Tennessee Titans: Derrick Henry is the best player in the Playoffs
After leading the Tennessee Titans to the AFC Championship, I believe that Derrick Henry is the best player left in the Playoffs.
Derrick Henry has put together back-to-back 200 plus all-purpose yards performances in the playoffs to lead the Tennessee Titans to the AFC Championship.
It’s not often you’ll see a non-quarterback lead his team like Henry has, especially in the playoffs. For a running back in today’s pass-heavy NFL to lead his team to two wins against great defenses is uncommon and the perfect way to make your mark in the NFL.
You could argue that maybe Patrick Mahomes or Aaron Rodgers is the best player in the playoffs, but they have the ball in their hands every play, so they are expected to impact the game every play. A running back only has around 20-30 opportunities to impact a game.
Henry has had a combined 67 rushing and receiving opportunities to impact each of the Titans’ playoff games, and he took advantage of every opportunity he was given.
Henry has totaled 406 total all-purpose yards in the Titans’ two playoff games, which are very easy ways to give your team the win.
Game after game, people have said, “Derrick Henry won’t run for 100 yards this game” or continue to downplay Henry’s success only for him to run all over his opponents and continue to dominate.
If I had to guess, that’s not going to change moving forward against the Chiefs or whoever the Titans might play in the Super Bowl.
Henry has actually controlled the pace of the two Titans games, which isn’t very common for a non-quarterback to control a game and carry his team to the win.
The last time we have seen a running back play similar to how Henry is playing in the playoffs might be Marshawn Lynch when the Seahawks won the Super Bowl in 2014.
In 65 rushing attempts, Lynch rushed for 288 yards, and a year later, when the Seahawks lost to the Patriots in the Super Bowl, Lynch rushed for 318 yards on 63 attempts throughout the playoffs.
So in many of our minds, the best running back in the past decade hasn’t even reached the numbers that Henry is putting up right now.
Next. The Tennessee Titans are a team of destiny. dark
Henry will have a chance to prove he’s the best player in the playoffs right now when the Titans play the Chiefs in Kansas City in the AFC Championship.