Tennessee Titans running back Derek Henry may be able to catch the final train in the playoffs. The Titans recently announced that Henry would be activated from the injury list, opening a 21-day recovery window. He has returned to the team to start rehabilitation.
Henry underwent foot surgery in November. He was injured in an eighth-week victory over rival Indianapolis Colts in the same zone. Head coach Flabell said in an interview that Henry had an "absolute" chance to return this season. From the current timeline, Henry is expected to return when the Titans play a second round of playoffs.
In the case of Henry's injury, the general recovery time is 6 to 8 weeks. Nine weeks have passed since Henry underwent surgery, so his comeback plans are on the agenda. However, having suffered such a serious injury, it remains to be seen whether Henry can stop and change sharply as he did in the game as freely as before.
According to the doctors, injuries like Henry's are likely to "fracture again" if they are not fully recovered, so the longer they recuperate, the better the recovery. The team's assessment is that Henry will try to recover as much as possible, but he will still need to be evaluated by the team doctor before he can come back.
As it stands, Henry is still unable to make a mark in the final regular season game against the Houston Texans. Even if he returns in the playoffs, this is undoubtedly a shot in the arm for the Titans. Before Henry was injured, his dashing yards were far ahead in the league. Even after half a season without playing, his running yards (937) and 10 touchdowns are still sixth in the league.
Henry led the league in two single-season road propulsion yards after being drafted by the Titans in 2016. In 2020, he ran more than 2,000 yards in a single season and was named the league's Offensive Player of the Year.
What a player like Henry means to the Titans is self-evident. The Titans' offensive system is structured around him, and if he can partially regain his previous state, the Titans' offense will be taken to a higher level.
Even in Henry's absence, the Titans' road attack was still quite successful. In the last five games, titans' bench runback Donta Foreman has advanced more than 100 yards in three of their games. But when Henry returns, he will be a nightmare for the opponent's defensive front.
During Henry's absence, the Titans' passing offensive efficiency also declined. It may not be realistic for Henry to run 25 times in a single game in the playoffs, but when he comes back to share the pressure on Foreman and play more efficiently in a shorter period of time, the Titans' prospects in the American League playoffs will be more optimistic.
The Titans beat the Miami Dolphins in a winning streak in week 17 to move up to number one in the American League. If the Titans beat the Texans in week 18, they have a chance to win the League top spot and get a first-round bye in the playoffs.