NASHVILLE – Derrick Henry continues to turn defenders around with his stiff-arm, while turning heads across the NFL.
This week, following another eye-opening performance against the Colts, the Titans running back has been a popular topic of conversation across the sports world.
"I feel like Derrick Henry is the single most significant player in the NFL," NFL Network's Nate Burleson said. "I feel like he should be in the league lead for MVP votes right now. … Derrick Henry is playing so well, and he heats up at this time of year."
On Sunday, the Titans will face the Browns at Nissan Stadium, and the contest will feature three of the NFL's nine leading rushers, including Henry, who leads the NFL with 1,257 rushing yards, and Browns backs Nick Chubb (719 rushing yards, tied for sixth) and Kareem Hunt (706, ninth).
Henry, who led the NFL with 1,540 rushing yards in 2019, is aiming to become the first player to lead the league in rushing yards in consecutive seasons since Pro Football Hall of Famer LaDainian Tomlinson in 2006-07.
Henry rushed for 178 yards and three touchdowns in Sunday's 45-26 win at Indianapolis. Henry is the fourth player in NFL history with three games of at least 175 rushing yards and three rushing touchdowns in his first five seasons, joining Pro Football Hall of Famers Jim Brown (five games) and Tomlinson (three), as well as Adrian Peterson (three).
"There is no player," said ESPN's Chris Berman, "that wears you out, physically and mentally, like Derrick Henry."
Some more impressive stats from Henry:
-Henry has seven 100-yard rushing games in 2020, and now 20 in his career.
-Henry has 12 rushing touchdowns in 2020, and 50 career rushing touchdowns. With his performance against the Colts, Henry joined Earl Campbell (73), Eddie George (64) and Chris Johnson (50) as the only players in franchise history with 50 rushing touchdowns.
-Henry, with 5,090 yards, is the fourth player in franchise history to reach the 5,000-yard plateau, joining Eddie George (10,009), Earl Campbell (8,574) and Chris Johnson (7,965).
-Henry is the third player in franchise history to rush for 1,200 yards and 10 touchdowns in at least two consecutive seasons, joining Campbell (1978–1981) and Johnson (2009–2010).
-Henry has recorded 20 consecutive game in the regular season and playoffs with at least 18 rushing attempts. It's the second-longest streak of its kind in the NFL since 1948. The only player with more consecutive 18-carry games in the regular season and postseason was Emmitt Smith, whose streak was 23 games with the Dallas Cowboys from 1995 to 1996. In the 31 instances in the regular season and playoffs during Henry's career (2016–present) in which he has recorded 18 attempts, the Titans' record is 25-6.
-Henry has eight consecutive regular season road games with at least 100 rushing yards. Going back to 1960, Henry's streak is tied for the second-longest continuous stretch of its kind. Detroit's Barry Sanders had 10 road games in a row with 100-plus yards from 1996 to 1997, and Johnson of the Titans produced an eight-game streak from 2009 to 2010. Los Angeles Raiders running back Marcus Allen (seven consecutive games from 1985 to 1986) is the only other player with a streak as long as seven 100-yard rushing games on the road.
"The more I watch Henry, the more I think he's got the physicality and the hole-picking of Earl Campbell," said Peter King of NBC Sports. "What power, and what balance."
