The Patriots just exposed (again) the one thing that could doom their playoff run

The New England Patriots launched a successful comeback to erase an 11-point deficit and beat a scrappy Baltimore Ravens team that lost its star quarterback, Lamar Jackson, early to injury.

Drake Maye got himself right back into the MVP discussion with a breakout game, but an issue that could derail any deep playoff run once again reared its ugly head: the lack of a consistent running game.

Young phenom TreVeyon Henderson left the game with a head injury. If he is placed on the concussion protocol, it could keep him out for weeks and impede the Patriots' hopes of a deep playoff run. The only healthy alternative with any NFL pedigree was Rhamondre Stevenson, who filled in admirably.

Yet the result was still disconcerting. The Patriots could only muster a paltry 54 yards on 13 carries against the Ravens. That type of production would even be a concern for a Tom Brady-led offense, and it could be a game and even season-changer for the now officially headed to the playoffs Patriots.

TreVeyon Henderson missing time would be a huge loss for the Patriots' offense

Any injury that shelves TreVeyon Henderson removes the only long-range backfield threat the Patriots have. Additionally, depth is paper-thin. With Antonio Gibson on the shelf for the season, it's the fumble-prone Stevenson who's the last viable option for Head Coach Mike Vrabel and his surprisingly but not wholly unexpectedly resurgent Patriots' team.

While some feel the duo of Henderson and Stevenson is elite, Henderson is the key, and if he's out, a prodigious dimension to the Patriots' offense disappears. The separator is his explosive, home-run hitting potential on any given play he gets the ball in his hands.

Opposing defenses have to devote massive resources to game-planning for Henderson both as a runner and as a pass-receiver. Patriot Nation has to hope their candidate for Offensive Rookie of the Year is back soon. He has already racked up 776 yards and seven touchdowns on the ground and has 35 receptions for 221 yards and another touchdown, as well.

The pressure rises on Drake Maye with TreVeyon Henderson out

No one will feel the heat of Henderson's loss more than NFL MVP-candidate Drake Maye. He rebounded from a lackluster Buffalo game to light up the Ravens for 380 yards (his first game ever over the 300-yard mark), with two touchdowns, though he had a fumble and an interception in a poor first half.

Maye hit 31 of 44 passes for 380 yards and ran for another 25, including a game-sealing run at the end of the second half. Yet, balance in the offense between running and passing is key to keeping defenses off-balance. The Patriots have only one healthy back to rely on if Henderson is out: Stevenson.

If Henderson is on the shelf for any length of time, Maye will feel the heat as his offensive line continues to give up numerous pressures and hits. He took a beating in the Baltimore game as the Ravens threw everything but the kitchen sink at him, knowing the run threat with Henderson out was diminished.

Ironically, Stevenson gashed them for a nice 21-yard touchdown run to seal the game with 2:07 left on the clock. But the heat on Maye will be turned up to maximum if Henderson is out, and if Stevenson gets dinged up, there's really no one left to replace him.

This leads back to a mistake by Mike Vrabel at the trade deadline. He failed to bolster the running back room depth then, and it may just prove decisive now.