Jaguars players who have key stats within reach worry first about beating the Titans

There’s only one number that will matter to the Jacksonville Jaguars on Sunday when they play the Tennessee Titans in Nashville: the final score.

Coming out on top means a second AFC South title in a row and a home game in the first round of the playoffs. So if it’s a 3-2 final, the Jaguars will take it and enjoy a jubilant plane flight home.

But within the game, there will be some intrigue on an individual basis.

Three Jaguar players have a chance to break the 1,000-yard barrier for the season in their respective skill set and one has the chance to climb a few rungs up the team’s career ladder.

Travis Etienne, rushing yards

The Jaguars’ third-year running back passed 2,000 career yards last week against Carolina and has scored the most rushing touchdowns (11) since Maurice Jones-Drew had 15 in 2009.

Etienne is now well within range for a second 1,000-yard season in a row, needing 49 yards against the Titans. However, Tennessee has played him tough in three career games, holding him to 101 yards on 32 carries (2.7 per attempt). Etienne has gained more than 49 yards in only one game against the Titans, in this season’s 34-14 victory at home.

Etienne can also move up on Jaguar career records for yards and touchdowns. He needs 102 yards to pass James Robinson (2,177) in sixth place for career yards and needs two rushing touchdowns to supplant David Garrard (17) for seventh place.

“I want the win, honestly,” Etienne said. “I don’t worry about individual stats when you’re trying to get to the playoffs. If it happens [getting to 1,000 yards] it happens. If it doesn’t, as long as we win, I’ll be okay.”

Evan Engram, receptions and yards

Tight end Evan Engram became the eighth NFL player at his position to catch 100 or more passes in one season last week against the Panthers. With 104, he needs nine receptions on Sunday to pass Jimmy Smith for the second-most catches in one season (112).

Engram needs 13 receptions to break the team record for the most in one season (116 by Smith in 1999) and also to break the NFL record for single-season receptions by a tight end, held by Zach Ertz of Philadelphia.

In addition, Engram needs 116 yards to reach 1,000 for the season.

Jaguars coach Doug Pederson coached Ertz and Engram — something that Engram said was one of the main reasons he came to the team in free agency and then signed a three-year, $41.25 contract after the Jaguars tagged him.

“My time in New York [with the Giants, in the same division as the Eagles] watching Doug across the sidelines and what he did at the [tight end] position ... obviously when I was in free agency, choosing my spot and knowing he loves the tight ends,” Engram said. “It speaks a lot ... just the way he utilizes the position.”

Engram said getting 1,000 yards would be fine with him under one condition.

“It’d be cool ... with a win,” he said. “I don’t think I’d be satisfied with it if it happened without getting a win. But it would be awesome to go over 1,000 [yards] for the first time in my career.”

Engram has had either feast or famine against the Titans. Last year Engram had a career day with 11 receptions for 162 yards in a 36-22 victory over Tennessee in Nashville and he had eight receptions for 75 yards in a 2018 game against the Titans when playing for the New York Giants.

But in two other games against Tennessee, both at home, Engram has caught four passes for 29 yards in one and four for 27 in another.

Calvin Ridley, receiving yards

Despite a series of up-and-down performances, wide receiver Calvin Ridley is 90 yards from his second career 1,000-yard season. He had 1,374 in 2020 for Atlanta.

Ridley had his best outing of the season against Tennessee at home earlier this season, catching seven balls for 103 yards and two touchdowns.

Ridley can be the third Jaguar wide receiver not named Jimmy Smith or Keenan McCardell to gain 1,000 yards through the air in one season. Smith did it nine times and McCardell four times. The only other Jaguar wide receivers to get 1,000 yards in one season were Allen Robinson and Allen Hurns, both in 2015.

“It would mean a lot, after missing a couple of seasons and then coming back,” Ridley said. “But win first, for sure. 100 percent win first, then worry about the stats.”

Brandon McManus, points by a kicker

Brandon McManus, who broke out of a slump with four field goals in four attempts last week, needs seven points to reach 100 for the season.

If he makes three field goals to get 31 for the season, McManus will pass Riley Patterson (2022) and Mike Hollis (1996) for fourth place on the Jaguars all-time season list.

The number that matters for Jaguars

If the Jaguars win on Sunday it will be their 10th of the season, a milestone they haven’t reached since going 10-6 in the 2017 season. They’ve already clinched back-to-back winning seasons for the first time since 2004-2005.

A victory also gives them a home-field advantage for at least one round of the playoffs.

The Jags can also sweep the Titans a second year in a row for the first time and for only the fourth time in franchise history. The Jaguars swept Tennessee last season, in 2005 and 1997.

This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: Travis Etienne, Cavin Ridley, Evan Engram have 1,000-yard seasons in sight