National Football League

Titans dominate Rams despite missing Derrick Henry, showing they might be a title threat

Updated Nov. 8, 2021 8:09 p.m. ET

Derrick Henry's untimely foot injury appeared to be devastating for the Tennessee Titans.

The team had the AFC's best record entering its Week 8 contest against the Indianapolis Colts, and Henry was the undisputed top reason for it.

He shouldered a truckload of the squad's offensive work, mowing down opposing defenders with ease en route to the league lead in rushing yards (937), TDs (10) and yards after contact (487).

Henry's numbers were staggering — as were several defenders after trying to bring him down — and like a glass of fine wine, he seemed to only get better with time.

He didn't generally start outings with an abundance of big plays, but as games wore on, Henry's constant physical style, coupled with his 6-foot-4, 240-pound frame, became a chore for opposing defenses.

That theme has held for many of his professional seasons, and as games begin to stack onto one another, Henry's rough-and-tumble running style becomes that much more of a force to be reckoned with.

The Titans are well aware of that reality and how scary it is for defenders to see an imposing figure such as Henry bearing down on them.

So when news broke that No. 22 would have to undergo surgery to repair a Jones fracture (fifth outside metatarsal bone) in his right foot, the writing seemed to be on the wall for Tennessee's Super Bowl hopes.

"There's no player in the league that means more to his football team than Derrick Henry," ESPN's Rex Ryan said on an episode of "Get Up!" following the surgery announcement.

"This is the biggest loss you can have, and it takes them from being the one or two team in the AFC … they're not going anywhere without this guy."

"I don't think this team has a chance to contend without Derrick Henry," Ryan Clark concurred. "When you see how heavily dependent they are on him to not only set the tone physically but for production, it doesn't seem like this team will be able to produce in a manner offensively to win games down the stretch. I don't know how they find a way to replace that."

There will be no way to fully replace all that Henry brings to the table for Mike Vrabel's troupe. But Henry's absence doesn't necessarily mean they can't win games — and do so against distinguished opponents.

The Los Angeles Rams are viewed by many to be Super Bowl contenders, given their unique offensive wizardry and undeniable talent on defense. But Sunday night, Tennessee ran them out of their home stadium with an emphatic vehemence.

For most of the outing, it wasn't even close.

After Los Angeles scored first with a field goal in the first quarter, Tennessee took full control in the second. The Titans' defense picked off Matthew Stafford on two straight throws, returning the latter for six as they opened a quick 14-3 lead.

That set the tone for the rest of a dominant defensive performance. The Titans held Stafford & Co. to 294 yards on 31 of 48 completions. Stafford managed to throw just one TD, was sacked five times for 41 yards and recorded a 17.2 QBR.

Tennessee moved to 7-2 with the surprise 28-16 victory, retaining the top spot in the conference.

But Shannon Sharpe argued that the win was more about the Rams' mistakes than anything else.

"The Titans won a game, and they were 4-for-12 on third down, had less than 200 yards of total offense, 26 carries for 69 yards, and Tannehill had 143 yards passing," Sharpe said Monday on "Undisputed."

"You’re not going to win a game if you have 12 penalties for 115 yards. This was an aberration. The Rams are better than this. They stalled a lot down in the red zone and had to settle for field goals, and normally they cash those in. The Titans had a 14-3 lead with 28 yards and a first down. I've never seen anything like it."

Sharpe did show Tennessee some love for its performance, though.

"The Titans played well. Let's give them credit. Their defense dominated this game. [Jeffery] Simmons dialed up the heat. He was just bull-rushing, and they couldn't do anything with him. He was the one that forced the INT in the end zone. Landry, Bud Dupree has been a very good addition. They're starting to get pressure. They're solid on the back end."

And while the defense was its main catalyst, Tennessee wasn't moot on offense.

Geoff Swaim hauled in a big TD catch. Tannehill rushed for a TD. Even Adrian Peterson, who was recently signed after Henry hit the injury shelf, got in on the scoring effort. The 36-year-old finished with 21 yards on 10 carries.

Tennessee has now beaten Buffalo, Kansas City, Indy and the Rams in consecutive weeks. Don't tell them their Super Bowl hopes are dashed.

And don't forget: Henry could be back in action by the end of the season.

"Whenever that is, that's when it'll be," Vrabel said last week.

The Titans are sure hoping "that" will be sooner rather than later.