With DeMarco Murray nursing a hamstring injury, the door is open for Derrick Henry to gobble up a larger share of the carries in Tennessee.
"I am just going to go out there and work, and do the job the best that I can," Henry said, via the team's official website. "When the opportunity is there, I want to take full advantage of it."
Murray was limited Friday after sitting out practice the previous two days because of a hamstring issue, and the starting running back is questionable heading into Sunday's game versus the Cleveland Browns.
In Monday night's win, Murray and Henry saw almost equal playing time (Henry 40 snaps, Murray 38). Henry took his 19 carries for 131 yards, including a game-icing 72-yard touchdown. Murray, clearly slowed by the injury, took 12 totes for 40 yards.
Coach Mike Mularkey said the time-share is ideally what the Titans are looking for from the backfield.
"Yeah, I'd say that's a pretty good model of what we're looking for," Titans coach Mike Mularkey said. "Both guys are physical runners, not far off from their skill level in the run game. We did a little bit more with Marcus [Mariota] outside with the passing game, as you saw. Really it's a good combination, and it's tough to defend."
With Murray milking an injury, however, it's time for the Titans to ride Henry. Up to this point, the former Heisman Trophy winner has been used as a closer, earning most of his snaps to salt away victories. In the Titans' three losses, Henry earned fewer than six carries. In the three wins, he's had 13 or more. With his bruising style and ability to turn three-yard gains into six-yard gains, the Titans offense performs better with Henry on the field.
Outside of one big run versus Seattle in Week 3, Murray hasn't been an efficient runner this season, and at times it appears as if he's racing in molasses. Facing the No. 6 ranked run defense Sunday, perhaps Murray's injury provides the needed excuse to flip the roles and ride Henry.
