’s performance against Green Bay moved him past Tony Dorsett into 10th on the NFL’s career rushing-yards list. He also took sole possession of fourth for career rushing touchdowns from Adrian Peterson.

Henry became the first player in NFL history with seven 200-yard rushing games, moving out of tie with Peterson and O.J. Simpson. He joined Jim Brown as the only players with two games of at least 200 rushing yards and four touchdowns.

With 31 rushing yards against Pittsburgh, Henry will reach 1,500 for the fifth season, something that’s been accomplished only by Barry Sanders.

“It’s still crazy to me now being 31 going on 32,” Henry said. “I still feel like that 15-year-old kid when those names get mentioned and my name gets brought up as well. I’m still in disbelief and a surreal moment. Guys I grew up idolizing who were like heroes to me. So, yeah, I’m just definitely blessed and grateful for every accomplishment and for my name to be mentioned with those legends.”

The Ravens and Steelers wrap up the NFL’s 106th regular-season schedule at 7 p.m. CST Sunday at Acrisure Stadium in Pittsburgh.

The Steelers could have clinched the AFC North’s playoff spot last week, but Pittsburgh lost to the Cleveland Browns 13-6. That dropped the Steelers to 9-7, with Baltimore reaching 8-8 by beating the Packers.

If the Ravens win to tie Pittsburgh at the top of the AFC North standings, Baltimore holds the tiebreaker because it has a 3-1 record against the division’s other teams – the Cincinnati Bengals and Cleveland Browns – while the Steelers went 2-2 in those games.