Tennessee Titans: Can Derrick Henry Build on Promising Debut?
By John Laird
We see if the rookie running back can build on his solid debut and continue to develop into a dominate bruiser.
When veteran running back DeMarco Murray broke off for a huge 71-yard touchdown against the San Diego Chargers, it was evident that the reigning Heisman Trophy winner would get his opportunity to shine in the Titans’ potent ground game.
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You could feel the electricity in the air when the 6’3″ runner lined up in the backfield. Despite it being a preseason game, the fans were excited to see what they were going to get from Derrick Henry, and he did not disappoint.
Henry showed a lot of quality traits teams dream of having. He displayed great vision, an explosive burst when hitting the hole, field awareness, and obvious physicality which allows the massive running back to fall forward for extra yards every time he touches the ball. Those abilities helped Henry to reach 74 yards on 10 carries, while also bullying his way into the end zone one time.
What really stood out was his ability to just flat out make plays. When Henry saw the hole, he’d hit it hard and any defender trying to stop him felt it. He was a lot better in open space then I thought he’d be, making several players miss in the open field and even out running defenders. The way he keeps his legs churning after contact will likely have him as the goal-line back for the Titans this season.
Even though you don’t want to get too excited over the preseason, the Titans now face a vaunting Carolina Panthers’ defense that has one of the most talented and deepest pool of defensive lineman in the NFL. Both teams may be inclined to not keep their starters on the field for too long, but with the depth that Carolina possesses, Derrick Henry will get his shot to prove that his debut wasn’t a fluke against a talented defense.
With Murray getting up in age and the team already having a good sense of what they’re going to get out of him, I expect Henry to steal some carries from the veteran this weekend. Running behind the team’s newly revamped line against a great defense is something that all fans, coaches, and really everybody for that matter is going to want to see.
If Henry can build a consistent, solid preseason all four weeks, it will only help his chances of becoming an impact player for Tennessee sooner rather then later. DeMarco Murray is in line to keep the majority of the carries, and if the rookie can prove he can make plays just as well, then we get to potentially see a deadly ‘Thunder-Thunder’ attack in the backfield.
Now all of the sudden, Mike Murlakey’s ‘exotic smash-mouth’ offense is starting to look appealing. I’m excited to see how the last two Heisman Trophy winners in Marcus Mariota and Derrick Henry develop together. I expect them to develop into one of the NFL’s next best backfield duos, and I say that without hesitation.
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The sky is the limit for this young, talented backfield, it will be up to them as to how far they will take their talents. Fans in the Music City finally have something to be excited about.