With the indefinite loss of rushing sensation and MVP candidate Derrick Henry during a pivotal point in the season, the Titans will now have to find a way to fill the major void being left in Henry's absence. In spite of Henry's untimely injury, the Titans still prevailed and came up with a thrilling overtime win against the Colts on Sunday.
They do currently hold the top spot in the AFC South and are still in prime position to make a Super Bowl run this year, but this will prove to be more difficult for them if Henry doesn't return to full strength this season. As the Titans continue to search for solutions in their rushing game while changing up their offensive game plan, we'll now discuss two Titans players who need to step up their game in wake of the injured King Henry.
Titans Who Need To Step Up After The Derrick Henry Injury
Ryan Tannehill
If anything's true about the Titans offense, it's that they are way more explosive when Derrick Henry is at full strength and taking over the game. Without that dominant play coming out of the backfield, there will now be more pressure on Ryan Tannehill to step his game up and find ways to keep the Titans offense running smoothly with Henry being sidelined for an unknown amount of time.
Tannehill has come through for the Titans in the past, but his quarterback rating has historically been better when he's had the luxury of playing with Henry. So if he is to debunk this myth and prove that he can hold down the fort, then there's no better time than the present for him to step up and keep this talented Titans squad competitive for the duration.
Article Continues BelowJeremy McNichols
It goes without saying that Jeremy McNichols will have some big shoes to fill, but that's not to say that he won't have a productive go of it at running back for the Titans. Plus he did have a solid performance in their Week 8 win over the Colts with 33 receiving yards on three receptions, so there's the option of utilizing his skillsets in both the passing and rushing game.
Of course right now they need all the help they can get on the ground, so most of his touches will be coming out of the backfield seeing as he's now become their go-to rusher. This will be a huge responsibility for McNichols to take on, but he's definitely capable of giving them a ton of production and becoming a reliable back-up that will fill in nicely for the current NFL rushing leader.
With a big change in the fold for Tennessee, it's hard to overlook the fact that the Titans will have their fair share of struggles without Henry in their line-up. However, they've still got Tannehill, AJ Brown, and Julio Jones who are all more than capable of making big plays and ensuring the Titans will have an explosive offensive attack. So we shouldn't all be so quick to write-off the Titans as this may wind up being extra motivation for them to overcome the odds and keep their winning streak alive.