Gene Frenette: Defeat aside, Jaguars' pairing of Trevor Lawrence, Travis Etienne should be entertaining

Most college reunions usually take place after a milestone anniversary year — 10, 25, 40 or 50. It’s a good thing for Jaguars fans that Trevor Lawrence and Travis Etienne can relive their Clemson days a lot sooner.

For the first time, the Jaguars’ 2021 first-round draft picks were able to suit up together in an NFL game situation and remain healthy. They revealed Friday night at TIAA Bank Field the same thing many have witnessed in training camp: this pair should be fun to watch.

When asked how it felt to be back in a live-game situation with his Clemson sidekick, after missing the entire 2021 season following a Lisfranc injury in his first preseason game, Etienne replied: “It felt good to be back there, period. … I felt like we were just back in the old days.”

This franchise wouldn’t mind if the Trevor-Travis partnership takes the Jaguars back to a distant past.

Gene's previous three columns:

• Running up the tab: Boselli's pricey HOF bash, Browns bungle Watson decision, MLB musings, more

• A good Cooke: Jaguars need more players to do their job as well as punter Logan Cooke

• Who's next?: With Tony Boselli in, which Jags should be next for the Hall of Fame? | Gene Frenette

It’s been a long time since the Jaguars have been able to put a together a quarterback-running back tag team that keeps defensive coordinators awake at night.

Not that Lawrence and Etienne are guaranteed stars, but in three series of a preseason matchup Friday night against the Cleveland Browns, they showed flashes of a future that seemingly holds considerable promise.

T&T were by no means perfect or lights-out in the Browns’ 24-13 victory, a score resulting mostly from Cleveland backups being superior to the Jaguars’ backups.

Looking at the numbers for Lawrence (6 of 12, 95 yards, 1 TD) and Etienne (9 carries, 23 yards and one 10-yard reception), there’s nothing eye-popping. Plus, it was disheartening the first-team offense had to settle for field goals despite having prime touchdown opportunities on its first two possessions.

But the positive thing was the Jaguars at least had a look of efficiency and rhythm against the Browns’ first-team defense, which played six starters. It was a vast improvement from Lawrence’s NFL preseason debut last year when the first-team offense, minus Etienne, did next to nothing in a 23-13 loss to Cleveland.

First-team offense better

Had Lawrence just spotted open tight end Evan Engram in the end zone on the first series, that drive would have finished on a happier note. As it was, the second-year quarterback still zipped a perfect 32-yard strike to Zay Jones on his first play, then two plays later, Lawrence scooted 11 yards on a nifty QB keeper.

That’s the kind of play head coach Doug Pederson and offensive coordinator Press Taylor want to put on tape. If nothing else, it serves as a reminder to the Jaguars’ Week 1 opponent, the Washington Commanders, that Lawrence’s arm isn’t the only thing they have to worry about.

In 24 plays, Lawrence had some hiccups. Besides missing Engram for a likely TD, he air-mailed a pass for an open Jones over the middle on his second snap.

On a third-and-9, he also waited a second too long trying to get a pass to Jones in the left corner of the end zone. It allowed Browns defenders to close faster, and the throw into tight coverage had almost no chance of being completed.

Given a third chance, Lawrence led an 11-play, 63-yard touchdown drive, closing his night with the kind of play the Jaguars come to expect from a No. 1 draft pick.

On fourth-and-2, with a bunch formation to the left, Lawrence ran a naked bootleg left and flipped a 9-yard TD pass to Engram for a 13-0 Jaguars lead.

Considering this team’s notorious reputation for slow starts, the first-team offense getting that kind of jump is precisely what Pederson wanted to see after last week’s dreadful showing against the Las Vegas Raiders.

As for the dynamic Etienne, even if he’s not the second coming of Alvin Kamara, it’s hard to take your eyes off this 5-foot-10, 215-pound ball of elusiveness. As long as he stays healthy, Etienne will find ways to get on a highlight film.

His abbreviated appearance against the Browns had some notable plays, though none of them went for big gains. It was just captivating to see him operate, size up a defender and how he seems to get maximum yardage on plays when the defense has him bottled up.

"He stayed disciplined in his path, in his track, and I thought maybe sometimes he got a little antsy and tried to make some moves that probably weren't there," Pederson said of Etienne. "But that just comes with time, as you know, and he hasn't had the time. These are valuable reps for him. He's going to get better."

Etienne looks the part

On his first carry, Etienne quickly hit a nice hole over right guard for a 12-yard pickup. With little room to run on the next play, he made cornerback A.J. Green miss for a 4-yard gain.

Etienne had his best play on third-and-6 during the Jaguars’ TD drive, catching a short pass and beating linebacker and ex-Jaguar Dakota Allen to get the first down.

“It was great to see [Etienne] back out there,” said Lawrence. “He was hurt and rehabbing last year, working hard to get back. He made some great plays. He’s going to help us a lot.”

Now Etienne did have a third-and-goal pass from the 4 go through his hands, and was also thrown for a 6-yard loss another time.

Still, you see enough of his explosive presence to understand why the Jaguars are stoked about the potential damage he can inflict.

Lawrence took comfort in seeing that security blanket from his college days back on the field with him.

“Just that relationship comes out in the heat of the moment,” said Lawrence. “Talking in-between plays, he’s a great listener.” 

Etienne’s absence in 2021 left Lawrence with almost no weapons besides James Robinson.

With No. 1 now healthy, and free-agent receiver Christian Kirk (who didn’t play against the Browns) onboard, the Jaguars’ offense has a chance to be certifiably entertaining this season.

“It’s going to be fun to watch those two,” said outside linebacker Josh Allen about Lawrence and Etienne. “Once James Robinson gets back [fully recovered from a torn Achilles], it’s going to be insane.”

Defense better, too

As encouraging as it was to see the Jaguars’ first-team offense look effective, the starting defensive unit looked even better.

Mike Caldwell’s unit didn’t allow Cleveland a first down in three series, exposing rusty quarterback Deshaun Watson, who hadn’t played since 2020 and is facing a minimum six-game NFL suspension (possibly the entire season) after he settled 23 of 24 sexual misconduct civil lawsuits against him.

Some national media showed up for the expressed purpose of chronicling how Watson (1 of 5, 7 yards passing) would do after a long layoff. It wasn't a good look for someone handed a $230 million guaranteed contract.

It was the other quarterback who led the Clemson Tigers to a national championship that looked significantly better and far more comfortable running his team.

Seeing Trevor Lawrence reunite with the best weapon he had in college, it was a reminder that the Jaguars’ offense could be special down the road.

Gfrenette@jacksonville.com: (904) 359-4540    

Gene Frenette Sports columnist at Florida Times-Union, follow him on Twitter @genefrenette

This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: Jaguars' reunion of Trevor Lawrence, Travis Etienne should pay dividends