Derrick Henry couldn’t have asked for a better present for his 26th birthday.
The former Alabama running back and Heisman Trophy winner was a huge factor on offense as the Titans recorded a 20-13 win over the New England Patriots in a wild-card playoff at Foxborough, Massachusetts.
Henry registered 204 yards from scrimmage, setting a franchise record for a postseason game and becoming the first player to top the 200 mark against a Patriots team coached by Bill Belichick in the playoffs.
Henry was a force from the very beginning, with 49 rushing yards on the team’s opening possession alone, and totaled 100 yards on the ground by halftime. He finished the game with 34 carries for 182 yards and a touchdown, also reeling in a reception for 22 yards against the NFL’s top-ranked defense.
“We knew what type of game this was going to be,” Henry said. “We were coming into a hostile environment… we just have to play our game.”
Considering that Tennessee recorded just 76 passing yards, Henry’s performance was especially important.
Henry led the NFL with 1,540 rushing yards, 16 rushing touchdowns, 303 rushing attempts and 102.7 rushing yards per game during the regular season.
Henry and the Titans will face the Baltimore Ravens in the next round of the playoffs at M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore next week.