Bears know they must slow down Titans RB Derrick Henry

Tashaun Gipson has gone up against some of the best running backs in the world during his nine-year NFL career.

But his stiffest challenge might come Sunday when the Bears attempt to slow down the freight train that is Tennessee's Derrick Henry.

"I haven't been able to play (against) the guys that look like they're playing (defensive) end or something like that," said Gipson, a 6-foot-1, 212-pound safety in his first season with the Bears. "I don't think he (does) nothing but upper body. I've seen that dude in person. He's huge, man."

And fast. And shifty. And explosive.

It's a combination that helped Henry win the 2015 Heisman Trophy after a 2,219-yard, 28-TD season with Alabama.

With the Titans, Henry split time with DeMarco Murray during his first two seasons then had a mediocre 2018 in which he ran for 1,059 yards as the feature back.

After another ho-hum start in 2019, Henry unleashed his full fury on the NFL by running for 896 yards in the Titans' final six games, five of which were victories. He ended up leading the league in rushing yards (1,540) and rushing touchdowns (16).

This season, Henry (775 yards) is on pace for 1,771 yards.

"Honestly, I think he's the best running back in football right now," Gipson said. "The biggest thing is you've just to get hats (helmets) to the ball. Two is greater than one. That's what we pride ourselves on defense."

Unlike the Saints' Alvin Kamara - who shredded the Bears last week - Henry isn't a huge threat in the passing game. That means LBs Danny Trevathan and Roquan Smith can concentrate on filling any holes opened up by the Titans' veteran offensive line.

The key is not to cheat. If the Bears' gap integrity isn't sound, it can be 6 points in a hurry.

"He's gonna split the defense, make a guy miss in the open field and then he can take it to the house," said Chuck Pagano, the Bears' defensive coordinator. "I mean we've all seen those plays."

Indeed. And the list keeps growing.

In the last four years, Henry's longest 10 plays from scrimmage have gone 53, 53, 54, 66, 68, 72, 74, 75, 75, 94 and 99 yards. On many of them Henry is throwing stiff-arms that would make Walter Payton proud.

And on others he's just leaving a vapor trail.

"The scary thing about it is he's probably one of the fastest guys on the field," Gipson said. "That's what makes it more challenging; that's what makes it more dangerous because the guy can flat-out fly on top of having a 245, 250-pound frame.

"He's a challenge, man. I haven't seen nothing like him."

If that's not enough, the Bears can't sleep on Tennessee's passing game, which is spearheaded by Ryan Tannehill. The veteran QB has thrown 17 TD passes and just 3 interceptions.

Still, the offense most definitely runs through Henry.

Since the start of 2019, the Titans are 11-1 when their monster RB finishes with 100 or more yards from scrimmage, but they are just 3-7 when he's held below 100.

"Can you totally shut the guy down? I don't know," Pagano said. "We're gonna try to do that. ...

"We don't want to give up one blade. We're gonna defend every blade of grass - no matter who we play. And we're gonna do our best to contain him and control him and shut him down.

"There's numbers out there that say: 'If you hold him to this the win percentage goes way up.'

"And that's what we're gonna try to do. It's gonna be all hands on deck."

By the numbers

Derrick Henry's game-by-game results

Opp. Att.-Yds. Avg. Lg

Denver 31-116 3.7 13

Jacksonville 25-84 3.4 14

Minnesota 26-119 4.6 16

Buffalo 19-57 3.0 12

Houston 22-212 9.6 94

Pittsburgh 20-75 3.8 17

Cincinnati 18-112 6.2 21

Totals 161-775 4.8 94