Giants Calling All Hands on Deck to Stop Titans RB Derrick Henry

Slowing down Titans running back Derrick Henry will be a major key for the New York Giants in the Week 1 regular-season opener.

Author:
Patricia Traina
Publish date:
Sep 7, 2022 6:07 PM EDT

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Detroit Titans

According to New York Giants head coach Brian Daboll, there’s only one way to slow down Tennessee Titans running back Derrick Henry.

“Yeah, if he’s not at the game,” Daboll responded with a chuckle.

Unfortunately for Daboll and the Giants, Henry is not only going to be on the field Sunday when the Giant visit the Tennessee Titans for the 2022 regular-season opener, but reports out of Nashville say that NFL's rushing leader in 2020 (2,027 yards) is looking better than ever after missing half of last year with a foot injury.

“It’s well documented what he’s done so far. He’s just a really good football player,” Daboll said. “I know him as a person, too. I met him down a few times in Alabama. Got a ton of respect for him as a man and certainly as a player. He’s one heck of a player. You name it, he can do it.”

“There’s a reason why they call Derek Henry ‘The King’ because he’s on the iron throne for all you Game of Thrones fans,” said Giants defensive coordinator Wink Martindale. “They just gave him a raise; I think he’s the highest paid running back. And I still don’t think they gave him enough.”

Okay, so back to the original question. How can the Giants slow down the guy Martindale said reminds him of a modern-era Jim Brown?

“We’re going to have to have all hands on deck and do the best job we can of running to the football and gang tackling,” Daboll said. “You even see him on plays, he might have three or four guys on him, and somehow, he squirts through. He’s just a unique player. He’s very, very good.”

Martindale agreed.

“He’s a physical guy; and it could be one cut and go. And it can be whatever he wants it to be at certain times,” he said. “And he’s just a very talented back. … He’s just that much different when he has the ball in his hands, so it’s a challenge every time he touches it.”

When Martindale was with Baltimore, the Ravens occasionally saw Henry and the Titans. In three regular-season games, the running back posted 180 rushing yards on 43 carries (4.19 average), with only one 100-yard performance.

And in the playoffs, Henry averaged nearly 5.0 yards per carry, rushing for 235 times on 48 carries.

In his last meeting against the Giants, Henry recorded two touchdowns and 170 yards. He is the only player in the NFL with over 10 rushing touchdonw in each of the last four seasons.

How Martindale plans to limit Henry’s impact on the game is still to be determined. Still, with the defensive coordinator having a reputation for running an aggressive and smothering type of defense, Martindale knows one thing for sure.

“There’s one thing I’ll guarantee you. I don’t know how good we’re going to be, but we are going to run to the football, and we are going to tackle people,” he said. “If we start with that, you’ve got a shot. And I can’t wait.”