Running back Tank Bigsby had the game of his career in the Jacksonville Jaguars' 32-16 victory over the New England Patriots on Sunday morning at Wembley Stadium in London.
He ran for 118 yards and two touchdowns on 26 carries as the Jaguars' lead back because Travis Etienne Jr. was inactive because of a hamstring injury. Even though the Jaguars have won their only two games when Bigsby has surpassed 100 yards rushing, head coach isn't flipping the depth chart. Etienne, who has rushed for 1,000-plus yards in each of the last two seasons, is still RB1.
"I'm a believer where injury doesn't replace your position," Pederson said. "I think you have to have a fair competition for us. We're blessed to have two really good running backs right now. When Etienne comes back, he's just as explosive, just as good, just as powerful, and it's still his job. "But Tank has done some really good things. We're going to continue to find ways to put the ball in his hands, too, because he's a little different runner than Etienne is."
Bigsby didn't start the game -- that went to veteran D'Ernest Johnson -- but the Jaguars got him involved quickly, giving him two carries on their opening drive. He only gained 4 yards and that's the only time he touched the ball in the first quarter.
The Jaguars (2-5) scored 22 points in the second quarter and Bigsby carried six times for 35 yards and a touchdown. But it was in the second half when Bigsby got rolling, and it was the way he was running the ball as much as how many yards he gained that was important.
The 5-foot-11, 215-pounder is a more physical runner than Etienne, and he punished the Patriots between the tackles. The Jaguars called runs on 16 consecutive plays at one point and Bigsby carried the ball 11 times for 52 yards.
"It feels like you don't get too many opportunities in the National Football League so when you get one you have to take full advantage of them and do it at your best ability," Bigsby said. "And I felt like as we kept running the ball that the Patriots would get tired, and we just got to keep going and keep going and keep going and keep going. And I just took advantage of those opportunities."
Bigsby now has 415 yards rushing and is averaging 6.2 yards per carry, which is a significant lead over Etienne, who has 230 yards rushing (4.1 per carry) in one fewer game.
"He's done a really good job for us going into the season behind TJ [Etienne] and he's earned the right to be out there," Pederson said. "He's earned an opportunity, and he did a nice job today. Ran hard, ran tough as they say, ran behind his pads. The offensive line did a great job for him, tight ends blocking and things of that nature, but he did the rest."
Bigsby has rushed for more than 100 yards and two touchdowns in the only two games the Jaguars have won -- he had 13 carries for 101 yards against the Indianapolis Colts -- but he said it doesn't matter whether he's the Jaguars' main back or it remains Etienne.
"I just do whatever I have to do for this team to win," he said. "My job, whatever my role is, whatever I have to do, take advantage of the opportunities of course, but just come out and help this team win and that's what I try to do."