Now NFL rushing leader, Derrick Henry his own worst critic

one is a harsher critic of Titans running back Derrick Henry than himself. “I just want to do my job very well,” Henry said Wednesday. “If I don’t, I’m hard on myself. I just keep working until I get it right.”

NFL rushing leer and first-time Pro Bowl running back will get a chance Saturday night to improve on his last performance against Patriots in playoffs. Henry ran 12 times for 28 yards — a 2.3-yard aver per carry — with thing over 4 yards. He did catch three passes for 21 yards, but  Titans lost 34-14 in divisional round on Jan. 13, 2018.

He ran better last time Tennessee played New England, averaging 5.3 yards on just 11 carries, as  Titans routed Patriots 34-10 on v. 11, 2018, in Nashville.

Since n, 2015 Heisman Trophy winner has been punishing defenders, piling up yards in his best year yet. Henry capped his fourth season with 1,540 yards rushing and tied for league le with 16 rushing touchdowns, which he calls a “team accomplishment.”

Coach Mike Vrabel told his Titans before y clinched AFC’s second wild card that being able to run is how teams win in postseason. Tennessee (9-7) ranks third in averaging 138.9 yards a game.

“You control ball, control tempo,” Vrabel said. “I would say that re’s probably less turvers on running plays than re are on passing plays, and turvers at this point in year are critical. last game Patriots lost was Jan. 20, 2013 in playoffs at home, and y h three turvers and Ravens h zero. So, that’s a telling stat.”

How well Tennessee runs Saturday night against Patriots will hinge on Henry, who averd 20.2 carries in 15 games played this season. He is averaging 5.1 yards per carry, and also has h three touchdowns on runs of 53 yards or longer this season.

And Henry kws that.

“You have to run ball to get to Super Bowl, so I think running ball effectively is a big key to winning games in playoffs,” Henry said.

New England (12-4) finished sixth against run, allowing only 95.5 yards a game. Patriots coach Bill Belichick said it’s impossible to mimic 6-foot-3, 247-pound Henry’s size, speed and physical play in practice, though re’s t many guys like him in NFL. Patriots have seen Henry up close most recently during joint practices in August, which helps.

“He can make you miss in , he can drop his ps and run with power and run over you. He’s a good inside runner, good outside runner, and catches ball well and he’s got speed to go distance. He doesn’t get caught much. He gets a step and n he’s able to finish it off,” Belichick said.

“He’s got a good stiff arm. He breaks a lot of tackles in secondary from guys that just can’t get close eugh to wrap him up —he just pushes m away.”

Henry’s best season yet is perfect timing. running back who lasted until . 45 pick overall in second round before Tennessee selected him out of Alabama is in final year of his rookie contract. Henry me clear during offseason that his contract status was t an issue.

His motivation is simple: “I love playing.”

Henry and Titans h to balance an injury over past month. A sore left hamstring prompted Tennessee to hold him out of a Dec. 22 loss to New Orleans, and he is averaging 149.3 yards rushing over his past six games, including a season-high 211 yards in last week’s win in Houston.

“We like to call that being a professional — trying to make hard look easy,” Vrabel said.

Henry is very good at that, and he’s t on injury report this week.

TES: CB oree’ Jackson practiced fully Wednesday for a second straight day after missing past four games. WR Kalif Raymond (concussion protocol) was limited in his first practice in two weeks. RT Jack Conklin (knee) was ded to injury report and was limited. WR am Humphries (ankle) did t practice.