Sunday night’s game between the Patriots and Ravens has significant playoff implications for both teams, so there’s little need for other storylines involving past relationships between pivotal members of the two teams.
The game has one, though. Ravens running back Derrick Henry spent six years playing for Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel when both men were with the Titans and he ran for 8,268 yards and 80 touchdowns over their time together. That experience leaves Vrabel feeling prepared for what his team has in store for themselves this week.
“It is a huge challenge,” Vrabel said in a press conference this week, via a transcript from the team. “He’s a very unique player. Great speed, great power, strength. He’s just a different body type than what anybody would go against, and so it’s unique in that regard. They do a very nice job with their scheme, different personnel groups, different run plan and styles of run, and different run actions. So again, we know what he’s about. Build speed and stiff arm and all that other stuff.”
Vrabel called Henry “somebody that I really valued” while with the Titans and credited him with being a valuable part of the team’s success while they were there. Henry had similar praise for someone he called “a great coach” during his Thursday press conference, but those warm feelings will be set aside once Sunday’s game is underway.
