One of, if not, the biggest storylines surrounding the Jacksonville Jaguars in Week 14 is whether Trevor Lawrence will play. The star quarterback suffered an ankle sprain on Monday Night Football's loss to the Cincinnati Bengals but returned to practice Thursday.
Lawrence is pushing through rehab to give himself a chance to face the Cleveland Browns. However, he'll refrain from playing if the medical staff doesn't think he's healthy enough. If he isn't good to go, C.J. Beathard will then step in his place.
If Lawrence does sit out the bout, other players will need to step up, including rookie Parker Washington, who'll probably be filling in for fellow wide receiver Christian Kirk. Against the Bengals, Kirk got hurt making a 26-yard catch. He left the game and is now slated to undergo surgery and miss six to eight weeks during his recovery.
Monday Night was the first time Washington saw playing time on offense. He made the most out of it, hauling in six receptions for 61 yards with one touchdown. With the benefit of a full week of practice, the former Penn State Nittany Lion should be even more productive against the Browns. With that in mind, here are five predictions for Week 14.
5. Parker Washington will go off vs. the Browns, tally 100+ yards and 1 TD
After a promising training camp, Parker Washington was buried on the depth chart this season. The issue is that he doesn't have the size to consistently win in the perimeter, so the coaching staff couldn't find ways to incorporate him on the offense with Zay Jones, Calvin Ridley, and Christian Kirk in the fold.
Kirk played most of his snaps in the slot, where Washington's 5'10" frame is an asset. Even if Tim Jones still gets playing time in light of Kirk's core injury, expect Washington to get lots of snaps on offense. He'll pick up where he left off against the Bengals and register his first 100-yard game in the NFL, along with a trip to the end zone.
4. Josh Allen will set a new team record for sacks in a season vs. the Browns
Outside linebacker Josh Allen is having a breakout year, registering 13.5 sacks, one interception, and two forced fumbles. If that wasn't enough, he ranks third in the league with 65 total pressures. With five games to go, he's got a great shot at breaking Calais Campbell's franchise record of 14.5 sacks.
Allen will set a new franchise record for sacks against the sacks but he'll also have the first-ever Pick-6 of his career. He had an interception against Cincinnati and never posted more than one in a season. He'll get his second one this year in back-to-back weeks.
3. Jaguars OLB Travon Walker will register 2 sacks, 1 FF
Josh Allen has been without a doubt the Jags' defensive MVP this season. You could even make the case that he's their second most important player, only behind Trevor Lawrence. But Allen's success has overshadowed the progress fellow outside linebacker Travon Walker has made this season.
Walkers struggled to make an impact as a rookie while he adjusted to playing outside linebacker full-time in the NFL. Having gotten a better grasp of the position in Year 2, the former Georgia Bulldog is low-key having a solid season. While the jury is still out, he's done enough this season to make you think he'll eventually become the player the Jaguars expected him to be when they drafted him first overall in 2022.
In Week 14, Walker will take another step foward by sacking Joe Flacco twice and forcing a fumble.
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.