JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Jacksonville Jaguars Running back Travis Etienne Jr. He had a two word reaction to the news from Bernie Parmalee that he would start shortly before taking the field against the. Indianapolis Colts.
“Oh s—.”
Etienne was taken aback by the news. James Robinson had started every game, and he wasn’t as loose as he needed to be. That, he believes, is why he didn’t score when he broke a long run on his second carry.
“I feel like I was ready, but if I would have known [he was starting] I probably would’ve got a little more sweat earlier in the pregame,” Etienne said. “I don’t feel like I was quite ready to break that long run. For me, being able to make those turns and touchdowns is what makes me unique.
“Next time I get that opportunity I definitely have to nail it.”
Getting more opportunities isn’t going to be a problem for Etienne. He’s coming off the two best performances of his career, and it’s only a matter of time before he has a breakout game — and scores his first touchdown. Even though he has out-performed Robinson by a significant margin the last two weeks it doesn’t necessarily mean he’s now the Jaguars’ RB1.
“Sometimes it just depends on what the first play is going to be, who the personnel is going to be and stuff like that,” head coach Doug Pederson said. “It’s good to keep those guys thinking and guessing. You never know what you might find. You’ve got to be ready.”
Etienne had 222 yards (157 rushing) on 25 touches in the Jaguars’ losses to the Houston Texans Colts, which is 8.9 yards per touch. Robinson ran 94 yards (81 rushing yards) on 25 touches. However, he averages just 3.8 yards per touch.
Etienne No. 25 was drafted by the Jaguars because of his ability to create big plays. He was drafted 25th overall in 2021 because of his ability create big plays. This is something he demonstrated quite often during his four years at Clemson. From 2017-20, he led the NCAA in 61 runs of at least 20 yards and 61 receptions of more than 30 yards. Etienne, who missed his first season because of a Lisfranc injury in 2017, has had runs of 30 and 48 yards over the past two weeks.
Robinson’s longest run over that span is 14 yards.
“For me, it’s just going out there and being the best player I can be each and every week,” Etienne said. “With the opportunities I get, I have to make the most of them. I feel like I left a little bit out there on the field and it’s on me to be better.”
Robinson is still the Jaguars’ leading rusher (340 yards), but Etienne (301 yards) has closed the gap over the past two weeks and is averaging more than a yard better per carry (5.6 to 4.2), though he has 27 fewer carries.
Pederson's five-year history of running backs with the Philadelphia Eagles Robinson and Etienne had a similar workload (2016-20). A season's worth of 179 backs carrying the ball was not possible (Miles Sanders In 2019, only two backs rushed more than 800 yards in a single season (Sanders, 2019 and 2020).
Whichever back was most effective at the moment or had a better matchup was chosen. Pederson continued that approach with Jaguars.
The Jaguars will host the New York Giants (1 ET, FOX), whose rush defense ranks 28th among the NFL (144.8 yard per game allowed). Robinson and Etienne have the potential to make a significant difference.
“It’s either the hot hand or it’s just the way the plays are being called, who’s in the game,” Pederson said. “It’s not against one back or the other.”
