5 bold predictions for the Jaguars in Week 2 vs. Browns: Look out for Travis Etienne

The Jacksonville Jaguars have built their team around Trevor Lawrence, so it's not surprising that he gets the spotlight. That said, Travis Etienne is equally important to their offensive success. That's the reason the Jags aren't giving up on him even after struggling in the season opener.

Near the end of the third quarter, Etienne fumbled the football near the Miami Dolphins' endzone. At the time, Jacksonville was leading 17-7 but the Phins wasted no time taking advantage of the turnover and proceeded to score to make it 17-14.

Etienne's fumble ended up being the turning point of the game, which Miami 20-17. But despite the mistake, the coaching staff kept feeding the former Clemson Tiger and will continue to do so in the future.

With fellow running back Tank Bigsby lurking behind his shoulder, Etienne will be incentivized to bounce back and shine against the Cleveland Browns. With that in mind, here are five bold predictions for Week 2.

Travis Etienne will rack up 100+ yards and 2 TDs vs. the Browns

Tank Bigsby had a productive outing against the Miami Dolphins, toting the rock 12 times for 73 yards. On top of that, he averaged 6.1 yards per carry. On the other hand, Etienne had a yard-per-carry average of 3.8, but he'll remain the main running back in the team's rotation.

Keep in mind that Etienne didn't have a single fumble in 2023 so the one he logged in Week 1 was probably an outlier rather than a sign of things to come. Looking to put it behind him, the Louisiana native will make the most of his touches and will go over 100 yards with two touchdowns.

Jarrian Jones will snag his first NFL interception vs. the Browns

With Tyson Campbell landing on Injured Reserve, Montaric Brown will start opposite Ronald Darby in Week 2. Moreover, Jarrian Jones will man the slot with Darnell Savage ruled out for the game. Doug Pederson said as much in the Frank Frangie show ahead of the game.

Brown and Jones saw playing time in the opener and both of them earned praise from the coaching staff. The latter flashed in the preseason and will get the chance to make an impact in games that count in the standings. Cleveland will try to test him early in the game but the rookie corner will be up to the task and register his first NFL interception.

The Jaguars O-Line won't give up a single sack in Week 2

The Jaguars will have a tough time slowing down Myles Garrett but they'll pull it off. Offensive coordinator Press Taylor told the media that he's aware of how much of a playmaker the 2017 first-overall pick is and will do anything within his power to contain him. The fact that left tackle Cam Robinson is a full go after being limited in practice Thursday should help their efforts.

Robinson and bookend offensive tackle Anton Harrison gave up sacks in consecutive plays in the season opener. Left guard Ezra Cleveland gave up another. The trio will bounce back and the Jaguars won't surrender a single sack in Week 2.

The Jaguars' pass rush will combine for 5 sacks vs. the Browns

While the Jaguars won't surrender a single sack, they'll take Deshaun Watson down five times in Week 2. Leaving aside that Watson is no longer the ascending quarterback he was early in his career, he won't have optimal protection.

Left tackle Jedrick Wills Jr. has already been ruled out for the bout while right tackle Jack Conklin is listed as questionable. Even if the latter suits up, he won't be at full strength, which doesn't bode well for Watson. If that wasn't enough, offensive guard Joel Bitonio struggled in Week 1 and got the questionable tag for Week 2.

The Jaguars' pass rush will have a prime opportunity to feast on the Cleveland offensive line and they won't put it to waste. Expect them to finish with five sacks.

The Jaguars will limit Deshaun Watson to 150 yards, register 2 TDs

Watson previously had the benefit of the doubt because he was a top-5 quarterback in his first four NFL seasons. However, it's been more than three years since he's been consistently good, so it's time for his apologists to stop making excuses and accept that he's no longer good.

Against the Dallas Cowboys, Watson completed less than 60 percent of his passes and threw two interceptions. And that's with tight end David Njoku in the mix. He won't suit up against Jacksonville. Watson will have a similar performance against a Jaguars defense that showed plenty of upside in the opener. Besides barely managing to amass 150 passing yards, he'll be picked off twice in Week 2.

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