Chris Rodriguez Jr. — Week 3: First Touchdown as a Jaguar
2026 NFL Season · Half-PPR Scoring · Monday, Sep 28
Rodriguez carried 8 times for 37 yards and three first downs, scored from 5 yards out on the snap after Jarrian Jones's interception return to the New England 5, and converted both of his third-down carries. Five of his eight carries came in the third quarter, when Bhayshul Tuten had one, in a 35–6 win over the Patriots.
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21 to three, Jaguars, 54 seconds left in the third quarter, first and goal at the New England five. One snap earlier Jarrian Jones had intercepted Drake Maye and run it back 31 yards. Chris Rodriguez went up the middle for five and the touchdown, his first as a Jaguar. +1.1 expected points added — expected points added is what a play was worth given down, distance and field position — and it made the score 28 to three with the kick.
The line: eight carries, 37 yards, one touchdown, three first downs, four of the eight successful, +2.1 expected points on the carries, no targets. They went three, seven, three, five, nine, two, three, five. Both of his third downs converted. Third and one at the New England 30 with 13 seconds left in the first quarter, Wyatt Milum reported in as an extra lineman, right end for seven, on the drive that ended in Josh Cameron's touchdown. Third and two at the New England 13 in the second quarter, up the middle for three to the 10, two snaps before Jakobi Meyers's touchdown. Three carries before halftime for 13 yards, five after for 24, all five in the third quarter. The nine was his longest, second and 10 at the New England 43 on the eight-and-a-half-minute drive that ended in Parker Washington's touchdown.
The split: Jacksonville ran 28 designed runs — Tuten 15, Rodriguez eight, Ameer Abdullah three, Trevor Lawrence two. The third quarter went to Rodriguez, five carries to one, and the fourth to Tuten. Inside the New England 20 Rodriguez had three carries and Tuten four, and each scored once.
Back in June the preview's read on Rodriguez was a downhill short-yardage back, signed and then sidelined in the spring by foot surgery, whose telling number was availability, about 55 percent of games across his career. Week 1 was six carries with the short-yardage job attached, one of two third downs converted. Week 2 was six carries again, two of two on third down, and a two-yard loss from the three. Sunday was eight carries, two of two, and the touchdown. Three games, 20 carries, 73 yards, five of six third-down carries converted, and he has been available for all of them. The job the preview described has been his every week; the goal line is shared with Tuten. Jacksonville is at the Bengals on Sunday the fourth.
_Data via nflverse._
When Chris Rodriguez Jr.'s week moves the numbers, you'll know — every episode, in one weekly email.
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