Henry keeps Titans unbeaten
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Expectations for Derrick Henry already are pretty high, with his history of mighty stiff-arms and long touchdown runs.
Last season’s rushing leader keeps finding new ways to top himself, taking the Titans along with him yet again.
Henry took a direct snap and ran five yards for a touchdown 3:30 into overtime, and the Titans remained undefeated, rallying to beat the Texans 42-36 on Sunday.
“Obviously, we all witnessed somebody taking a game over,” Titans coach Mike Vrabel said of Henry.
The Titans (5-0) finished with a franchiserecord 601 yards of total offense. They also became the first team in NFL history to have a passer throw for more than 350 yards, with Ryan Tannehill finishing with 364, and someone rush for at least 200 yards in the same game, according to the NFL.
That helped them overcome two turnovers, Stephen Gostkowski having a field goal blocked and missing another and the defense giving up 335 yards passing and four touchdown passes to Deshaun Watson.
Watson’s final TD pass put the Texans (1-5) up 36-29 with 1:50 left, but his pass to Randall Cobb on the two-point conversion attempt failed. Coach Romeo Crennel, in his second game since replacing the fired Bill O’Brien, said he went for the conversion in a bid to put the game out of reach. Crennel also didn’t take a timeout before the game-winning TD.
“That play was run in practice, and we should have been prepared,” Crennel said of the wildcat play.
Tannehill, who had three of his 19 career game-winning drives to start this season, drove the Titans 76 yards before finding A.J. Brown on a seven-yard touchdown pass with four seconds left. Gostkowski made the extra point, and the Texans fielded a squib kick to send it to overtime.
Henry ran for 202 yards in regulation, including a 94-yard TD run. In overtime, he took a screen pass 53 yards on the second play. He capped the six-play, 82-yard drive with his second TD of the game, finishing with 212 yards rushing and 52 yards receiving.
The Titans are 16-0 when Henry runs for at least 100 yards. Asked about his performance, Henry credited his teammates.
“I just had to do my job,” Henry said more than once.
The Titans have their second-best start in franchise history since this franchise won its first 10 games in 2008. Their win, combined with the Steelers’ victory, sets up a showdown between the AFC’s last two undefeated teams here in a week.
Tannehill finished with four touchdown passes. He had seen Henry make huge plays before coming to Tennessee.
“He just has that rare size, strength and speed combination that it’s extremely rare,” Tannehill said.