NASHVILLE — Derrick Henry will forever be a legend in Tennessee Titans (5-9) franchise history. Unfortunately for Henry and Tennessee, that historic run looks to be on pace for an untimely demise. 

Henry finished the Titans 19-16 overtime loss to the Houston Texans (8-6) with nine yards rushing on 16 carries (0.6 yards per carry). It is the lowest rushing total in a game of his career since being named as a starter. 

You cannot quantify Henry's meaning to both the organization and its fans. On a day when Tennessee donned their Houston Oilers throwback uniforms with fabled backs Eddie George and Earl Campbell in attendance, Henry's place among them has never felt more visceral. Every time Henry receives a hand off at this point in his career, he is supposed to be further etching himself into league history.

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Surely, a story so prolific won't come to as dismal an end as this?

"Yeah, definitely today you had that feeling," said Henry when asked if he reflected on Sunday at all about his career in Tennessee being over. "We had a hope of kind of slipping in there. And then being eliminated, knowing its three games left. I've been here my whole career. I definitely want to go out strong, which isn't the case. Just trying to give it my all these last three games and leave it all on the field."

Make no mistake, this is far more than just Henry's issue. The former All-Pro is no longer at the peak of his powers, but to say that he has been betrayed by the Titans inability to put competent offensive line help in front of him would be the understatement of this NFL season. No one is succeeding behind this porous, broken group.

Quarterback Will Levis was sacked seven times and left the game with a leg injury late. This is a line that had already knocked incumbent Ryan Tannehill out of the line-up earlier in the year and has surrendered 50 sacks in 2023 with three games left to play. Tyjae Spears, the Titans leading rusher in Week 15, cobbled together only 30 yards on nine carries for the day. 

Tennessee still has three weeks remaining to determine what it wants to do with Henry when his contract expires at the end of the season. Despite having the second most salary cap space according to spotrac.com this Spring, one cannot help but feel that the talents that Henry has left would be wasted as the team that drafted him tries desperately to put the pieces back together. Coach Mike Vrabel and general manager Ran Carthon will have to decide on an offensive philosophy that allows for a higher level of functionality than the slop their current team put forth today.

"We have to be able to establish a run, whether that's with Derrick (Henry), whether that's Tyjae (Spears), whether that's Jonathan Ward," said Vrabel. "So, we've won a lot of football games with that formula. And we've seen where it's been some inefficient runs, and then we break one and turn things around, and that didn't happen today."

It did not happen today. It has rarely happened at all this season. Henry's greatness has lulled everyone into a false sense of security this year, it seems.

Henry holds the franchise records for most career touchdowns and most career rushing scores. He became the franchise's second player (Earl Campbell) and the 16th NFL player to reach 70 total touchdowns and 7,000 rushing yards within his first seven NFL seasons. With 884 rushing yards through 14 games this season, he will fall well short of reaching or passing George's career rushing total of 10,009 in this campaign. 

Now, whether Henry will have the opportunity to do so in the future has never been more in doubt, 

The Titans have failed the face of their franchise spectacularly at a time when he needed them most. 

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Featured Image: USA TODAY Sports.