The Tennessee Titans' offense has sputtered without superstar running back Derrick Henry, who's been sidelined since early November with a broken foot. They've averaged 18.3 points and won only half of the six games he's missed, and their first-place lead in the AFC South has been reduced to one game.
But recent reports indicate the Titans, yet to clinch a playoff spot, are hopeful that Henry could return to action before the regular season comes to an end. And team radio analyst Blaine Bishop has no doubts that the reigning rushing champion will be ready to regain control of his backfield in January.
"I'm sure Derrick Henry wants to be back out there. They're probably holding him back, like most athletes. I think he'll be back," Bishop told The DA Show on Wednesday. "I don't even think it's a doubt. He's a freak-of-nature-type of athlete, as everybody knows, being as big and fast as he is. The risk-reward, you have to think about that, as an organization.
"The worst that can happen is, he rebreaks his fifth metatarsal bone in his foot -- which is your pinky toe -- then he has to redo the surgery, slow him down in the offseason. But I think the risk is definitely worth it, and they need him, at this point in time... They do a great job of running the ball, but they're missing the dimension of the home run hit, because of [Henry's] speed."
Henry was on a mission to become the first player in league history to rush for 2,000 yards in back-to-back seasons. Before underdoing surgery to repair his foot, he led the NFL with 219 carries, 937 yards, and 10 rushing touchdowns. In the Titans' Week 6 win over the Buffalo Bills, Henry became the first player to rush for 10 scores within his team's first six games since 2005, and the first player with a 70-yard rushing score in five consecutive seasons.
Tennessee (9-5), which now owns the AFC's fourth playoff seed, will host the San Francisco 49ers (8-6) in a marquee Week 16 matchup on Thursday night. According to FiveThirtyEight, the Titans currently have a 94-percent chance to reach the playoffs and an 84-percent chance to win the division.
The entire Titans conversation between Bishop and DA can be accessed in the audio player above.
You can follow The DA Show on Twitter @DAonCBS and @CBSSportsRadio, and Tom Hanslin @TomHanslin.