PATRIOTS NOTEBOOK: Defense bracing itself for hard-running Henry

Monday
Jan 8, 2018 at 7:52 PM Jan 8, 2018 at 8:14 PM

Derrick Henry, the 6-foot-3, 247-pound Tennessee Titans running back, is bringing his physical style of play to Foxboro for Saturday night's divisional-round game with the Patriots.

Glen Farley The Enterprise @GFarley_ent

FOXBORO – Tennessee Titans running back Derrick Henry is coming to town.

Patriots defenders can only hope it’s not all downhill from here.

“This guy is a big back,” Patriots defensive coordinator Matt Patricia said on Monday. “He’s downhill, really does a good job of running strong with good leg drive and explosive ability to create big plays.”

Six-foot-three and 247 pounds, Henry punishes people with his physical (some have called it “violent”) running style, possessing the ability to wear down defenses.

Sharing the duties with DeMarco Murray during the regular season, Henry carried the ball 176 times for a team-leading 744 yards (4.2 per carry) and five touchdowns while catching 11 passes for 136 yards and a score. Murray checked in with 659 yards rushing on 184 attempts (3.6 yards per carry) with six TDs while making 39 receptions for 266 yards and a score.

With Murray sidelined by a knee injury, though, Henry went out and carried the load for the Titans in the 22-21 wild-card win at Kansas City that advanced them to Saturday night’s AFC divisional playoff game with the Patriots at Gillette Stadium.

With 23 carries for 156 yards and a touchdown, Henry became just the third player in Houston Oilers/Titans history to run for 100 yards in a postseason game, joining Earl Campbell (who did it once) and Eddie George (twice). With 191 yards from scrimmage (he caught two passes for 35 yards), Henry broke the franchise record of 178 in a playoff game set by Billy Cannon in the Oilers’ 24-16 win over the Los Angeles Chargers on New Year’s Day 1961 in the first AFL Championship game.

Over three seasons at Alabama, Henry ran for a school-record 3,591 yards, breaking Shaun Alexander’s record for most rushing yards in school history in the Crimson Tide’s 45-40 win over Clemson in the college football playoff national championship game on Jan. 12, 2016, after earning the 2015 Heisman Trophy.

Selected by the Titans in the second round (45th overall) of the 2016 NFL Draft, Henry gained 490 yards on 110 carries (a 4.5-yard average) with five touchdowns and caught 13 passes for 137 yards his rookie year.

“Everybody’s kind of at the point of attack with him,” said Patricia. “The ball can go anywhere, so there’s really not just a one side of the formation that he’s going to run to. The ball can really kind of hit wherever it goes, and (he’s) certainly someone that’s going to have a lot of attention on our end to make sure that we’re doing a good job of wrapping him up, and we’ve got to do a good job of tackling and getting everybody to the ball because he does a real good job of just making one tackler miss. He has a great stiff arm, which kind of defeats the first guy that’s there, and then he gets the extra yards and (has) the run after contact (ability).

“So, (he’s) just a big, powerful, strong runner. Again, downhill but can also get the edge because he has good balance and speed to do that. And then, again like I said, if it’s a one-on-one tackling situation, it’s extremely difficult to get him down in that instance.”

Kline in the line: Center David Andrews has fond memories of Josh Kline, the former Patriots offensive lineman (2013-2015) who starts at right guard for the Titans.

“I thought Josh was a good teammate,” said Andrews. “He always worked hard. I respected, as I was an undrafted guy, seeing someone like him – an undrafted guy come in, make the football team and now continue to have a great career at Tennessee. So, Josh is a great guy. I really enjoyed playing with him.”

Claimed off waivers from the Patriots in September 2016, Kline, the Titans’ starting right guard, participated in all but one of Tennessee’s 1,022 offensive plays during the regular season.

“Tough kid, played multiple positions inside for us, very unselfish, good teammate, smart,” Patriots offensive coordinator-quarterbacks coach Josh McDaniels said. “It doesn’t surprise me that he’s played a lot of football in Tennessee.

“This guy’s a physical guy, battled through nicks and injuries and those types of things to stay on the field. Just a great kid to coach, great teammate in the locker room and one of those guys you are happy and proud that you got the opportunity to work with.”

Monday
Jan 8, 2018 at 7:52 PM Jan 8, 2018 at 8:14 PM

Derrick Henry, the 6-foot-3, 247-pound Tennessee Titans running back, is bringing his physical style of play to Foxboro for Saturday night's divisional-round game with the Patriots.

Glen Farley The Enterprise @GFarley_ent

FOXBORO – Tennessee Titans running back Derrick Henry is coming to town.

Patriots defenders can only hope it’s not all downhill from here.

“This guy is a big back,” Patriots defensive coordinator Matt Patricia said on Monday. “He’s downhill, really does a good job of running strong with good leg drive and explosive ability to create big plays.”

Six-foot-three and 247 pounds, Henry punishes people with his physical (some have called it “violent”) running style, possessing the ability to wear down defenses.

Sharing the duties with DeMarco Murray during the regular season, Henry carried the ball 176 times for a team-leading 744 yards (4.2 per carry) and five touchdowns while catching 11 passes for 136 yards and a score. Murray checked in with 659 yards rushing on 184 attempts (3.6 yards per carry) with six TDs while making 39 receptions for 266 yards and a score.

With Murray sidelined by a knee injury, though, Henry went out and carried the load for the Titans in the 22-21 wild-card win at Kansas City that advanced them to Saturday night’s AFC divisional playoff game with the Patriots at Gillette Stadium.

With 23 carries for 156 yards and a touchdown, Henry became just the third player in Houston Oilers/Titans history to run for 100 yards in a postseason game, joining Earl Campbell (who did it once) and Eddie George (twice). With 191 yards from scrimmage (he caught two passes for 35 yards), Henry broke the franchise record of 178 in a playoff game set by Billy Cannon in the Oilers’ 24-16 win over the Los Angeles Chargers on New Year’s Day 1961 in the first AFL Championship game.

Over three seasons at Alabama, Henry ran for a school-record 3,591 yards, breaking Shaun Alexander’s record for most rushing yards in school history in the Crimson Tide’s 45-40 win over Clemson in the college football playoff national championship game on Jan. 12, 2016, after earning the 2015 Heisman Trophy.

Selected by the Titans in the second round (45th overall) of the 2016 NFL Draft, Henry gained 490 yards on 110 carries (a 4.5-yard average) with five touchdowns and caught 13 passes for 137 yards his rookie year.

“Everybody’s kind of at the point of attack with him,” said Patricia. “The ball can go anywhere, so there’s really not just a one side of the formation that he’s going to run to. The ball can really kind of hit wherever it goes, and (he’s) certainly someone that’s going to have a lot of attention on our end to make sure that we’re doing a good job of wrapping him up, and we’ve got to do a good job of tackling and getting everybody to the ball because he does a real good job of just making one tackler miss. He has a great stiff arm, which kind of defeats the first guy that’s there, and then he gets the extra yards and (has) the run after contact (ability).

“So, (he’s) just a big, powerful, strong runner. Again, downhill but can also get the edge because he has good balance and speed to do that. And then, again like I said, if it’s a one-on-one tackling situation, it’s extremely difficult to get him down in that instance.”

Kline in the line: Center David Andrews has fond memories of Josh Kline, the former Patriots offensive lineman (2013-2015) who starts at right guard for the Titans.

“I thought Josh was a good teammate,” said Andrews. “He always worked hard. I respected, as I was an undrafted guy, seeing someone like him – an undrafted guy come in, make the football team and now continue to have a great career at Tennessee. So, Josh is a great guy. I really enjoyed playing with him.”

Claimed off waivers from the Patriots in September 2016, Kline, the Titans’ starting right guard, participated in all but one of Tennessee’s 1,022 offensive plays during the regular season.

“Tough kid, played multiple positions inside for us, very unselfish, good teammate, smart,” Patriots offensive coordinator-quarterbacks coach Josh McDaniels said. “It doesn’t surprise me that he’s played a lot of football in Tennessee.

“This guy’s a physical guy, battled through nicks and injuries and those types of things to stay on the field. Just a great kid to coach, great teammate in the locker room and one of those guys you are happy and proud that you got the opportunity to work with.”

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