Derrick Henry powered the Tennessee Titans to a road victory over the New England Patriots Saturday night. The 6-foot-3, 247-pound tailback turned 34 carries into a whopping 182 rushing yards and one TD. He added a 22-yard reception in what was a one-man show on offense.

In the modern-day NFL, passing has proven to be more effective than running the ball. Furthermore, rushing success generally boils down to strong line play and proper playcalling, rather than the talent of the ball carrier. (Le’Veon Bell’s putrid season with the New York Jets, who have a porous O-line, is direct evidence of this). However, Henry demonstrated how a dominant running back can still take over a game.

Derrick Henry celebrated his 26th birthday Saturday by amassing 204 scrimmage yards in the AFC wild-card matchup. Overall, he registered 5.4 yards per carry. Henry netted 44 yards on his first six rushing attempts alone.

With the Titans down 13-7 with less than six minutes remaining until halftime, Henry put the Titans on his back during a 75-yard touchdown drive. He accounted for every single yard during the drive, which was capped off by his 1-yard score. Henry gashed the Patriots for 106 yards on the ground in the first half.

https://twitter.com/AlabamaDieHards/status/1213653519997243393

Henry drained the life out of Gillette Stadium. The Titans wisely fed Henry the ball over and over, and the Patriots simply couldn't stop him. He set a record for the most rushing yards against the Patriots in a postseason game in the Bill Belichick era. Derrick Henry also became the first player to run for 100+ yards versus the Patriots in the playoffs since Seattle's Marshawn Lynch rushed for 102 yards in Super Bowl XLIX.

Henry was so unstoppable that red-hot quarterback Ryan Tannehill rarely got called upon to throw. Tannehill attempted just 15 passes, completing eight for 72 yards and a score with one interception.

Across three playoff contests, Henry has accumulated 444 yards from scrimmage. His 444 scrimmage yards rank second in the Super Bowl era for a player in his first three career postseason appearances, trailing only Arian Foster (510).

Henry, the 2019 NFL rushing champion, darted for 1,540 yards in the regular season. He earned a Pro Bowl nod and was named to the NFL’s All-Pro second team. While Henry was snubbed from a first-team All-Pro selection, the former Heisman trophy winner proved on Saturday night why he is the top running back in football.

Despite going up against the Patriots’ top-rated defense, Henry delivered a game for the ages. The Patriots struggled to tackle the sturdy-bodied Henry all evening. Even when the Patriots stacked the box, they couldn’t slow down the Titans’ superstar.

RECOMMENDED (Article Continues Below)
Mac Jones surrounded by piles of cash.

Nathanial Duffett ·

Four-time Super Bowl champion Rob Gronkowski, Red Sox, Fenway Park in back

Alex House ·

Robert Kraft saying "don't trade the pick" to Eliot Wolf and Jerod Mayo

Conor Roche ·

Henry has been a difficult player to bring down this season. He led the NFL in yards after contact with 1,268, according to Pro Football Focus. 1,268 yards after contact is an absurdly high amount. Consider this: Henry’s NFL-best yards after contact mark would rank sixth in total rushing yards.

Derrick Henry, an impending free agent, likely made himself a lot of money by steamrolling the Patriots. It’s hard to imagine the Titans letting Henry walk in free agency, especially since the offense has had so much success with him and Tannehill spearheading the charge.

The Titans travel to Baltimore to face the top-seeded Ravens in the AFC Divisional Round this weekend. The Ravens are currently 9.5 point favorites. Despite the large point spread, the ultra-physical Henry gives the Titans a puncher’s chance to pull off the upset. That’s the power of rostering the best running back in the NFL.