The Tennessee Titans must embrace the sad reality that Derrick Henry is aging.
Worst yet, he is playing running back, a position wherein athletes don’t age well.
That’s why it’s rare to see a productive backfield option in his 30s.
Unfortunately, Henry has been the Titans’ main weapon over the past three seasons.
While the team has entered the playoffs in each of those years, Henry’s usage rate is unmatched by any other running back.
In 2019, he led the league in carries with 303 and finished with 1,540 yards and 16 touchdowns.
A year later, he was the NFL’s Offensive Player of the Year with career highs of 378 carries, 2,027 yards, and 18 touchdowns.
Those carries might have taken a toll on Henry, especially after a foot injury last season.
He still managed to have 937 yards in eight games, but he is yet to have a 100-yard rushing game since Week 6 of the 2021 season against the Buffalo Bills.
The former Alabama standout has also experienced a nosedive in his production.
Derrick Henry last 5 games:
(incl. postseason)2.91 yards per rush
2 touchdowns
0 100-yard gamesDerrick Henry 5 games before that:
5.00 yards per rush
10 touchdowns
5 100-yard games pic.twitter.com/PKuNFHuOYG— NFL on CBS 🏈 (@NFLonCBS) September 20, 2022
NFL on CBS pointed out that Henry had two touchdowns and 2.91 yards per carry in his last five games.
That’s a stark contrast to the first five games before that, wherein he had five 100-yard games, ten touchdowns, and five yards per carry.
Those games include a 182-yard, three-touchdown performance versus the Seattle Seahawks.
Did The Titans Botch His Return?
They had him come back in time for their Divisional Round game against the Cincinnati Bengals.
Without him, it would be difficult for the Titans to defeat Cincinnati and their high-powered offense.
Henry had 62 yards and a touchdown in that game.
However, those numbers were not enough to defeat the Bengals, even if they sacked Joe Burrow nine times.
