4 keys to success for the Buffalo Bills in Week 2 against the Titans

Make contact with Derrick Henry before he can get a full head of steam

If you want to tackle two-time rushing champion Derrick Henry you have to do it in the backfield or at the line of scrimmage. Once Henry starts running full speed, his 247-pound frame is nearly impossible to tackle. The Buffalo Bills found this out firsthand last year when Henry ripped off a 76-yard touchdown against them in the first quarter. You can defend Henry well for 99% of the game, but he always has that chance to rip off a long one if he can get up to full speed.

A week ago, Tremaine Edmunds played one of his best games against the run, looking decisive and flying downhill. With the new additions on the interior defensive line, the Rams’ offensive linemen couldn’t get to the second level, and Edmunds stayed clean and made plays.

Possibly the most challenging thing about facing the Titans is sending guys to hit Henry in the backfield while also being in a position to defend the frequent play-action passes. In 2020 the last season, Henry was fully healthy; over 40% of the Titans’ passing yards came off of play action.

However, with this iteration of the Titans’ passing attack, I think the most important thing is stopping Henry. The Bills should send their front after the star running back and trust that the secondary, which looked very good a week ago, can stop Robert Woods, Treylon Burks, and Nick Westbrook-Ikhine.