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Michael DiRocco, ESPN Staff Writer
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Travis Etienne Jr. slipped between a defender and the pylon in the front left corner of the end zone to cap a 17-yard touchdown run against the New Orleans Saints. That play gave the Jacksonville Jaguars an eight-point first-half lead last Thursday night — and gave the running back a piece of team history.
It was Etienne’s second touchdown run in what turned out to be a 31-24 victory, which made him the first player in franchise history to rush for multiple touchdowns in three consecutive games.
That isn’t too surprising considering he has been the focal point of the Jaguars’ offense through seven games. He has accounted for 41% of their touchdowns (seven), 29% of their yards and 41% of their touches — all of which rank in the top five in the NFL — per ESPN Stats and information.
Etienne, 24, tops the NFL with 127 carries and 151 touches, is fourth in rushing yards (504) and ranks fifth in yards from scrimmage (700). All of which put him on pace to surpass last season’s numbers (220 carries, 1,125 rushing yards).
“He’s really been impressive,” coach Doug Pederson said. “I would say there’s still things he can improve upon, but he’s really taking a nice step this year. Understanding the run schemes, understanding some of the fits and some of the holes.
“He’s a tough, young, physical running back that we put him in a lot of different positions because he can handle it.”
One stat that Etienne has dramatically reduced from last season is turnovers. Etienne fumbled five times and lost three in 2022 but has yet to fumble this season.
“I’ve got to protect the ball,” he said. “I can’t be out here putting the ball on the ground. That’s how dudes lose their job, and clearly I love my job so it was an easy fix for me.
“… Last year, you would see me try to get that 1 extra yard and try to stiff-arm in between the tackles, where now I’m just going to cover the ball up and go on to the next play. There’s no need to fight for the extra yards and lose the ball.”
Etienne’s workload was supposed to be lightened a bit in 2023 after the team signed D’Ernest Johnson in free agency and drafted Tank Bigsby in the third round. But Etienne’s role has actually been larger.
He accounted for 74% of the running back carries in 2022 after the Jaguars traded James Robinson. They brought in Johnson, who ran for 738 yards in four seasons with the Cleveland Browns, and Bigsby, who ran for 2,903 yards and 25 touchdowns in three seasons at Auburn, to bring that number down.
However, Bigsby has 20 carries and one catch and Johnson has seven carries and three catches. Together they’re averaging 3 yards per touch while Etienne is averaging 4.6.
Etienne, Jacksonville’s No. 25 overall pick in 2021, has touched the ball at least 14 times in every game, including a career-high-tying 30 times in the 25-20 victory over Buffalo in London. He has rushed for six touchdowns in his past three games, and his seven total rushing touchdowns are one more than he had in the entire 2022 season. He’s delivering big plays, too: 17-, 26- and 35-yard rushing touchdowns.
“I’m here to win games,” Etienne said. “I don’t care about a workload. So as long as we’re winning, I don’t care if I get two carries or 30.”
Even though he has so far been able to handle it, the Jaguars still want to cut back on his usage — but he has been so effective that it’s hard to pull him off the field.
“He hasn’t shown us he can’t [handle the big workload] at this point in time,” offensive coordinator Press Taylor said. “Obviously, we like to spread the wealth and we like to continue with the hot hand, whatever that may be — pass game, run game. He’s been a guy that is obviously a gamebreaker for us. He’s been able to come through in those situations when we continue to give him the football.
“We want to continue to give the ball to our best players at all times.”
Etienne wasn’t mindful of his record-setting streak of multiple rushing touchdowns — or the fact that if he scores two or more on Sunday (1 p.m. ET, CBS) against the Pittsburgh Steelers he would become the first player in the NFL to do it in four consecutive games since LaDainian Tomlinson in 2006.
“I never understood how rare it was until you said LT’s name, honestly,” Etienne said. “I have to realize that this is the NFL and this [rushing for multiple TDs in three consecutive games] is not normal. Although I’ve been playing football my whole life and I’ve been good at it my whole life, this isn’t the norm. I feel like I have to have a better understanding … where I’m at, and kind of smelling the roses and just stop being so locked in the moment.”
The Steelers rank 28th against the rush (allowing 142.3 yards per game) and 30th in total defense (383.5 yards per game). After the Steelers game, the Jaguars have their bye week and return in Week 10 to face the San Francisco 49ers, who have the third-best rush defense in the league allowing just 79.3 rushing yards per game.
“God blessed me to be in this position and I have to continue to strive and do great things.”
Source: www.espn.com