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Cardinals Prepared For Stiff Arm Of Derrick Henry

Titans running back provides formidable test

Derrick Henry is coming, and the Cardinals know it.

And yes, they are aware of the stiff-arms the Titans' running back has delivered, invariably leading to highlights played on repeat for days.

But that's part of the game. Linebacker Isaiah Simmons knows the only way to address the King Henry factor is straight ahead.

"I'm not playing scared, or to not get stiff-armed," Simmons said. "I'm going out there to play ball. At the end of the day he puts his cleats on just like me. Yeah, he does have that great ability, but I'm not going into the game worried about it, trying not to make a highlight."

It's the secondary that often ends up on the wrong end of Henry. The Titans, All-Pro safety Budda Baker noted, do a good job of taking up all the other tacklers on the field to force a safety or a cornerback to try and bring down the 6-foot-3, 238-pound Henry.

"Nine times out of 10 they know, especially in the NFL, corners, they don't really like to tackle," Baker said. "They like to cover."

Simmons, Zaven Collins, Jordan Hicks and the rest of the front seven are thinking less about being straight-armed and more about making sure it doesn't get to that point.

"(We need to) keep him off of our secondary, of course," Simmons said. "We see the monstrous stiff arm he has, so try to keep him off our smaller guys as much as possible."

That sentiment brought a smile to Baker's face.

"I love Isaiah to say that," Baker said. "But it's also the DBs' job."

Arizona Cardinals outside linebacker Chandler Jones (55) makes a tackle against Tennessee Titans running back Derrick Henry (22) during the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Dec.10, 2017, in Glendale, Ariz. (AP Photo/Rick Scuteri)
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