Has Doug Pederson Made a Commitment Back to the Jaguars' Running Game?

With the Jaguars needing a big win after Week 1, does it look like Doug Pederson will lean on the running game this time around?

The 2022 NFL Season is only one week old, but has Jacksonville Jaguars head coach Doug Pederson already made an about-face on the direction of his offense? 

It sounded like it on Wednesday, with Pederson pointing out where the Jaguars left points on the field in Week 1's 28-22 loss to Washington -- through the air. 

But where did Pederson say they thrived? On the backs of James Robinson, Travis Etienne and a running game that could now become the focal point of Pederson's offense.

“More than anything it solidified who James Robinson is for us," Pederson said on the heels of Robinson rushing for 66 yards and scoring two touchdowns in his first game back from an Achilles injury. 

"I’ve seen him on tape, but we didn’t really see him much in preseason other than practice late. What he was able to do excited you moving forward, and we knew what TJ (RB Travis Etienne Jr.) is and was because of his ability to play in preseason. It’s good to have two different runners like that, mix your run game up, mix the play-action pass game up, screen game or whatever it might be with two guys like that.”

The Jaguars were the rare team in Week 1 that was more efficient on the ground than through the air. Jacksonville's backs rushed 15 times for 113 yards (7.53 yards per carry), while Trevor Lawrence and the passing game threw it 42 times for 275 yards (6.5 yards per attempt). 

Robinson was especially lethal for the Jaguars, averaging six yards per carry and adding a 22-yard run to the field in his first game back. There were questions about just how impactful Robinson could be after an injury that used to be a death-knell for running backs, but Robinson answered each of them.

“Obviously if there’s a hot running back or receiver, you try to maybe find more ways in the game plan to try to keep getting them the football. If they’re both still in the game plan and you’re still looking for ways to move the football, then you keep them both going," Pederson said. 

"But I thought in the second half where Christian (Kirk) became the hot hand so to speak in the passing game. Evan’s (Engram) targets started to increase a little bit, and really, James and Travis were still pretty hot. You just continue to find ways to get these guys the ball.”

Pederson didn't have this evidence of Robinson's play entering Sunday's game. And while there are questions of whether he could have rode the hot hand of the running game more, it is clear that his perception of the unit has changed after Sunday -- especially in the red-zone.

The Jaguars had 14 plays in the red-zone on Sunday: 10 were passes, two were Robinson ones, one was a Lawrence keeper on an option, and one was a Lawrence scramble. In 14 calls, only three runs were picked by Pederson. Only two of those runs involved Robinson. None involved Etienne, who rushed four times for 47 yards. 

James Robinson was tied at 9 with 4.2

Travis Etienne was tied at No. 8 with 4.5

— John Shipley (@_John_Shipley) September 13, 2022

Travis Etienne only had four carries on Sunday, but no running back had a higher yards after contact per attempt than his 7.3. 29 of his 43 yards came after contact.

— John Shipley (@_John_Shipley) September 13, 2022

“I think you can run the ball more down there," Pederson said with a smile. 

"You get down there, the field is a little more restricted, lanes are tighter, it’s more of that touchdown/checkdown mentality, ball out of your hand, and it’s just a matter of being on the same page. We’ve just got to continue to work at it and get better at it and still find ways to get our playmakers in positions to make plays.”

While Pederson's words on Wednesday indicated the Jaguars could see more of a lean on the running game -- and while the evidence suggests the offensive line is much better at run-blocking than pass-blocking -- that doesn't mean the Jaguars' entire plan will change. 

Jacksonville's run blocking in a tier of its own on Sunday https://t.co/bjPdNHAok0

— John Shipley (@_John_Shipley) September 14, 2022

Even without Robinson and Etienne getting a large number of carries, the Jaguars still had chances to score with each. Robinson scored two touchdowns, while Etienne could have had two with better execution from Trevor Lawrence on a wide-open miss of Etienne in the end zone on the opening drive, and from Etienne, who dropped a fourth-down target that would have likely scored.

"When you look at the game and how it kind of unfolded, we had opportunities to hit those guys even in the passing game to make plays. First opening drive of the game, we just missed Travis in the endzone. Missed him on a fourth down," Pederson said. 

"Those are touches. Those are opportunities to put the ball in their hands. I’m a believer, too, that you throw to score in this league, and you run to win. We did some things, put ourselves in position to score at least 17 in the first half.”