Henry made Titans’ football happen again
It’s pretty easy to pinpoint the exact moment when “it’s only a matter of time” became “oh yeah, it’s time.”
It came about three seconds into Derrick Henry’s ninth carry Oct. 1 at Nissan Stadium. The Tennessee Titans’ all-world running back was slogging his way through another tough performance with just 27 yards on eight carries. Up until then, he was averaging 3.2 yards per rush on 65 carries this season, a full yard below his previous career-worst mark.
But then it happened. Henry lined up on quarterback Ryan Tannehill’s right side, even with Tannehill in the shotgun. Rookie tight end Josh Whyle was in a three-point stance on Tannehill’s left. The Cincinnati Bengals had five down linemen. Defensive end Trey Hendrickson, the end man on the offensive left, came upfield at the snap. Whyle engaged, stopping Hendrickson in his tracks. Left tackle Andre Dillard and left guard Dillon Radunz tag-teamed a down block on defensive tackle Zach Carter, creating a seam approximately two bodies wide for Henry, the ball carrier, to slice through.
While all of this was happening, receiver Nick WestbrookIkhine worked upfield to try to block Bengals defensive back Nick Scott. Scott got up into Westbrook-Ikhine’s shoulder pads and created enough separation to get his hands on Henry.
That’s where vintage Henry took over. He bounced off Scott and Westbrook-Ikhine like a rubber ball on a trampoline. Bengals safety Dax Hill squared Henry up next but Henry jump cut over the attempted low tackle with ease.
Now linebacker Germaine Pratt was broken down and ready to take a whack at Henry, but he wielded his esteemed stiff arm like a scepter, jettisoning himself into the open field and speeding down the sideline for a 29-yard touchdown.
“I think it was just time to put
one together and play the style we needed to play,” Henry said after the 27-3 win over the Bengals. “I think guys really honed in on that and locked in on that. Last week nobody was happy. We needed to come out here and put out a performance. It was just time for it.”
The Titans (2-2) looked like themselves again, and Henry was a big reason why. After being held to 20 yards in a 27-3 loss last week, his worst showing since 2017, he reemerged for 122 yards and a touchdown against the Bengals. Add his 11 receiving yards and his 2-yard passing touchdown and this was easily Henry’s best game of the year, and the Titans’ best game, too.
That second-quarter touchdown run got him going. His next carry broke free for 16 yards. After that it was 11 yards.
Henry and rookie Tyjae Spears combined to average 6 yards per carry. The team held onto the ball for 34:45 of game time, including a 7:48 drive in the first half and a 10:22 drive in the second.
“What we needed to do was get into the drive, get the first first down, allow things to flow,” coach Mike Vrabel said. “How critical that was for a lot of the play passes to work, a lot of the stuff that we had schemed or gameplanned for. It really allows that to mature and gives it a chance. We were able to run the football.”