Titans play off Henry’s punishing style
Running back’s prowess makes remainder of Tennessee’s offense more effective
Derrick Henry created a stir around the NFL by delivering a violent stiff-arm that launched Josh Norman airborne with so much force it looked like the Bills cornerback was throwing a flying karate kick.
It was an embarrassing moment for Norman as he was sent rudely crashing to the ground during a loss Tuesday night. The viral encounter served as a reminder to opposing defensive backs fromthe Titans’ imposing running back: Don’t tackle him high. Orwithout a lot of help.
“A guy like that is so big and strong and physical, you’ve got to stop him before he can get started,” Texans safety Justin Reid said as he prepares toface the Titanson Sunday. “I would advise anyone not to run laterally alongside him. It didn’t really work out well for Josh Norman or other players that have done that.
“You’ve really just got to be physical, make sure you attack him and get low and don’t leave your chest open for him. I hear he really likes that. This offense, basically everything comes off of the run — the play-actions, the boots. So stopping the run early will be a big key to success.”
At 6-3, 247 pounds, the former Heisman Trophy winner from Alabama has a rugged running style. The NFL rushing champion a year ago with 1,540 rushing yards and16 touchdowns, Henry is the engine behind the undefeated Titans’ prolific offense.
“I have been doing too many curls,” Henry told Tennessee reporters about his punishment of Norman. “I have to lay off the arms. I’ve been doing it since Iwas a kid.”
The Texans are well aware of
Henry’s skills and physical approach to the game. Henry has rushed for 376 yards on 101 carries and four touchdowns this season. In eight career games against the Texans, he has averaged 14.3 carries and 71.6 yards.
“The running back, I think we all know him,” Texans interim coach Romeo Cr en ne ls aid .“He’ s a big, strong, physical guy. If he can get started and particularly get to the second level, he’s gaining a lot of yards because DBs have a hard time tackling the guy. Sometime, linemen have a hard time tackling him. He’s a weapon. They use him effectively.”
Henry gained 86 yards on 21carries in a Texans victory last season followed by 211 yards and three touchdowns in a Texans loss to close out the regular season. The Texans rested multiple starters in that game with their playoff seeding already assured.
Henry has rushed for 4,209 yards and 42 career touchdowns and is playing under a four-year, $50million contract. He is a major priority for a Texans defense that ranks last against the run, allowing 160.2 yards on the ground per game.
“Their offense has multiple facets to it, obviously, with Derrick Henry in the running game and then the play-action game, the boot game, the drop-back game with( quarterback) Ryan (Tannehill ),” Texans defensive end J. J. Watt said. “I think that their offense really kind of understands what it is and what they’re trying to do.”
Henry’s hard-nosed presence keeps defenses honest and makes them respect Tannehill’s convincing play-action fakes, which he uses to allow wide receiver A. J. Brown and tight end Jonnu Smith time to gain separation.
Tannehill has passed for 1,004
yards, nine touchdowns and one interception this season. He’s been sacked three times. He’s had plenty of time to operate, connecting with Smith for18 catches, 221yards and five touchdowns on 27 targets.
Tannehill has passed for 978 yards, eight touchdowns and four interceptions in four games against the Texans, going 2-2 as a starter.
Everything starts with the Titans’ commitment to running the football.
“That helps Tannehill because he knows that his play-action passing game goes because everybody has to come down to the line to try to stop the runner,” Crennel said. “Now when he’s throwing play-action, he has an opportunity to throw the ball down the field to those receivers and that underneath zone. There’s space in that underneath zone. He can hit those spots and move the ball.”
Smith is one of themost mobile tight ends in the league. He had a 57-yard run in the first game against the Texans last season and
also caught five passes for 60 yards.
“Jonnu, I mean, he’s killed us,” Crennel said. “Once a game, he’s come up with a huge play. We have to be concerned about him.”
As a rookie last season, Brown caught 52 passes for1 ,051 yards and eight touchdowns. In two games against the Texans, he caught 12 passes for 238 yards and two scores.
“He’s a talented guy,” Reid said. “I think most of his routes really just come off the play-action pass. They’re going to run the ball a lot of times — 10, 12 times to Derrick Henry — and they’re going to get you to bite up on the run and then try and hit A. J. Brown over the top.
“If your responsibility is the pass, make sure your eyes are right. If you’re in man coverage, make sure your eyes are on your man. If you’re in a zone coverage and they do play-action, make sure that you get to your zone drops so that way they can’t just dig and dump those passes behind you.”
The Texans are coming off an encouraging performance against the Jaguars, allowing a season-low 75 rushing yards.
“It’s a steppingstone for us,” Reid said. “It felt good to win, but there’s always things that we can get better at. That’s what we’re going to harp on this week. It’s going to be a physical, downhill game.”