Derrick Henry has been having field days since he entered the league in 2016 with the Tennessee Titans, and he recorded another on Sunday against his old AFC South division rivals, the Indianapolis Colts. It was a field day, and Sauce Gardner and the Colts' defense were unable to stop it; and Gardner knew it.
While the Colts offense struggled through the air, the Baltimore Ravens soured through the air and on the ground, thanks to Lamar Jackson's 324 yards and two touchdowns (one passing and one rushing) and Henry's 144 rushing yards and three scores. The Ravens attacked, attacked, and attacked, and the Colts were helpless.
The 41-23 beatdown left a sour taste in many Colts' mouths, as it certainly did with their fans. As for Gardner, who, along with his defensive teammates, struggled significantly all four quarters, he was perplexed by what Baltimore did. The thing is, should he be surprised? This is what the Ravens do. Still, Gardner wasn't happy and got on his team about it afterward.
Sauce Gardner calls out the Indianapolis Colts' defense after Ravens blowout
After Baltimore stockpiled over 500 total yards and five touchdowns on the Colts' defense, Gardner, whom the Colts traded for in the middle of last season to improve their defensive secondary, was unhappy and called out his own defense's "unacceptable" play.
“As a defense, that’s unacceptable,” Gardner said. “That’s probably a bottom percentile of things that don’t usually happen. You know, all of us, we can make the plays that we need to. … We’ll be better.”
While it's good to see Gardner's frustration and his intent to improve, his statement has one problem. No one, even Gardner, should be surprised by what the Ravens did, because putting up yards and points is what they do. Specifically, it's what Jackson and Henry do, almost every week.
While the Ravens have never recorded a 500-plus-yard game since Henry arrived in 2024, the future Hall of Fame running back has had countless mid-to-200-yard rushing games with multiple touchdowns several times over. As for Jackson, he may very well be the NFL's most gifted quarterback today, so his performance shouldn't surprise anyone either.
So while Gardner is right that games like this one don't usually happen, some opponents have to be prepared in a way that almost expects offensive explosions. The Ravens are one of those opponents, and they proved it on Sunday in the Colts' home stadium.
The good news for Gardner and the Colts is that giving up over 500 yards is likely the only time they'll do that this season. That said, one time is unacceptable, and it showed the deep flaws the Colts still have in their defense. While it was a collective defensive breakdown rather than entirely on one player, the secondary is facing heavy criticism for failing to contain Baltimore's explosive plays.
Thankfully, the Colts don't have to face the Ravens again this season. Unfortunately, Week 2 doesn't present the Colts with an opportunity to breathe. They have Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs up next, and that could be another blowout if the Colts don't drastically improve in practice this week.
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