JACKSOVNILLE, Fla. — The Jaguars’ rushing attack started the 2025 season off red-hot as Travis Etienne rushed for 394 yards through the first four games of the season. Early on, the Jaguars led the NFL in rushing and in yards per carry.
That pace ultimately wouldn’t last as the Jaguars would finish the season with the 20th-ranked rushing attack, averaging just 4.0 yards per carry (27th). Ironically, while the passing attack blossomed in the second half of the season, the run game started to sputter. So what happened?
Based on previous seasons of work, this is just who the Jaguars were, and the early-season success was more of an outlier. They were no doubt better as a unit this season, but it was always going to be hard to believe a team that ranked 26th last season would turn it around in just one season.
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Then again, look at what Liam Coen did with the Jaguars’ passing game and the team as a whole. Part of why the Jaguars were so interested in Coen from the jump was his work and expertise in developing teams’ rushing attacks. There were far more glimpses this season than in years prior, but there is still work to be done.
When scrambles and QB sneaks are filtered out, the Jaguars ranked 25th in yards per carry (3.8), 24th in success % (37.0%), 27th in yards before contact (1.4), 18th in yards after contact (2.3), 22nd in avoided tackle % (20.0%), and 28th in explosive play % (7.9%), according to FTNFantasy.
In just about every metric, the Jaguars’ run game ranked mediocre at best. Statistically, it’s really hard to deduce exactly why that is. According to ESPN analytics, the Jaguars’ OL ranked pretty favorably in run-blocking, ranking sixth in run-block win %.
At the same time, the Jaguars’ running backs weren’t given a lot to work with in terms of yards before contact. With Travis Etienne set to hit free agency, that leaves the Jaguars with two very talented yet inexperienced tailbacks to lead the way going forward.
Those two, Bhayshul Tuten and LeQuint Allen, both performed well in limited snaps, but are they ready to take hold of the reins? It’s unlikely the Jaguars see much change along the offensive line, so expect them to run it back, with the exception at running back.
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