Derrick Henry presents big challenge for Steelers' inconsistent run defense

With just one week of game tape available, the Pittsburgh Steelers have little information to dissect on Tennessee Titans rookie quarterback Will Levis.

After throwing four touchdown passes in his debut, Levis will make his second career start — each coming in a five-day window — when the Steelers host the Titans on Thursday night.

The Steelers, though, are more familiar with the player who will line up behind Levis in the Tennessee backfield.

Although the Steelers have faced Derrick Henry just twice in the 29-year-old running back’s career, they are well aware of the havoc he can wreak on opposing defenses.

Henry, after all, is the NFL’s active career rushing yardage leader with 8,861 compiled over seven-plus seasons. He also is the active leader in rushing touchdowns with 81.

Which means it matters little to the Steelers that Levis is expected to sub for injured veteran quarterback Ryan Tannehill. Henry is the true focal point of the Titans offense.

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“Their play-action passing game, their misdirection passing game, all those things feed off his talents,” coach Mike Tomlin said. “They just do a really good job of playing off of his exploits.”

The Steelers, though, nearly missed the chance to tangle with Henry. He reportedly was on the trading block, with the Baltimore Ravens being the most-connected suitor. Tennessee decided not to pull the trigger by the Tuesday deadline.

Henry likely is happy to stay put if only because he gets a chance to face the Steelers’ No. 27-ranked run defense. Opponents are averaging 137.1 rushing yards against the Steelers, who could get defensive tackle Cameron Heyward back from injured reserve in time for the game.

“Smashing the run is always something we have to do,” outside linebacker T.J. Watt said. “It doesn’t matter who we are playing each and every week. Offenses are always trying to establish the run and, obviously, it’s no different this week with a really capable offense and 22 back there running the ball really well.”

Near the midpoint of his eighth season in Tennessee, Henry ranks fifth in the NFL with 526 rushing yards. The four players ahead of him have played eight games compared to his seven for the 3-4 Titans. He is coming off a 101-yard rushing performance Sunday in a victory against Atlanta.

Henry’s size separates him from most NFL running backs. At 6-foot-3, 247 pounds, he is the league’s premier big back. By comparison, he is 2 inches taller and 5 pounds heavier than Najee Harris, who also is viewed as a power runner but without Henry’s resume.

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“Just gang-tackle him,” safety Damontae Kazee said when asked about the best way to stop Henry. “It’s not just one person. It’s everybody tackling him. When we get into that position where it’s one-on-one, just try to bring him down. It might look ugly, but you’ve still got to bring him down.”

Henry also is deceptively fast and uses a wicked stiff-arm to fend off tacklers.

“Everybody talks about the stiff-arm, but that’s kind of the mainstream stuff,” Watt said. “The other stuff is his speed and agility and being able to kind of be patient and then hit the hole. He’s an elite back for sure.”

Asked where Henry ranks among the most difficult running backs to bring down, Watt responded: “He’s up there. It’s tough. It seems like every back in the league is tough to get down, but you’ve got a guy who has long arms and can stiff-arm you. He’s a very tall guy, as well. You have to tackle the center mass or clip him at the ankles, but that’s tough because he can high-step out of it.”

For all his success on the field, which includes 2,027- and 1,540-yard seasons, Henry never has beaten the Steelers. He had only seven attempts for 32 yards in a 2017 prime-time matchup when the Steelers rendered him ineffective by rolling to a 40-17 win. In 2020, he rushed for 75 yards but memorably was stood up at the goal line by a Rob Spillane tackle. The Steelers held on for a 27-24 victory.

When the teams last met in 2021, Henry was out with a broken right foot that kept him from three-peating as the league’s rushing leader. Still, the Steelers aren’t taking this matchup for granted.

“He’s one of the best backs in the league. It starts there,” outside linebacker Alex Highsmith said. “First and foremost, we have to stop him.”