The Detroit Lions did exactly what Baltimore Ravens offensive coordinator Todd Monken refuses to do in their 38-30 win on Monday Night. That is, commit to running the football out of generic single-back and I-formation concepts directly through the A-gap of the defense.
Sep 22, 2025; Baltimore, Maryland, USA; Baltimore Ravens running back Derrick Henry (22) rushes the ball against the Detroit Lions during the first half at M&T Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mitch Stringer-Imagn Images
Even with the Ravens defense tallying in four tackles for loss, and the Lions starting drives inside their own 5-yard line, Lions offensive coordinator John Horton still committed to force-feeding the strength of his team; the two-headed monster that is in his backfield. Both Lions’ running backs, David Montgomery and Jamhyr Gibbs, combined for 34 carries totaling 218 rushing yards on Monday night, while Ravens running back Derrick Henry had just 12 carries.
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Monken loves to abandon the run, and while pass-game lovers will fixate on Henry’s three fumbles this season, they are ignoring the psychological factors that are affecting Henry week in and week out. After Henry gashed the Lions for a 28-yard touchdown in the first quarter, it seemed that Monken would continue giving Henry the ball on similar play concepts. Instead, Monken slowly reverted the offense to shotgun sets, giving Henry the ball in pitch concepts and sweep concepts that have proven ineffective.
Henry currently ranks No. 4 in the NFL in rushing yards. Yet somehow, Henry is tied at No. 20 in the NFL in rush attempts. Needless to say, there is no reason 15 running backs have more rush attempts than Henry this season. Well, if you need any explanation, Monken will have one.
Monken may take pride in the fact that the Ravens lead the NFL in points per game. Still, as far as explaining how the team rank No. 30 in time of possession, No. 30 in sacks allowed, and has started the 2025 season 1-2 he won’t. He won’t take responsibility. Monken is often over-credited for the innate talent on his roster. While he can scheme up some pretty clever plays, he lacks the insight needed to sustain offensive drives.
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Ultimately, until Monken becomes patient enough to stick with the ground attack, the Ravens will continue to have trouble defeating the elite teams, and Henry will continue to have cold feet.
This article originally appeared on Ravens Wire: Ravens OC Todd Monken needs to feed Derrick Henry the football