Plenty of Tennessee Titans fans will point to Derrick Henry as the sole reason why they managed to take down the New England Patriots in a gritty game of football. However, this is just how the running back from Alabama likes his football to be played.
The star running back made the declaration after his Titans took down the Patriots in what could be a dynasty-ending 20-13 victory. According to Pro Football Talk's Mike Florio, he loves winning football games the rough way and would not trade the experience for anything else.
“We don’t want anything easy,” Henry told reporters after the game. “We want it gritty, we want it dirty. That’s the mentality we’ve got to have. My main focus is finishing each and every drive in all three phases. Don’t give up on each other, believe, communicate when we’re out there, what we’re seeing so we make adjustments as a team. Just keep thriving, keep striving and finish the game.”
It may sound strange to some that Henry is calling for games to be difficult, but it's likely a call for himself and the rest of the team to constantly put their best foot forward.
Article Continues BelowThey weren't favorites to win against the Patriots after all. In spite of all the red flags Tom Brady and the Pats have showcased this season, they were still put ahead of the Titans. It took an incredible night of rushing from Henry against a league-leading New England defense to topple them.
Things aren't exactly better as they're set to square off against the Baltimore Ravens. Lamar Jackson is one slippery quarterback who can run as well as he passes. Moreover, the Ravens also have a tough defense that will be hard to take down.
However, Henry and the Titans wouldn't want it any other way. As the sixth seed, they knew that every game they would play will be against them. They are more than happy to take on these strong AFC teams and try to topple them one by one.