The Titans were conditioning 2016 second-round pick Derrick Henry to be their power back all preseason, and the fruits of their labor were evident in Sunday's physical win over the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Henry carried the ball 14 times but averaged nearly seven yards per carry and scored a notable 17-yard touchdown with 6:36 to go in the third quarter that featured Henry bulling over Jaguars star cornerback Jalen Ramsey.
This wasn't exactly Mike Alstott or Brandon Jacobs-level trucking, but Henry seemed to attach some significance to it. Via ESPN.com:
"I definitely wanted to make him feel me," Henry said.
He added: "As a running back, you always want to be physical. As the game goes on, I get better and I can see the defense getting tired. That gets me hyped."
I think what Titans fans saw Sunday was what Henry will be like when he gets the opportunity to actually warm himself up and operate as a starting back during a game. Last season's puzzling utilization didn't accentuate the best parts of Henry's skill set.
This could be one of the few examples of a smooth transition in recent NFL history. Murray will be the Titans' starting running back for the foreseeable future, but could see another tiny chunk of his role transfer over to Henry as the weeks go on.
Until that happens, Titans quarterback Marcus Mariota has the best possible situation: Two excellent backs capable of bringing more defenders into the box.
