Sunday’s trip to Baltimore brings a familiar face back into the spotlight, and the Titans have one obvious priority if they want to spoil Derrick Henry’s first game against Tennessee since his departure in 2024: don’t let the former franchise star turn it into a signature revenge performance.
Henry’s run in Nashville was the kind of stretch teams dream about when they draft a back in the second round. Tennessee took the reigning Heisman Trophy winner 15th overall in the second round out of Alabama, and over eight seasons he built a resume that still hangs over the franchise. After sharing work early on with former NFL Offensive Player of the Year DeMarco Murray, Henry took over in 2018 and never gave the job back.
From there, the numbers piled up. Henry led the NFL in rushing yards and rushing touchdowns in 2019 and 2020, won NFL Offensive Player of the Year, collected three All-Pro honors and made four Pro Bowls while helping Tennessee to three playoff victories. He still owns the Titans’ franchise record with 93 touchdowns and ranks second only to Eddie George in rushing yards with 9,052.
Now the challenge is obvious: slow down a 32-year-old back who is still functioning as Baltimore’s engine. Henry leads the NFL with 66 carries and has already scored six rushing touchdowns while averaging 4.6 yards per carry.
According to Fantasy Pros, he ranks just behind Kennith Walker III in yards after contact with 177, and he also sits fifth in broken tackles and rushing yards through three games. Tennessee’s defense has to get him on the ground cleanly and quickly before those extra yards start snowballing.
The weather could help. Rain showers are expected in Baltimore on Sunday, and the Titans need to attack the football if the conditions turn messy.
Henry has had ball security issues before, and the source notes that he fumbled in each of the Ravens’ first three games last season. Tennessee hasn’t forced a fumble yet this year, but it did create two key takeaways on Jalen Hurts in Week 2 against Philadelphia that nearly pushed it to a win.
That same kind of disruption is the formula here.
There’s also a path for Tennessee on the other side of the ball. Cam Ward is struggling to open his sophomore season, so the Titans may need to lean on Tony Pollard and Tyjae Spears to ease the pressure on him. Baltimore’s run defense is described as middle of the road, and the recent numbers suggest there’s room to work.
Cowboys running back Javonte Williams ran for 98 yards and a touchdown on 5.2 yards per carry against the Ravens last week. In Week 1, Colts back Jonathan Taylor posted the same rushing total on the same number of carries, and he scored twice. That gives Tennessee a reason to keep feeding its own backfield.
Pollard and Spears were almost evenly split in snaps against the Giants last week, 32-28, but Pollard dominated the touches 21 to 3. Against the Eagles in Week 2, the Titans used them more evenly on the stat sheet, with Pollard getting 15 touches and Spears nine. That duo combined for 135 yards from scrimmage in Tennessee’s highest-scoring game of the season.
That’s the blueprint: use Pollard and Spears in tandem, force Baltimore to defend a balanced ground attack, and make Henry carry the burden on the other side. The Ravens have already allowed the third most rushing touchdowns this season, so Tennessee has reason to keep the ball on the ground. If Robert Saleh’s defense can bottle Henry up, the Titans at least have a shot at their first win of the year.
In Other News...
Titans Suddenly Have A New Offensive Line Problem Before Ravens Game
The Titans offensive line took another hit this week, and it comes at an especially inconvenient time. Tennessee placed right guards Fernando Carmona and Jackson Slater on injured reserve after both underwent surgery, leaving the team with two more unavailable pieces inside as it turns its attention to Baltimore.
Garrett Dellinger was promoted from the practice squad to the active roster to help fill the gap, but the move only underscores how thin the Titans are getting at right guard. With the Ravens on deck in Week 4, Tennessee now has a fresh protection problem to sort out before it can even get to game-planning for one of the leagues tougher fronts. [Read more 🡒]
Titans Face A Cam Ward Dilemma In Marvin Harrison Jr. Debate
The Titans slow start has only sharpened the focus on how they plan to support Cam Ward as the rebuilding season unfolds. At 0-3, Tennessee is already in a familiar spot for a team searching for long-term answers, and any discussion about adding help now inevitably circles back to whether the rookie quarterback has enough around him to grow into the job.
Marvin Harrison Jr. has surfaced in that conversation because multiple teams are said to be checking on his availability, with a day-three draft pick mentioned as a possible return for the Cardinals. For Tennessee, the appeal is obvious: a high-end receiver could accelerate Wards development and give the offense a much-needed jolt, but the fit also comes with real questions about whether a move like that makes sense while the quarterback is still struggling to find his footing. [Read more 🡒]
Tony Pollard Could Be Headed Back Into A Contender's Plans
The Titans slow start has only sharpened the attention on what they do next, and Tony Pollard has already become part of that conversation. Tennessee is 0-3 and searching for answers on offense, which has made every move around the roster feel a little more consequential as the season gets underway.
ESPNs Dan Graziano raised the possibility that Pollard could surface as a trade candidate if he stays healthy and the Titans are not planning to extend him. If that path opens, a number of contenders could take notice, with the Saints, Vikings and Packers all mentioned as potential suitors looking to add a proven back into their plans. [Read more 🡒]