Jaguars WR Parker Washington gets 100+ yards, 1 TD vs. Browns, other bold predictions
• Whether he starts or not, other players will pick up the slack
• Also, expect a handful of exciting individual performances
2. Travis Etienne will have his 2nd 100-yard game of the season, at last
One of the Jaguars' biggest weaknesses this season has been their inability to get their running game going. While pass protection was an issue in the beginning, they've managed to fix it in recent weeks, and that was reflected in Trevor Lawrence hardly ever getting pressured. On the other hand, the offensive line continues to have a hard time opening lanes in the running games, which has made it difficult for Travis Etienne to break off big runs.
By the time he hits the line of scrimmage, the former Clemson Tiger already has defenders waiting for him. And more often than not, he'll need to create yards on his own. Not surprisingly, he ranks second behind Christian McCaffrey in broken tackles among running backs with 44.
This season, Etienne has only had five rushes of 20 yards or more, and three of those came against the Buffalo Bills in Week 5. Coincidentally, that's been his only 100-yard game of the season. With Trevor Lawrence expected to be less than 100 percent against the Browns (if he plays), the Jaguars will probably put an emphasis on running the ball. That should lead to Etienne's second 100-yard performance of the season.
1. The Jaguars defense will hold the Browns under 250 total yards, keep them under 20 points
Following an uninspiring performance against the Bengals, the Jaguars' defense will clean up their act in Week 14. Looking back, they seemed unprepared for Cincinnati. Maybe they thought it was going to be a walk in the park without Joe Burrow. Perhaps they let their guard down after two consecutive wins.
Regardless of the reason, the Jags' defense was vastly outmatched against Cincy. They won't allow it to happen in back-to-back games. They'll be prepared for everything they throw at them and will contain running back Jerome Simpson and the Joe Flacco-led offense. In the end, Jacksonville will limit the Browns to less than 250 total yards and keep them under 20 points.
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