Can Houston Texans Stop Tennessee Titans RB Derrick Henry? DeMeco Ryans Has An Idea
Tennessee Titans running back Derrick Henry has made a habit of unleashing a hellish fury on his AFC South rivals.
During his peak as one of the league’s elite running backs, no one was more feared coming downhill. While that threat is still real, signs of wear and tear, along with a horrific Titans offensive line, have made those instances few and far between.
Even so, he’ll be a priority for the Houston Texans when they visit Nashville for a Week 15 clash. Containing Henry and forcing rookie quarterback Will Levis into a one-dimensional game script is important. Making sure Henry doesn’t take over the entire game himself comes first.
Henry has six games of at least 200 rushing yards in his career. Every single one of them has come against divisional rivals and somehow four of them have come against the Texans.
Tennessee Titans running back Derrick Henry breaks off a big run against the Houston Texans.
© Troy Taormina, USA TODAY
According to Houston head coach DeMeco Ryans, that starts with fundamentally sound tackling.
“The first key is don’t tackle him high,” Ryans said with a laugh. “You always put together a tackling plan for someone who’s such a physical runner, a taller runner. You give guys a tackling plan. First off, you have to attack the thighs. You have to attack him lower, try to get his legs wrapped up, and that’s how you stop him.
“It’s not going to be about one guy, it’s multiple guys at the ball attacking him because he’s such a physical runner.”
As it turns out, that may be more difficult than initially anticipated. Pro Football Focus has the Texans ranked as the second-worst tackling team in all of football, ahead of only the Denver Broncos.
Furthermore, linebacker Blake Cashman, who was enjoying the best season of his career, is out with a hamstring injury. Against the Arizona Cardinals, he managed to generate an absurd 19 tackles.
Ryans, a former NFL linebacker, did mention that he preferred playing the Henry types, rather than smaller, shiftier backs like Jacksonville Jaguars legend Maurice Jones-Drew.
“I just wanted to go downhill and hit people,” he said on “Coffee With Coach.”
Ryans emphasized the physical nature of the Texans vs. Titans rivalry. If Houston is going to come away with a much-needed victory – with or without quarterback C.J. Stroud – it will likely be on the backs of a strong defensive performance.
Henry is the heart and soul of this Tennessee team, even as Levis begins to leave his mark. The Texans' defense will have to meet the bar the offense has set. At 7-6, a loss could all but end their playoff hopes. A win, however, keeps them alive in a chaotic AFC. Houston’s run defense could decide the rest of the team’s fate in Week 15.
