One win put a bandage on the bleeding, Derrick Henry and the Tennessee Titans ripped it off.
In the second quarter, Derrick Henry rushed for a 99-yard touchdown.
Wait.
There is more to this 99-yard run. It involved embarrassing the Jacksonville Jaguars defense. Henry ran but was able to shove defender after defender down using his arm.
Henry, the 6 foot 3, 247-pound running back rushed for a franchise record with 238 yards on 16 carries stiffing the Jaguars 30-9 to stay in the playoff conversation.
Jaguars have three games remaining in a season so full of potential at the start.
The Jaguars (4-9) have lost eight of their last nine, and coach Doug Marrone said he was “heavily disappointed.”
“Obviously, we had a difficult time on first, second and third (downs), and sometimes in the fourth tackling (Henry),” Jaguars coach Doug Marrone said. “He had, obviously, a career night.”
Jacksonville came in with the league’s fifth-best scoring defense after shutting out Andrew Luck for the first time in the NFL. But Jacksonville has been vulnerable against the run, ranked 16th by giving up 108.4 yards. Henry nearly matched that on his record-tying run.
“For the rest of his life, I’ll be on his highlights,” Jaguars defensive end Calais Campbell said about Henry.
Henry tied Lorenzo White and Hall of Fame running back Earl Campbell for most rushing TDs in a single game in franchise history. Henry also became the first player in the NFL with four rushing TDs in a game since Jonas Gray of the Patriots in Week 11 in 2014.
Titans coach Mike Vrabel called Henry’s night “very impressive.”
“He just ran out of guys to stiff-arm,” Vrabel said.
The Titans running back has three TDs of 70 yards or more rushing since 2017, the most in the NFL. Jaguars running back Leonard Fournette, who has two such TDs, is the only other player with more than one in that span.
The beat goes on.
Jaguars host the Washington Redskins in Jacksonville’s home finale.
Titans take their talents and visiting the New York Giants.
