It’s Week 14 of the 2023 NFL season, so the playoff races in both the AFC and NFC are heating up, with pivotal games taking place all around the league on Sunday.
One of the most intriguing matchups this weekend will be the AFC showdown between the Jacksonville Jaguars and Cleveland Browns.
Both teams are currently in the fight for a spot in the AFC playoff bracket, and the Jaguars are also attempting to win their division in back-to-back seasons for the first time since 1999.
The status of Jacksonville quarterback Trevor Lawrence is still unknown heading into the game, but it sounds like the team will at least have running back Travis Etienne on the field on Sunday against the Browns, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
Jaguars’ RB Travis Etienne, listed as questionable for Sunday due to a rib injury, is expected to play vs. the Browns, per source.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) December 10, 2023
Attempting to get a win over Cleveland on Sunday without both Lawrence and Etienne would have been extra difficult for the Jaguars to accomplish, so at least they are expected to have their top running back available.
Jacksonville heads into this weekend’s contest with an 8-4 record and a one-game lead in the AFC South over the Indianapolis Colts and Houston Texans.
If Lawrence is forced to miss any time due to his injury this season, it could certainly put a wrench into the Jaguars’ hopes to win the division, but the team still has enough talent on the rest of their roster to sneak into the playoffs, even without their top quarterback on the field.
Whether Lawrence plays or not, will Jacksonville be able to go into Cleveland on Sunday and defeat a Browns team that is also in the middle of fighting for their playoff lives?
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