Ravens ‘pick your poison’ offense has more than 1 deserving MVP candidate

Lamar Jackson and Derrick Henry have been equally as vital to the success of the top offense arguably overall team in the league.

“Pick your poison.”

That’s been the theme of the Baltimore Ravens four-game win streak, a phrase used by multiple players and coaches on the team in relation to the tremendous success of their offense that ranks first in total yards (2,722), yards per play (6.9) and most rushing metrics.

Derrick Henry, who leads the league with 704 rushing yards and eight touchdowns through six weeks, uttered it again following the team’s 30-23 win over the Washington Commanders in the Battle of the Beltway.

“I feel like everything was working; it was like, ‘Pick your poison.’ Everybody did a great job of being locked in and executing,” Henry said. “Hats off to everybody on offense of putting plays together and being able to field these drives to put ourselves in a position to win.”

While the Ravens have a variety of talented pass-catching weapons in their offense, the dynamic duo of Henry and franchise quarterback Lamar Jackson is by far the most lethal asset at their disposal.

Although the NFL MVP award has historically gone to the quarterback on the most successful team for the better part of the past two decades, an argument could be made that both Jackson and Henry are equally deserving of consideration this year.

In his seventh season – sixth as a full-time starter – Jackson has taken his game to another level in his second year under offensive coordinator Todd Monken. He is on pace to throw for 4,332 yards and rush for 1,290 yards – both of which would be new career-highs – and ranks third among quarterbacks in EPA per dropback and eighth among all players in rushing yards.

Jackson has been the main catalyst for the Ravens’ success on offense, both when jumping out to early leads and overcoming deficits in the second half. However, Henry’s contributions as both a tone-setter and finisher in the ground game have been just as vital to closing out Baltimore’s tight wins this season.

In Week 4, his 87-yard touchdown run on his first carry against the Buffalo Bills – the longest in franchise history – kicked off a long night for their visiting foes. Against the Cowboys, Bengals, and Commanders, his fourth-quarter and overtime runs put the game away for the Ravens.

Jackson and Henry have combined to be named AFC Player of the Week in the last three weeks, with Henry earning his second after rushing for 132 yards and a pair of touchdowns this past Sunday. His 117.3 rushing yards per game leads the league, on pace for just under 2,000 yards. A few monster games like his Week 4 performance against Buffalo could help him crack the vaunted 2,000 mark for the second time in his career. In 2020, he won Offensive Player of the Year with 2,027 rushing yards. This year, he could shoot a little higher.

However, only four non-quarterbacks have been voted AP Most Valuable Player in the League since the turn of the century. While all of them were running backs who had historically dominant seasons, the last to receive the honor was Adrian Peterson in 2012 when he bounced back from a torn ACL the year before and nearly broke Eric Dickerson’s single-season rushing record. Since then, only quarterbacks have won the award. Even if Henry does eclipse 2,000 rushing yards and continue his torrid touchdown-scoring pace, he’s still more likely to win his Offensive Player of the Year. But he should remain in the MVP conversation regardless.

As for Jackson, the last players to be voted back-to-back MVP honors were Aaron Rodgers (2020 and 2021) and Peyton Manning (2008 and 2009). Manning is already in the Hall of Fame, while Rodgers is a surefire inductee whenever he decides to (permanently) retire. No other quarterback this year has been nearly as consistent and sensational as Jackson. Even during the Ravens’ 0-2 start to the season, their quarterback was far from the problem and is now playing at the highest level he ever has in his career.

Whether Henry, Jackson or neither receives the honor, their eyes are set on much loftier goals than racking up more individual accolades. These two were brought together to help this team finally get over the hump and return to the Super Bowl for the first time in 12 years. So no matter how many times they’re asked, or how often their MVP odds shift, they will remain focused on the Lombardi Trophy above all else.