The Titans offense has run through Derrick Henry all season and he played an especially prominent role in Saturday’s win over the Patriots.
Henry was responsible for 204 of the team’s 272 yards while running 34 times and catching one pass. He ran the ball 32 times in Week 17 and head coach Mike Vrabel is not inclined to start doing things any differently when the team gets back on the field in Baltimore next week.
“I think Derrick trains and prepared to be able to handle that load, to carry that load,” Vrabel said on Sunday. “He has a certain skillset, with size and strength and speed and durability — those are all great qualities for a running back in January. So he’ll do everything that he has to to get ready and to do whatever it is that we ask him to do in the game plan. He’s very unique — there’s not that many running backs in the league like Derrick, because there’s not that many players in college that are like Derrick, and by that I just mean a bigger tailback.”
The matchup with the Ravens will feature the league’s leading rusher in Henry and Baltimore’s team rushing attack that set a single-season record, so winning the battle on the ground should be significant to deciding the winner next weekend.