Jaguars Need This Position Group to Excel vs. Bengals

Coen will have to find a way to overcome that with his team to extend his undefeated record. Thankfully, quarterback Trevor Lawrence and the rest of the Jaguars' offense won't have to face a brutal Cincinnati winter, as the forecast expects similar weather to Jacksonville on Sunday.

Still, if they're to pull off a Week 2 upset, they'll need a lot to go right against the Bengals, perhaps even more so than they did versus the Panthers. Lawrence and the wide receiver corps might have to be prepared for a shootout, but the ground game also needs to be ready to take pressure off the passing attack.

Jaguars running backs need to show up in Cincinnati

The Jacksonville Jaguars got an extremely encouraging performance from the running game in Week 1 against the Carolina Panthers. They totaled 200 yards on the ground, including 143 from Travis Etienne Jr. Now, they're hoping for an equally impressive showing versus the Cincinnati Bengals.

They won't be able to turn to Tank Bigsby for short-yardage or goal-line opportunities, either, after Jacksonville traded him away to the Philadelphia Eagles for some alluring draft capital. However, Etienne is ready to lead the way, according to Offensive Coordinator Grant Udinski:

"I think one of the things that you've probably seen this past weekend was his ability — pass game, run game, screen game — that flexibility and versatility show up, and that's, like the other guys, a testament to his preparation. Some of the situations that he might not have been in on or might not have excelled at previous times or earlier in training camp or in the spring, he's worked at and improved and been able to do that at a high level.”

What to expect from Bhayshul Tuten and LeQuint Allen Jr.

It won't just be him, though. With Bigsby in Philly, rookies Bhayshul Tuten and LeQuint Allen Jr. could see more chances to make an impact against the Bengals. Udinski has been encouraged by what he's seen from his two first-year ball-carriers:

"For Tuten, you see the athleticism, the explosiveness, the ball-carrier ability, vision, all of those things that will only continue to get better as he becomes more comfortable with our run scheme. He's also another guy that's improved in the pass game, whether it's routes or protection, doing things that he hasn't been asked to do before. So, his progression in that, mentally and physically, has been awesome to see."

"LeQuint, you love the physicality, the protection, the route ability out of the backfield and then same thing for him in the run game, getting some opportunities to run different run concepts and schemes where maybe he didn't get a bunch of reps that the other guys got during training camp but as he's gotten those reps, he's gotten better and better."

The Jaguars' running backs will have to perform at a high level if Jacksonville is to pull off the upset in Cincinnati. Especially after the Bigsby trade, they have a lot to prove against the Bengals.

To follow along with the Jaguars' running back performances throughout the 2025 season, follow us on X (Twitter) @JaguarsOnSI and @_John_Shipley.