Opinion: Is the Titans' Derrick Henry the perfect NFL Playoff antidote to Lamar Jackson?
A quick rundown on items of interest heading into the Divisional Playoffs:
Who’s hot: Derrick Henry. A week after he seized the NFL rushing crown with a monstrous, 211-yard, Week 17 challenge at Houston, the Titans star slayed Bill Belichick’s defense with a 182-yard game in the wild-card Round that ensured there won’t be a repeat Super Bowl champ. That’s 393 yards and 6 yards per carry in the past two outings for the NFL’s most punishing package of speed and power. What a great setup for the AFC divisional playoff contest at Baltimore on Saturday night when the top-seeded Ravens – the first team in NFL100 history to average more than 200 rushing yards per game (no, silly, the Frankford Yellow Jackets never did that) – unleash their three-headed monster of a ground game for postseason duty. No reason to think these teams will suddenly get out of character with so much at stake. It’s that time of year, when the pass-happy NFL suddenly places a premium on the ability to run the football.
Yet Henry’s roll also represents a legitimate, tempo-controlling threat to the Lamar Jackson-fueled momentum that Baltimore has been building with a 12-game winning streak. What gives? History serves up a surprise: In the three previous postseason games during the Super Bowl era when the NFL rushing champ was matched on the other side of the team with the NFL’s No. 1-ranked running game, the rushing champ won. Tip your cap here to Earl Campbell, Emmitt Smith and Ezekiel Elliott. Now Henry can try joining that club. And you can believe his supporting cast is properly motivated. To mark the occasion of the playoff-opening smashup of the Patriots, Henry surprised his offensive linemen with Rolex watches. Now that’s hot.
Pressure’s on: Kyle Shanahan. The last time the 49ers coach worked a postseason game was a disaster. It was Super Bowl LI, when Shanahan was the offensive coordinator with questionable game-management play-calling for a Falcons squad that squandered a 28-3 lead before falling in overtime to the Patriots. Now Shanahan’s top-seeded team needs not to squander the opportunity to secure a win against the sixth-seeded Vikings that would allow San Francisco to host the NFC Championship Game next weekend.
Key matchup: Laremy Tunsil vs. Frank Clark. This battle between studs in the trenches is even more intriguing when considering Deshaun Watson was sacked seven times (and luckily not an eighth), endured 12 QBs hits … and survived to win against the Bills. That lack of protection won’t cut it on Sunday, with Tunsil, freshly minted for his first Pro Bowl nod, charged to protect Watson’s blindside against the intensity that Clark (8 sacks) typically supplies the Chiefs with his edge rush. When the Texans won at Arrowhead in Week 6, Watson wasn’t sacked at all. Tunsil had a lot to do with that, and since being obtained from Miami in a trade, he’s undoubtedly keyed the improvement of an offensive line that allowed the most sacks in the NFL in 2018. But the upgrade has been inconsistent as last weekend illustrated. Now there’s a statement to be made both ways with this matchup considering Clark was obtained from Seattle last offseason to beef up the pass rush that failed Kansas City when it blew its No. 1 seed last year.
Rookie watch: DK Metcalf: The Seahawks wide receiver with the bodybuilder’s physique seems to be getting better by the week. Metcalf – dinged during the NFL draft process for lacking polish -- was plagued a bit early in the season by apparent growing pains (drops, mistimed routes, 3 lost fumbles). But, hey, it’s a new season. The second-round pick hardly looked like a rookie in opening the playoffs with the best game of his young NFL career, pasting the Eagles for 7 catches and 160 yards, with a 53-yard TD.
Contingency plans: Mark Ingram insisted he would be ready for the playoffs as he nursed a calf injury suffered in Week 16, but officially the explosive running back is listed as questionable for Saturday night’s clash with the Titans. Assuming he’ll play, the true test will come with the full-speed acceleration that comes on game day rather than in practice. And if he plays, it’s fair to wonder how close to 100% he’ll be. At least the Ravens have viable options. Second-year pro Gus Edwards averaged 5.3 yards a carry during the regular season, after being the featured back as a rookie last season. He’s nobody’s slouch. And rookie change-up Justice Hill has flashed, too.
Stat’s the fact: Including two games during wild-card Weekend, four of the NFL’s last seven postseason games have gone to overtime. It’s no wonder some people, like fellow Paste BN columnist Nancy Armour, are calling for more – as in tweaking the rules to ensure each team gets at least one OT possession.
How ya like me now? Tyrann Mathieu faces the Texans. Jimmy Graham lines up against the Seahawks. And Dean Pees returns to Baltimore, challenged to try containing Lamar Jackson. There’s always some sort of reunion someplace in the NFL. This weekend is no exception. Pees’ case as the Titans defensive coordinator is most intriguing. When he left the Ravens following the 2017 season after 5 years as coordinator (8 years, overall), he “retired.” Or so they say. Less than a month later, he joined Mike Vrabel’s staff.
Stomach for an upset: Seahawks at Packers. The Packers are 7-1 at Lambeau Field this season but have the tightest point-spread of the weekend (-4), given the pesky opponent. Russell Wilson returns to Wisconsin. Remember the pattern during the Legion of Boom era? The Seahawks were virtually unbeatable at home. They’ve flipped that formula (albeit with a retro twist of Beast Mode) this season, carrying an NFL-best 8-1 road record to Green Bay. Another factor: Wilson has been so clutch in crunch time, with Seattle (12-5) winning nine games by 7 points or less.
Did you notice? Andrew Sendejo did a whale of a job in a pinch for the Vikings last weekend, as Mike Zimmer used the veteran safety at nickel back. Sendejo had never played the slot during his 9 years in the league, but extreme measures were needed. Nickel back Mackensie Alexander has yet to return minor knee surgery and cornerback Mike Hughes went on IR due to a neck injury. The emergency move worked at New Orleans as the much-maligned secondary contained a hot Drew Brees & Co. with the backup safety playing 61% of the defensive snaps (34 of 56) – all in the slot. Encore needed.