When the Titans beat the Chiefs in the regular season, Derrick Henry led the way. If the Titans are going to upset the Chiefs again on Sunday in the AFC Championship Game, they’ll be counting on Henry to get the job done again.
Henry carried 23 times for 188 yards and two touchdowns when the Titans beat the Chiefs in the regular season, and the Titans rode him all day. In addition to a spectacular 68-yard touchdown run, Henry ran for 10 first downs in the game. Henry only got stuffed for no yardage once.
The Chiefs’ most glaring weakness all season was their run defense. In most games, that didn’t matter all that much because the Chiefs’ offense was good enough to put them in the lead, and opposing teams had to pass to try to catch up.
The Titans, however, didn’t stop giving the ball to Henry even when they fell behind 10-0 in the regular season, and it’s a safe bet that they won’t stop going to Henry in the AFC Championship Game. They’ll try to attack the Chiefs’ defense by going to Henry over and over again, and given the softness of the Chiefs’ defense against the run, it might just work.
The Chiefs are justifiably favored, but the Titans’ experience in the regular season shows they have a path to victory. When Henry is running the ball effectively, the game is going the way the Titans want.