Etienne has chance to enter rare air Sunday

The Jacksonville Jaguars took their time with former Clemson star running back Travis Etienne Jr., and it’s paid incredible dividends for them. Paired with fellow Tigers great Trevor Lawrence, it’s been a match made in heaven as the Jaguars sit at 5-2 and atop the AFC South.

Etienne is a key part of that success, and it’s been especially apparent over the last three games. He’s rushed for two touchdowns in each of the games, totaling over 300 scrimmage yards in the process. With this trend, he has a chance to do something that doesn’t been done in 17 years.

CBS Sports’ Garrett Podell put together his bold predictions for Week 8, and amongst them was Etienne, who can become the first running back since LaDainian Tomlinson to have multiple rushing touchdowns in four straight games.

Since Week 5, Etienne’s six rushing touchdowns are the most in the league, and he has divided them up equally in that span, scoring two in each of the last three games. It’s been a long time since someone scored two or more rushing touchdowns in four straight games: 17 years to be exact. Pro Football Hall of Famer LaDainian Tomlinson is the last player to do so, an accomplishment he achieved from Weeks 8-15 during his 2006 NFL MVP season when he scored an NFL single-season record 31 scrimmage touchdowns, 28 of them rushing. Only two other players have accomplished the feat in the 21st Century: Chiefs running back Priest Holmes across the 2003-2004 seasons (six consecutive games) and Dolphins running back Ricky Williams (four consecutive games).

Entering your name with Tomlinson, Holmes and Williams is an incredible feat, and there’s a chance Etienne can do so against the Pittsburgh Steelers. It won’t be easy against a prolific defense on the road, but the opportunity is there.

Through seven games, Etienne is in the top five of rushing yard and touchdowns with 127 rushes for 504 yards and seven scores. This hot streak can continue into Sunday, where he can etch his name among some of the NFL’s greatest.