Media by Associated Press – Jacksonville Jaguars running back Travis Etienne Jr. (1) runs the ball during an NFL wild-card football game against the Los Angeles Chargers, Saturday, Jan. 14, 2023, in Jacksonville, Fla. The Jaguars defeated the Chargers 31-30. (AP Photo/Gary McCullough)
The NFL will be excited to see four teams take another step toward a championship. When it comes to the playoffs, everyone will be looking to make the play to help move on to the conference championship round. Here’s a look at four players who will score touchdowns this weekend.
Travis Etienne, RB, Jacksonville Jagurs, -137
Etienne has been able to stay on the field this season after sitting out his rookie year due to injury. What Etienne has provided for his former Clemson teammate and Jacksonville quarterback Trevor Lawrence is a dynamic back out of the backfield capable of making plays in the running and passing game.
This season, Etienne rushed for 1,125 yards and scored five touchdowns. He also caught 35 passes for 319 yards. During Jacksonville’s wild come-from-behind win over the Chargers last week in the Wild Card round, Etienne played a large role. While he didn’t find the endzone in his playoff debut, he had a long run of 25 yards and finished with 109 yards on 20 carries.
Daniel Jones, QB, New York Giants, +220
Despite being a long-derided disappointment by the Giants’ fan base, Daniel Jones shined in his first opportunity on the big stage. During the Giants’ 31-24 win over Minnesota, Jones looked like everything New York thought he could be when they drafted him in the first round of out of Duke. Jones passed for 301 yards and two touchdowns but also mixed in his running by carrying the ball 17 times for 78 yards.
During the regular season, Jones scored seven times on the ground. If Jones’ passing is as sharp against Philadelphia as it was last week, that should open up opportunities for Jones to find a way to get into the endzone.
Tee Higgins, WR, Cincinnati Bengals, +160
The Bengals’ offense will need to get their passing game going. Injuries on the offensive line will make running the ball difficult for Cincinnati. What that should do is open up options for Joe Burrow in the passing game.
Higgins has caught 74 passes for 1,029 yards and seven touchdowns this season. In Cincinnati’s first playoff game against Baltimore, Higgins was targeted six times and made four catches for 37 yards. Higgins will find a way to score a touchdown in a game that could feature a lot of points.
Tony Pollard, RB, Dallas Cowboys, +170
Pollard has been a strong complement to Ezekiel Elliott in the Cowboys’ running game. During Dallas’ destruction of Tampa Bay in the Wild Card round, Pollard led the team by rushing for 77 yards on 15 carries. While he didn’t get in the endzone, Dallas made sure to get him the ball a ton, as he also caught three passes for 12 yards.
San Francisco’s defense has struggled down the stretch, allowing the Raiders to put up a lot of points with a backup quarterback in the lineup and having a tough time with Seattle. Dallas will be able to put points on the board, and Pollard will be one of the players to find their way to a score.
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