Jacksonville Jaguars: 5 players who must show out vs Bengals

The Jacksonville Jaguars only got a primetime game in 2021, their Week 4 matchup against the Cincinnati Bengals. Looking at how they fared in the last 18 games, would you blame the schedule makers?

Sure, the Jags have a promising talent in quarterback Trevor Lawrence. They also have a top 10 running back in James Robinson but until they’re able to consistently win football games and go toe-to-toe with powerhouses such as the Los Angeles Rams or the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, they won’t be getting the national spotlight any time soon.

Even after playing in the 2017 AFC Championship, the Jaguars got just one primetime game the following season. But that’s the point. They were a one-year wonder and they haven’t had sustained success in a while. Then again, the Jaguars are in no position to worry about the number of primetime games they got in 2021. Their focus should be on beating Cincinnati on Thursday Night Football. For that to happen, these five players will have to have a monster performance.

Jacksonville Jaguars who must show out No. 1 – RB James Robinson.

After three games, the Jaguars’ coaching staff finally remember they have an outstanding running back in sophomore James Robinson. After totaling a combined 16 carries in the first two weeks of the 2021 season, the former Illinois State Redbird toted the rock 15 times for 88 touchdowns and took his first trip to the end zone this year. Moreover, he hauled in six receptions for 46 yards.

Although the Jags can’t turn into a running-first team, they must feed Robinson the ball in Week 4. He’s averaging 5.2 yards per carry, and giving him a big workload will help take some pressure off Lawrence’s shoulders.

It will be tough to run the ball against Cincy, but Jacksonville needs to wear down their defensive front, and to do that, they need to get Robinson plenty of touches.