The Ravens will visit the Bills at an AFC divisional playoff showdown on Jan 19. And this is the game ahead of the game—THE MIND GAME. A face-off between MVP favorites, Josh Allen and Lamar Jackson, will make for the craziest storylines in the making, yes. But for 35-year-old LB Von Miller to be facing his 31-year-old workout buddy RB Derrick Henry, scheming against the El Tractorcito did not necessarily mean digging up facts and stats but simply erred on the side of caution!

But we do understand Miller’s urgency to plot. At 31, the guy’s defying every law of football physics. According to Pro Football Focus, Henry’s 2024 season was his best ever: 325 carries, 1,921 yards, and 18 touchdowns. Not bad for someone supposedly past his prime, right? Miller, the man tasked with stopping this freight train, had some thoughts.

“Me and Derrick Henry are exactly the same size, as far as height and weight. I think my 40 time was a little bit faster, I think he jumps a little bit higher, though I got a lot of respect for Derrick. We work out together in Dallas in the offseason, so it’s you gotta have population,” Miller joked on the Rich Eisen Show. Translation: it’s not a one-man job. And why not? After all, Henry is a running back who can make a linebacker appear ‘normal’! And guess what? not just looks, even numbers support that. Look back to 2016, the year Henry was drafted.

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After Henry’s impressive workout, The NFL Network flashed a graphic showing the running back’s closest NFL comparison by combine workout. Not Eddie Lacy, Adrian Peterson, or Marshawn Lynch. But it was none other than the then-Denver Broncos Von Miller! Many had initially thought that it was a mistake. Take a look at the detailed side-by-side stats.

HenryMillerYear20162011Height6′ 2 5/8″6′ 2 5/8″Weight24724640-yard dash4.544.53Bench Press2221Vertical3737Broad jump10101006

Long story short: tackling Henry is like trying to bring down a linebacker. For instance, back in 2015, Henry had once flipped over Michigan State defensive lineman Shilique Calhoun with a vicious stiff-arm and it was so hard that Calhoun front flipped to the ground. There are two possible explanations for this.

Either Henry was strong enough after 20 carries and 75 yards against the Michigan State defense that he could lift an All-Big Ten defensive end and toss him to the ground like a doll, or Calhoun was finally so tired of trying to tackle the Heisman Trophy winner that he tried to take him down with Guile’s flash kick from Street Fighter II Turbo. Either way, it didn’t end well for Calhoun.

Well, Von Miller does not necessarily need to dig up these facts and stats. Because he knows firsthand how tough Henry is—they work out together at the SandersFit Performance Center in Dallas. And apparently, Henry’s a beast not just on the field but in the gym, too.

“Keeping up with him in the weight room is harder than the football field,” Miller admitted. The guy’s got multiple workouts a day, a recovery routine that sounds straight out of a sci-fi movie, and an intensity level that’s borderline terrifying. No wonder he runs like a man possessed every Sunday.

via Imago

Baltimore Ravens running back Derrick Henry (22) rushes for a touchdown as Dallas Cowboys’ Caelen Carson (21) defends in the second half of an NFL football game in Arlington, Texas, Sunday, Sept. 22, 2024. (AP Photo/Gareth Patterson)

Remember back in September when Henry and Jackson tag-teamed the Cowboys for a clutch Ravens 28-25 win? Henry ran for 151 yards and two TDs, while Jackson did his usual MVP magic. Yup, the same game that opened yet another chapter in Jerry Jones’ playbook of ‘What Ifs & Almosts’ as he later admitted, they couldn’t afford Henry. Yeah, no kidding, Jerry… sigh.

Now, as the Bills and Ravens prepare to clash, Miller sums it up perfectly. “They’re hot, we’re hot, and this is what the divisional round is all about.” Do you feel that? That’s the fire. And it’s about to ignite.

Von Miller knows a little ‘TWO’ much about Super Bowl

Josh Allen and Lamar Jackson—rivals or kindred spirits? You decide. Sure, they’re ducking it out, but isn’t it wild how similar their journeys are? Neither has made it to the Super Bowl yet and at this point, we just can’t get tired of taking his name. Of course, Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs. Combined, Allen and Jackson are 0-4 against KC in the playoffs. That just sums it up for almost most of the teams, if not all!

But here we are, and the chatter is deafening. Jackson’s chasing his third MVP, while Allen’s gunning for his first. Yet both quarterbacks want none of the drama. “In the history of football, I’ve never played against another quarterback,” Allen quipped, brushing off comparisons. Jackson? He’s more direct: “I’m trying to beat you. I’m not trying to be your friend.” Straight fire.

See, the thing is, without any doubt, the numbers are favoring the Purple Pain signal-caller. But if the Mafia’s favorite does go the distance, don’t wallow to see the votes going in Allen’s pool.

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Now, let’s talk about the man who has been to the promised land: Von Miller. Two Super Bowl rings a Super Bowl MVP trophy, and a knack for making QBs sweat. Miller’s faced legends, but he’s not underestimating Lamar. “You don’t want to rush too conservative, but you don’t want to be reckless either,” he explained. Sounds simple, but against Jackson, it’s like threading a needle in a hurricane.

Miller’s plan? Channel advice from Maxx Crosby, another Lamar-stopper. “You can’t rush scared,” Crosby said. “Respect him, but don’t fear him.” That’s the vibe: calculated aggression. Because let’s be real. If you let Lamar roam, he’s running wild.

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But hey, the Ravens aren’t just about Jackson. Derrick Henry’s in the mix, and Miller knows the danger. The Bills, with their Super Bowl drought, have a chance to rewrite history. With Miller anchoring their defense, they’ve got a shot. As Miller put it, “You just gotta make a few more plays.” Seems like he’s got the trick to pull a rabbit out of the hat. One, that Allen and Buffalo would be hoping it works on D-DAY!

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