At this point, I’m spending the vast majority of my time on preliminary work for the 2019 season – that’s my focus, rather than the Super Bowl. And as I pick through the stats for the Titans, I notice that they have been slow to embrace Derrick Henry.
They drafted Henry in the second round in 2016, and he’s had a few big games for them. He’s gone over 130 yards four times for them. But they have been reluctant to put him on the field in a full-time role.
In the 2016 and 2017 seasons, the Titans employed a one-two punch backfield, and Henry was almost always the No. 2 in that arrangement. In all but five games, he was on the field for fewer than half of the plays, and in all but one of those games, his increased role was fueled by DeMarco Murray being injured.
Tennessee last year dumped Murray but signed Dion Lewis, and he became the team’s primary back. They again used a one-two punch arrangement, but Lewis played more than Henry in all but one of the team’s first 13 games. It wasn’t until Henry busted loose for 238 yards (including a 99-yard touchdown) that the Titans decided to move him into more of a No. 1 role. He was on the field for 70, 62 and 53 percent of their offensive plays in the final three games.
Henry thus far has played 49 games as a pro, and in 40 of those games, some other running back on his own team has been on the field for more offensive plays.
| DERRICK HENRY: GAME BY GAME | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Opp | Result | Snap% | Run | Rec |
| 2016 | Minn. | L 16-25 | 31% | 5-3-0 | 2-41-0 |
| 2016 | at Det. | W 16-15 | 46% | 9-40-0 | 1-9-0 |
| 2016 | Oak. | L 10-17 | 35% | 10-45-0 | 0-0-0 |
| 2016 | at Hou. | L 20-27 | 14% | 3-9-0 | 0-0-0 |
| 2016 | at Mia. | W 30-17 | 30% | 7-54-0 | 0-0-0 |
| 2016 | Clev. | W 28-26 | 15% | 2-7-0 | 2-20-0 |
| 2016 | Ind. | L 26-34 | 8% | 1-3-0 | 0-0-0 |
| 2016 | Jac. | W 36-22 | 48% | 16-60-1 | 4-37-0 |
| 2016 | G.B. | W 47-25 | 32% | 9-31-0 | 0-0-0 |
| 2016 | at Ind. | L 17-24 | 4% | 0-0-0 | 0-0-0 |
| 2016 | at Chi. | W 27-21 | 24% | 8-60-1 | 0-0-0 |
| 2016 | Den. | W 13-10 | 27% | 12-42-0 | 1-5-0 |
| 2016 | at K.C. | W 19-17 | 26% | 9-58-2 | 0-0-0 |
| 2016 | at Jac. | L 17-38 | 24% | 4-13-0 | 2-22-0 |
| 2016 | Hou. | W 24-17 | 46% | 15-65-1 | 1-3-0 |
| 2017 | Oak. | L 16-26 | 28% | 6-25-0 | 0-0-0 |
| 2017 | at Jac. | W 37-16 | 44% | 14-92-1 | 0-0-0 |
| 2017 | Sea. | W 33-27 | 41% | 13-54-0 | 1-10-0 |
| 2017 | at Hou. | L 14-57 | 44% | 6-7-0 | 0-0-0 |
| 2017 | at Mia. | L 10-16 | 19% | 4-9-0 | 0-0-0 |
| 2017 | Ind. | W 36-22 | 57% | 19-131-1 | 1-14-0 |
| 2017 | at Clev. | W 12-9 | 42% | 13-13-0 | 2-11-0 |
| 2017 | Balt. | W 23-20 | 37% | 8-26-1 | 2-10-0 |
| 2017 | Cin. | W 24-20 | 31% | 11-52-0 | 0-0-0 |
| 2017 | at Pitt. | L 17-40 | 25% | 7-32-0 | 0-0-0 |
| 2017 | at Ind. | W 20-16 | 55% | 13-79-0 | 1-10-0 |
| 2017 | Hou. | W 24-13 | 44% | 11-109-1 | 0-0-0 |
| 2017 | at Ariz. | L 7-12 | 22% | 8-20-1 | 0-0-0 |
| 2017 | at S.F. | L 23-25 | 25% | 7-19-0 | 2-9-0 |
| 2017 | LAR | L 23-27 | 33% | 8-25-0 | 1-6-0 |
| 2017 | Jac. | W 15-10 | 97% | 28-51-0 | 1-66-1 |
| 2017 | at K.C. | W 22-21 | 97% | 23-156-1 | 2-35-0 |
| 2017 | at N.E. | L 14-35 | 93% | 12-28-0 | 3-21-0 |
| 2018 | at Mia. | L 20-27 | 29% | 10-26-0 | 1-5-0 |
| 2018 | Hou. | W 20-17 | 44% | 18-56-0 | 0-0-0 |
| 2018 | at Jac. | W 9-6 | 52% | 18-57-0 | 0-0-0 |
| 2018 | Phil. | W 26-23 | 39% | 8-24-0 | 2-7-0 |
| 2018 | at Buff. | L 12-13 | 39% | 11-56-0 | 0-0-0 |
| 2018 | Balt. | L 0-21 | 27% | 7-21-0 | 1-5-0 |
| 2018 | at LAC | L 19-20 | 34% | 12-33-1 | 2-32-0 |
| 2018 | at Dall. | W 28-14 | 20% | 6-27-1 | 2-5-0 |
| 2018 | N.E. | W 34-10 | 25% | 11-58-2 | 0-0-0 |
| 2018 | at Ind. | L 10-38 | 33% | 9-46-0 | 0-0-0 |
| 2018 | at Hou. | L 17-34 | 49% | 8-30-0 | 2-19-0 |
| 2018 | NYJ | W 26-22 | 41% | 10-40-1 | 2-5-0 |
| 2018 | Jac. | W 30-9 | 40% | 17-238-4 | 0-0-0 |
| 2018 | at NYG | W 17-0 | 70% | 33-170-2 | 1-0-0 |
| 2018 | Wash. | W 25-16 | 62% | 21-84-1 | 1-8-0 |
| 2018 | Ind. | L 17-33 | 53% | 16-93-0 | 1-13-0 |
Henry had the two big games late last year. After Jacksonville, he ran for 170 yards at the Giants. That probably will lead to him playing a larger role in 2019. But I’m not sure they’ll ever want to turn him into a three-down back who’s on the field for 80-plus percent of their plays. He’s a liability in the passing game, and he’s not very elusive. Lewis has a lot more lateral quickness and receiving ability, so I think it makes the most sense to continue using them in a one-two punch. I would think Henry will probably be on the field for 55-60 percent of Tennessee’s plays in 2019.
Henry is entering the final year of his rookie contract, for whatever that’s worth, but the Titans could opt to sign him to an extension before the start of the season.
—Ian Allan