It was warm winter so “Dehember” came a little late this season, but Tennessee Titans fans shouldn’t worry because Derrick Henry is going to make up for lost time soon.
Rumors started swirling a few weeks ago that Derrick Henry could come back before the season was over and those picked up this weekend. Still, all the rumors in the world weren’t going to make Henry heal any faster and until Tennessee Titans fans got to see him with a helmet on, there was always going to be some skepticism.
Well, Titans fans haven’t gotten to see that image yet but as soon as Mike Vrabel mentioned it as a possibility the floodgates opened. Now it seems like Wednesday will mark the return of King Henry.
Getting anything out of one of the most tight-lipped coaches in the NFL is worth noting, so it makes sense that once Henry was brought up he was immediately the topic of conversation. However, don’t completely ignore the fact that another back might come back this week.
Derrick Henry’s new best friend, Tory Carter
Like every rookie, fullback Tory Carter had to prove himself on special teams before getting a shot on offense. As the season went on though, it became clear that Tory Carter was more than just a special teams player.
Excluding offensive linemen, Carter has been graded as one of the best run-blockers in the NFL. It isn’t a coincidence that Dontrell Hilliard and D’Onta Foreman each had their best game of the season in the game where he played his career-high snaps (on the road against the New England Patriots).
After being hurt in the game against the Jacksonville Jaguars, Carter was placed on I.R. and missed the games against the Pittsburgh Steelers, San Francisco 49ers, and Miami Dolphins. After serving his three games on I.R., more people should be excited about his potential return.
This isn’t an article downplaying Derrick Henry’s return, in fact, it is far from it. Think about it like this, if Carter comes back it will mean that he will join an offensive line who just had their best game of the season against a defense that was leading the NFL in sacks.
Let’s look at the checklist:
-Tennessee Titans offensive line playing their best? Check.
-Adding one of the best run-blockers in the NFL? Check.
–Derrick Henry healthy and hungry? Check.
-Cold weather and home field advantage in the playoffs? We will see, but it is looking good.
-Battered and bruised defenses who are going to be asked to tackle Derrick Henry in those conditions? Check.
Things are starting to look very interesting for the Tennessee Titans in the playoffs.