NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Derrick Henry is expected to be the Tennessee Titans' starting running back in Saturday's divisional-round game against the New England Patriots, coach Mike Mularkey confirmed.
Mularkey isn't ready to rule veteran running back DeMarco Murray out of the game, but even if Murray finds a way to play, it would be in a limited role. Murray hasn't played or practiced since he suffered what Mularkey called a "pretty good" knee injury at the end of the Titans' Dec. 24 loss to the Los Angeles Rams.
"For him to miss anything, something's got to be hurt," Mularkey said of Murray. "I'm definitely not going to rule him out. He's day-to-day."
ESPN's Adam Schefter reported two weeks ago that Murray suffered a grade-three MCL tear. Murray was walking on the treadmill during practices over the past week.
It will be Henry's show for the third consecutive week, and he will play a big part in whether the Titans can give the Patriots a strong challenge Saturday. Henry set a franchise record on Saturday at Kansas City by gaining 191 yards from scrimmage.
Henry promised to be motivated after what he called a "soft" Week 17 performance against the Jaguars. There was nothing soft about how Henry played Saturday, rushing for 156 yards and a touchdown on 23 carries.
"That was his big coming out party," left tackle Taylor Lewan said. "If he runs like that, we're going to be all right."
The Titans hope to use Henry quite a bit Saturday to exploit some holes in the Patriots' run defense.
