Derrick Henry had an incredible rookie season in which he led the NFL with 1,059 rushing yards on a league-high 12.2 yards per carry and scored 13 touchdowns. His historic success was a source of hope for Tennessee Titans fans, who were looking to one day celebrate their first Super Bowl Championship since 1999. But his latest performance has done nothing but crush dreams and confirm that 370 is cursed.,
Derrick Henry’s season-altering setback confirms the curse of 370 has claimed another victim. The Alabama running back suffered a torn ACL in his left knee that will end his season. Read more in detail here: derrick henry wife.
In a league dominated by quick wide receivers, agile tight ends, and dual-threat quarterbacks, it’s difficult to overlook Tennessee Titans running back Derrick Henry’s sheer physical domination. The 2016 Heisman Trophy winner, who stands 6-foot-3 and 247 pounds, has acquired a reputation as possibly the finest player at his position by plowing through and racing right past would-be tacklers.
However, following a hot start to the 2021 season, the NFL’s top rusher suffered a season-ending setback in a Week 8 triumph against the Indianapolis Colts, confirming that the terrible “Curse of 370” had claimed yet another victim.
Derrick Henry’s MVP-caliber season came to an end against the Indianapolis Colts.
The Colts kept Derrick Henry in check in Week 8. | Michael Allio/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Derrick Henry began the 2021 season with an opportunity to enhance his case for a berth in Canton after leading the league in rushing for two years in a row. Despite finding limited opportunity to run in Week 1, the two-time Pro Bowler solidly established himself in the MVP debate throughout the Titans’ following five games. Between Weeks 2 and 6, Henry used his unusual mix of strength and quickness to rush for 725 yards and 10 touchdowns on 145 touches.
The 27-year-old running back couldn’t get anything going against the Colts after a grind-it-out performance against the Kansas City Chiefs.
Henry, on the other hand, may not have the chance to post his sixth 100-yard game of the season. In fact, Tennessee’s most valuable player may not play until 2022.
Henry, according to ESPN, suffered a right foot injury during his team’s most recent victory. On Tuesday morning, he will have surgery. Mike Vrabel, the Titans’ head coach, did not provide a timetable for their bell-cow running back’s return.
Henry, though, is likely to miss the rest of the season, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter. The Titans added future Pro Football Hall of Famer Adrian Peterson to their practice squad on Monday, placing the NFL’s top rusher on injured reserve.
With Henry out indefinitely, the Titans will have a difficult time replacing the output he gave. At the same time, it’s reasonable to speculate that his unprecedented workload contributed to his season-ending setback.
However, Henry’s injury proves that the 370 Curse is still active.
Another victim has been taken by the 370 Curse.
I previously discussed the #CurseOf370 and what occurs when NFL running backs get 400 touches before the season begins. Despite the fact that this was a fluke accident, it’s not surprising that he didn’t finish the season. You can’t just run your franchise running back into the ground. https://t.co/I2neE4htPR
November 1, 2021 — raheem palmer (@djrtodaizza)
You don’t believe in curses, do you?
You could change your mind once you realize the importance of a single number: 370.
As it turns out, that number marks a perilous limit for running backs. While every club would love to have someone who can virtually single-handedly carry the offense, history suggests that players who carry more than 370 times in a season see a considerable drop in succeeding seasons.
When describing former Miami Dolphins player Ricky Williams, Football Outsiders’ Aaron Schatz invented the phrase almost two decades ago. Williams had more carries (392) and about 500 fewer running yards than he did in 2002, when he led the NFL in carries (383) and rushing yards (1,853). (1,372).
During the remainder of his career, he only ran for 1,000 yards once.
Of course, Williams isn’t the only player who supports the 370-carry hypothesis. Other instances may be found if you turn the clock back to the 1990s.
Terrell Davis paved the way to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in his first four years with the Denver Broncos, rushing for 6,413 yards and 54 touchdowns. However, despite leading the league with 2,008 running yards and 21 touchdowns on 392 runs during the 1998 season, he only played 20 more games before retiring due to knee issues.
Jamal Anderson, the longstanding Atlanta Falcons standout, had a league-high 410 carries for 1,846 yards and 14 touchdowns in 1998, which ironically was also the zenith of his career. He only played in two games the following season, and despite having a 1,000-yard season in 2000, he retired after the 2001 season.
Consider what would have happened if Terrell Davis and Jamal Anderson hadn’t injured their knees in the first place. They have a chance to go down in history as the top two running backs.
March 9, 2010 — Scott Carasik (@CarasikS)
Do you need further proof of the famed curse?
Jamal Lewis had an All-Pro season in 2003, running for an NFL-high 2,066 yards on a career-high 387 carries. He dropped to 4.3 yards per rush in 2004 after averaging 5.3 yards per carry the previous year. In four of his last five years in the NFL, he averaged fewer than four yards per rush.
Let’s not forget about Shaun Alexander, the former Seattle Seahawk. In 2005, he was named MVP after leading the league in carries (370), running yards (1,880), and rushing touchdowns (four) (27). His yards-per-carry average dropped from 5.1 to 3.6 after that, and he only lasted two more seasons in the NFL.
For Titans supporters, it’s hoped that Henry will bounce back and show everyone why he’s been dubbed MVP in previous years. However, the fact that he had 378 carries in 2020 (more than any other back in the NFL) and was injured halfway through the 2021 season gives validity to the curse theory. It’s also worth noting that Henry’s yards-per-carry average has dropped from 5.4 in 2020 to 4.3 through Tennessee’s first eight games.
Henry’s injury lowers the ceiling for a Titans club that should still win the AFC South for the second consecutive season.
With their offensive leader presumably sidelined for the rest of the season, the Titans seem doomed to miss out on a Super Bowl triumph. They just don’t have the firepower to stay up with the best clubs in the AFC without a healthy Henry in the lineup. After all, the Adrian Peterson of 2021 isn’t quite as explosive as the Adrian Peterson of his peak.
As a result of Henry’s injury, Ryan Tannehill and the passing game will have to step up. Fortunately for Tennessee, now that he’s healthy, A.J. Brown seems to be on track for a strong second half of the season. Brown and Julio Jones, on the other hand, may struggle to get open now that defenders don’t have to worry about slowing down the Titans’ top running back.
The hard fact is that no one can replace the value that Derrick Henry brought to the table. So, unless AP can reclaim his old form at the age of 37, don’t expect the Titans to make the playoffs.
Pro Football Reference provided all statistics.
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Derrick Henry’s season-altering setback confirms the curse of 370 has claimed another victim, as the Tennessee Titans running back is now just 30 years old. Reference: derrick henry age.
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