Titans’ Henry rumbles into record book

Under NASHVILLE, TENN. — center at the 1-yard line, Titans quarterback Marcus Mariota checked out of a quarterback sneak, and Derrick Henry did the rest

— as much with his arms as his legs.

The 6-foot-3, 247-pound Henry sped and stiff-armed his way to a record-tying 99-yard touchdown run, and Tennessee routed the Jacksonville Jaguars 30-9 on Thursday night to stay in the playoff chase.

Henry matched Tony Dorsett’s 99-yarder on Jan. 3, 1983, for Dallas against Minnesota for the longest TD run in NFL history. Henry ran to his left and went up the sideline, stiff-arming cornerback A.J. Bouye, then rookie linebacker Leon Jacobs twice and finally shoving linebacker Myles Jack to finish off the second of his four TDs.

“Once I got in the open field on that 99-yard run, it was going to take all of them,” Henry said. “I definitely wasn’t going to go down easy, so I definitely wanted to use my stiff-arm to my advantage, and it worked.”

The Titans talked before the possession about going 99 yards, so left tackle Taylor Lewan was a bit surprised to hear the call for a quarterback sneak.

“I was like, ‘That ain’t going to get us 99 yards, boys,’” Lewan said. “But it was checked, so it was cool.”

Striking the pose

The 2015 Heisman Trophy winner celebrated by striking the Heisman pose not once, but twice. Dorsett didn’t keep the ball from his run, but Henry said he’d definitely keep his.

“He’s a legend,” Henry said of his fellow Heisman winner. “It’s cool to be in that company with Tony Dorsett.”

Henry set a franchise record with 238 yards on 16 carries, topping the previous mark of 228 yards set by Chris Johnson in 2009 against, yes, the Jaguars.

Henry tied Lorenzo White and Hall of Fame running back Earl Campbell for most rushing TDs in a single game in franchise history. Henry also became the first player in the NFL with four rushing TDs in a game since Jonas Gray of the Patriots in Week 11 in 2014.

Titans coach Mike Vrabel called Henry’s night “very impressive.”

“He just ran out of guys to stiff-arm,” Vrabel said.

With the rout and second win in a row, the Titans (7-6) stayed in AFC playoff contention with their fourth straight victory over their oldest division rival. They’ve won six of their last seven against Jacksonville.

The Jaguars (4-9) have lost eight of their last nine, and coach Doug Marrone said he was “heavily disappointed.”