Titans RB DeMarco Murray Out vs. Patriots, Derrick Henry to Start Again
Titans running back DeMarco Murray will not play against the Patriots in the AFC Divisional Round playoff game on Saturday, as he'll miss his third straight game with a knee sprain.
Murray's absence means Derrick Henry will see a vast majority of the carries for Tennessee, which knocked off Kansas City 22-21 last week thanks in large part to Henry's performance. The second-year back out of Alabama, who won the Heisman Trophy following the 2015 season, rushed for 156 yards and a score on 23 carries. The big, bruising back—listed at 6'3'', 247 pounds—broke off a 22-yard run on third-and-10 with 1:53 remaining that clinched come-from-behind victory for Tennessee.
Murray, 29, rushed for 659 yards and six touchdowns on the season but averaged just 3.6 yards per carry. Henry rushed for 744 yards and five touchdowns on 4.2 yards per carry, and there's growing belief that the Titans view Henry, who is six years younger than Murray, as the back of the future. Murray could be moved this offseason.
No matter who is in the backfield for Tennessee, beating the Patriots will be a monumental challenge. The Titans enter Saturday's game as a 13.5-point underdog, and they'll need to establish a running game and control the clock to stay close. The good news for Mike Mularkey's team is that New England's run defense was not particularly strong during the regular season, finishing 20th in rushing yards against (114.8) and 30th in opposing yards per carry (4.7).
