Sep 24, 2017; Foxborough, MA, USA; Houston Texans nose tackle D.J. Reader (98) and teammates react on the bench in the last seconds of play against the New England Patriots in the second half at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-Imagn Images David Butler II-Imagn Images

Houston Texans' Toughest Opponent Identified by Pro Football Focus

Originally posted on Houston Texans on SI
By Chris Wilson | Last updated Jun 5, 2025 1:25 PM ET

Pro Football Focus recently analyzed which opposing player consistently torments each NFL team, and their choice for the Houston Texans came as no surprise: running back Derrick Henry.

No NFL team looks forward to facing a running back who pushes 22 mph at nearly 250 pounds, and the Texans are no exception. In their seven matchups over the past five seasons, Henry has totaled over a thousand yards while averaging more than a touchdown per game.

Although a landing spot in the NFC would have been preferred over the Texans' AFC rival, the Baltimore Ravens, few tears were shed in Houston when Henry left the Tennessee Titans—and the AFC South—after the 2023 season.

Still, even though Houston is no longer forced to face the power back twice per year, once—particularly when it occurs in the playoffs or late in the season—is more than enough.

The Texans were mostly successful in their efforts to bottle up Henry during his first three NFL seasons. But when the Alabama product broke out over the latter half of Year 4, Houston—along with every other team the Titans faced—clearly felt the effects.

Henry's final game in 2019 kicked off a 5-game streak of 200-yard rushing performances against his AFC South rival. During this stretch, the running back also reached Houston's end zone nine times on the ground.

Notably, the Texans kept Henry under wraps during his final season in Tennessee, holding him to totals of 42 rushing yards, and an astounding nine yards on 16 carries in the teams' two games.

During Houston's lone matchup against Baltimore last season, Henry rushed for 147 yards and a score. The Texans will face the Ravens in Week 5 of the 2025 NFL regular season.

The good news for Houston is that Derrick Henry, who recently turned 31, is destined for a decrease in production in the upcoming years. And Texans fans hope their nemesis reaches that point sooner rather than later.