The Tennessee Titans saw the run game collapse ever since they lost their star RB Derrick Henry. He signed with the Baltimore Ravens in 2024, and that franchise has dealt with historic turmoil ever since. Henry single-handedly ran the NFL as he led the league in rushing in both 2019 and 2020. He quickly became an integral part of the Titans’ identity and success. Since his departure, the Titans have been an absolute dumpster fire. They’ve combined for a pitiful 4-23 the last two seasons, and that should make anyone terribly concerned about their rushing attack being anywhere near effective.
Henry’s tenure with the Titans was marked by record-breaking performances and an aggressive running style that made him one of the most feared offensive weapons in the game. In 2020, he recorded more rushing yards (2,027) than all but four players during an entire regular season in the league’s history. He didn’t slow down in subsequent seasons, adding an astonishing 937 rushing yards in 2021. Unfortunately, things went wrong when he broke his foot in Week 8. By the end of 2024, Henry had just about the best season on record, rushing for 1,921 yards. He even outrushed the entire Titans team, who rushed for just 1,855 yards total that season.
Back in Henry’s heyday, the Titans were one of the five best rushing teams in the league. This dynamic run game was the secret sauce to their playoff run success from 2019 through 2021. Henry’s historic rushing onslaught was the bedrock of propelling the program back to successive postseason births. On top of that, he put on some jaw-dropping displays, eclipsing 200 yards rushing in four separate contests.
Henry’s now officially a Raven, sending Tennessee’s overpile into cap hell. They’re having a difficult time finding a proven alternative, shorting their ability to set a consistent ground game. That’s something that players and coaches alike have admitted has been the biggest hindrance to their offensive productivity apart from self-inflicted errors.
Tony Pollard, one of the Titans’ running backs, emphasized the importance of execution when he stated, “If we play our best game and don’t beat ourselves, it doesn’t matter who we’re going against.” He noted that a bulk of their challenges are the result of falling behind in yardage after penalties and mishaps.
“Sometimes we’re getting in predictable game situations. We’ll have a good call for first-and-10, then we’ll get a false start, go with the same call and it’s not as effective in a first-and-15. We just have to be on the same page.” – Tony Pollard
Peter Skoronski, an offensive lineman for the Titans, voiced the need to create confidence in the opening moments of games. This strategy is key to creating a powerful and efficient run game. “We’ve got to build confidence in terms of getting those early runs going so we feel like we can go back to those that kind of just snowballs and spirals into a productive running day,” he said.
When those first few plays don’t lead to success, the offense can’t reset on the fly more and more as the stakes get raised. “If you’re getting stuffed earlier, it’s hard to go back to that,” Skoronski added.
Coaches, too, are taking a much closer look at the execution on the details on rushing plays as they look to get their offenses on track. As Mike McCoy pointed out, many different factors can impact the success of any given run.
“Is it a track of a back? Did he cut? Did he not press the line of scrimmage too much? Did he cut too fast? Was there a missed block? Sometimes someone trips. I’ve had a lineman come back to me and say, ‘Run it again. I tripped!’” – Mike McCoy
Despite these individual efforts from players and coaches to rectify issues within the run game, offensive linemen have acknowledged their role in the struggles. Lloyd Cushenberry III bluntly stated, “Everything in the run game starts with us up front. We haven’t been doing our job.”
As the Titans continue to grapple with their identity on offense without Henry’s formidable presence, fans and analysts alike will be watching closely to see if they can turn around their fortunes. Their failure to establish a run game has dampened their efficiency as an offense and overall production. It points to their inability to replicate the success they were achieving during Henry’s peak years.
Leave a Reply