As the Titans desperately searched for a spark against the Ravens at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, the destructive Derrick Henry provided it with 63 exhilarating yards. It was a brief moment of relief that underlined an alarming and uncomfortable truth for Tennessee and their immediate future.
Down 18-3 at the start of the third quarter, Mike Vrabel’s side were forced to feed their hulking running back a direct snap. A feverish London crowd, delivering a spine-tingling atmosphere 16 years after the NFL’s International Series arrived in the capital, pleaded with the Titans to wake up.
Quarterback Ryan Tannehill was floundering and the offense stuttered to just 89 first-half yards and only 16 yards on the ground.
So the wildcat formation, rarely a sustainable strategy in the NFL, offered some hope. And given the miserable situation surrounding the Titans’ offense, it might reappear in the weeks ahead given Henry’s prowess and the limited options behind Tannehill, who hobbled away from London with an ankle injury.
There is little optimism surrounding Malik Willis, beyond his prowess with his legs, having completed just 50.8 percent of his NFL passes entering today and without a touchdown, alongside three interceptions. While Will Levis, who alarmingly tumbled to the second round in this year’s draft, appears to be a project that requires patience.
So Titans fans must savour Henry ahead of what promises to be a lengthy rebuild. On that third-quarter play, ‘King Henry’ darted to his right, offered a fake handoff to fellow running back Tyjae Spears and quickly snapped the ball back. The 29-year-old grasped the ball close to his chest, pierced the Baltimore defense and rumbled upfield for a staggering 63-yard gain.
Tennessee Titans running back Derrick Henry (22) runs the ball for a touchdown— (AP)
That moment, while breathtaking and joyous for those in attendance, brings a tinge of sadness, knowing it could be one of the last of its kind from a legendary player bringing a punishing 1,836 career carries into today’s game.
Henry, unwilling to spurn the opportunity to hand his side hope, stormed into the end zone from 15 yards out after casting a hand toward the timid Marcus Williams. It cut the Ravens’ lead to eight, yet the reality of their situation, up against a dynamic and varied Lamar Jackson-led offense, proved too much.
This was a game Baltimore ought to have made a statement in, discarding a poor side in a state of flux, yet the Ravens’ production in the red zone ensured the Titans were always within sight.
Kicker Justin Tucker can always keep the scoreboard moving, yet John Harbaugh will hope for a slicker operation in the coming weeks if Baltimore are to threaten a run to the Super Bowl.
Vrabel teams rarely lie down, and the animosity between the teams, built on the Titans’ impudent move to dance on the Ravens’ pitch logo a few seasons ago, made for a scrappy affair.
Lamar Jackson #8 of the Baltimore Ravens looks to pass— (Getty Images)
But Jackson, incredulously passed up by the rest of the NFL in a trade after contract negotiations reached a stalemate in the off-season, oozed class in a composed orchestration of this run-heavy offense.
It was just seven seconds before the second quarter when his first incomplete pass arrived, Jackson’s eighth attempt after posting 98 yards. His fast start included exhilarating chunk plays from Odell Beckham Jr (32 yards) and Nelson Agholor (19 yards) after a trademark scramble and looping pass.
The game naturally evolved into a battle to limit Jackson’s time to throw: When afforded more than 2.5 seconds, his passer rating rocketed to 120.6, yet less than 2.5 seconds and that number plummeted to 51.9, according to Next Gen Stats.
And the stark contrast between the teams could be seen in the sole Baltimore touchdown. As Jackson found exciting young receiver Zay Flowers for a 10-yard score, the difference was not so much in the pass or the former Boston College star’s route but the quarterback’s behaviour. After a brief chest bump with his teammate, Jackson turned violently and sprinted back to position himself for a try at a two-point conversion. He would make it, again to Flowers, as their relationship blossoms further, only for Beckham Jr’s pass interference to erase the score. That attention to detail and concentration, with the job unfinished, should embolden Baltimore’s fans.
Jackson’s leadership and mentality were bizarrely questioned as his future was furiously debated this year, yet there is an intensity behind No. 8. Later, a failed series saw him utilise the precious time between possessions, dumping his helmet on a table near the bench before crouching for some intimate instructions with Agholor.
Henry must look on in envy at the potential behind this Baltimore’s offense and the variety alongside a quarterback such as Jackson. The trade deadline looms and Henry, in this 24-16 defeat, might have shown Tennessee why a painful next step is required to turn this team around.
