It’s been raining steadily at MetLife Stadium on Sunday afternoon and that hasn’t made for much fun in the passing game.
It has meant plenty of work for Titans running back Derrick Henry and that continues to be a plus for Tennessee. Henry has 21 carries for 127 yards and scored the only touchdown of a game the Titans lead 7-0.
Mariota hasn’t done much through the air, but he did throw a block that staggered Giants linebacker Alec Ogletree and sprung Henry for a 21-yard gain. As long as Henry remains effective, there’s not much reason for the Titans to veer from their current approach.
Saquon Barkley hasn’t been able to match Henry’s success. The Giants rookie had a 17-yard gain on the ground, but his other six carries have netted two yards and he hasn’t broken free as a receiver thus far on Sunday. That’s been part of a quiet day overall for the Giants offense as Eli Manning is 8-of-19 for 98 yards against a Titans defense that’s been without safety Kenny Vaccaro since he went for a concussion evaluation.
It’s still a one-score game, though, and Barkley has shown that he can break loose for a big play at any point. So has Henry and the next one to do so might swing the advantage to his team.