Las Vegas Raiders at Jacksonville 2022 Week 9: Jaguars to Worry About
Travis Etienne
After the Jaguars traded away James Robinson ahead of last week it officially meant that Travis Etienne was given the reigns in the backfield. After last week’s performance, it’s safe to say that he made the most of his opportunity. Despite falling to the Broncos 21-17, Etienne totaled 156 rushing yards on 24 carries and found the end zone as well.
The Raiders have the 10th-best defense against the run, allowing an average of 108.6 yards on the ground per game. But they are coming off an embarrassing effort against the Saints, in which Alvin Kamara had a combined 158 yards and three total touchdowns. Las Vegas was clearly unprepared and uninspired last week; can they buck the trend and actually play with some urgency in Jacksonville?
The early eastern kick-off games have historically plagued the Raiders in the past, but it’s on the coaching staff and the veteran leaders to make sure the defense plays with some seriousness and actually executes versus the Jaguars. That means keeping Etienne in check, or else they are susceptible to getting burned on the ground in back-to-back weeks.