For head coach Mike Mularkey and the Tennessee Titans, it took the final week of this year’s National Football League regular season to decide the second and final playoff spot in the American Football Conference.
During Sunday’s matchup against Jacksonville, Tennessee accounted for one play in the second quarter that would seal its chance at the postseason.
Running back Derrick Henry, who averaged just 1.8 yards per carry, caught a pass from quarterback Marcus Mariota for a 66-yard touchdown. Even though the extra point was blocked, Henry’s catch run to pay dirt was the longest play of the game to give the Titans a 6-0 lead.
With him being credited for the Titans’ lone touchdown, Henry has seven total scores on the season – including five rushing. His efforts not only delivered the franchise to a 15-10 win and its first playoff appearance since 2008, but it also aided him to 693 yards rushing on 148 carries.
There goes @KingHenry_2 👀👑 pic.twitter.com/qFv6jsFvkB
— Tennessee Titans (@Titans) December 31, 2017
Building off a solid rookie year, the former University of Alabama standout collected two 100-yard rushing performances. Before leading the Titans in rushing this year and being selected in the second round of the 2016 NFL Draft, Henry was a marquee name at Alabama.
The 6-foot-3, 247-pounder totaled 2,219 yards rushing with 28 scores on 395 carries during the 2015 season, en route to him winning the Heisman Trophy. He swept the College Football Awards Show that year, taking home Maxwell, Doak Walker and Walter Camp honors.
Henry was the Southeastern Conference’s Offensive Player of the Year, unanimous All-American, SEC champion and College Football Playoff national champion that season as well.
As he continues to grow, Titans fans will start to become more enamored with him – especially if the coaching staff moves toward featuring him more.
Tennessee (9-7) will face Kansas City next week in the AFC Wild Card game.
Stephen M. Smith is the managing editor and senior writer for Touchdown Alabama Magazine. You can “like” him on Facebook or “follow” him on Twitter, via @Smsmith_TDALMag.
