Titans' Week 4 Matchup With Ravens: A Painful Reminder of Past Success

With RB Derrick Henry and the Ravens on deck, things are shaping up to be a potentially long and painful afternoon for the Titans faithful.

Sep 13, 2026; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Baltimore Ravens running back Derrick Henry (22) comes off the field after the game against the Indianapolis Colts at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Tennessee Titans travel to Baltimore on Sunday to take on a Ravens team coming off an exhilarating last-second win over the Cowboys in Brazil. While there’s one obvious storyline going into Sunday’s game, it’s also setting up to be a painful reminder of everything the Titans used to be. 

All this fanbase has to do is watch the team across from them this coming weekend to remember what they once were — tough, well-coached, resilient, star-studded, relevant, clutch, and of course, they have "The King" in the backfield.

RB Derrick Henry is set to face the team that drafted him for the first time since departing for Baltimore at the conclusion of the 2023 season. To say this will be a difficult moment for the fanbase would be a drastic understatement.

Derrick Henry's legendary Titans run

Henry is arguably the greatest Tennessee Titan ever. In my opinion, he’s absolutely at the mountaintop (with respect to Steve McNair). Chances are, nobody will ever wear the No. 22 in Nashville again as he’ll inevitably become the Titans’ first Hall of Famer drafted in Tennessee whenever he decides to hang ‘em up. But make no mistake about it, things weren’t always that way.

Arguably the craziest thing about Henry’s legendary career is that you can actually pinpoint the moment when he became the king. Prior to the Titans’ Week 14 matchup with the Jags in 2018, the Alabama product was undeniably struggling.

He hadn’t rushed for 60 yards in a single game and was routinely being outplayed by RB Dion Lewis. The Late Great ESPN Reporter Chris Mortenson even claimed that Tennessee was trying to trade Henry prior to the 2018 trade deadline.

Needless to say, that would’ve been a franchise-crippling mistake. Because shortly after the deadline came December 6th, 2018. What started as an ordinary game became anything but that. Henry famously tied the NFL Record that night with a legendary 99-yard touchdown run in which he looked like a man amongst boys on the field.

Jan 7, 2024; Nashville, Tennessee, USA; Tennessee Titans running back Derrick Henry (22) waves to the fans as he leaves the field against the Jacksonville Jaguars during the second half at Nissan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Steve Roberts-USA TODAY Sports | USA TODAY Sports via Reuters Connect

That’s exactly what he would become from that point on. It’s almost like that run finally lit the lightbulb in him that made him realize that his key to success was just being the baddest dude on the football field.

Henry’s natural gift has always been his rare blend of size and speed, and he was finally using it to his advantage. Till this day, absolutely nobody wants to tackle Henry when he’s imposing his will, and that was the night it finally clicked. King Henry finished the game with an absurd 238 rushing yards and four rushing touchdowns on just 17 carries (14.0 YPC).

Distant memories of past dominance

To say that was a sign of things to come would be putting it lightly. From that performance in Week 14 (2018) through his final carry at the end of 2023, Henry totaled 8,342 rushing yards, 1,139 receiving yards, 78 rushing touchdowns, and 85 total touchdowns (81 games — playoffs included). 

Let me say that again… 8,342 rushing yards and 85 total touchdowns in 81 games. Numbers that don’t even sound real but somehow are.

In total, Henry racked up a whopping 9,502 rushing yards, 90 rushing touchdowns, 1,458 receiving yards, three receiving touchdowns, and four passing touchdowns over his iconic eight years in Nashville. I could go on and on about the legendary performances No. 22 once regularly produced in Tennessee, the countless stiff arms, the iconic playoff run in 2019 in which he put the team on his back en route to the AFC Championship, the 2K Yard Season, etc.

Oct 1, 2023; Nashville, Tennessee, USA; Tennessee Titans running back Derrick Henry (22) celebrates after throwing a touchdown pass against the Cincinnati Bengals at Nissan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Christopher Hanewinckel-USA TODAY Sports | USA TODAY Sports via Reuters Connect

Unfortunately, those are just distant memories these days. It’s now been three seasons since Henry last carried the ball for the Titans, and this Sunday, they’ll get to experience what 31 opposing teams did for so many years.

Those same things every Titans fan loved about him will undoubtedly feel like a punch to the gut when they’re on the other end of it in Week 4. There’s no way to downplay it, Sunday will likely be a painful experience for every Titans fan because they know more than anyone what Derrick Henry is capable of when he’s truly motivated. 

If there’s one thing we know about the arguably greatest Tennessee Titan ever, he’s going to do everything possible to ensure he controls the game. Robert Saleh's defense will need their best performance of the season so far to try and contain Henry. It feels like it's been forever since we saw #22, and also no time at all.