Jacksonville Jaguars offensive coordinator John DeFilippo told the media this summer that running back Leonard Fournette was going to be the key to his unit’s success, and that was exactly the case Sunday against the Denver Broncos. The third-year running back was able to awaken from a long drought of lackluster performances and had his first 100-plus yard game since 2017.

The Jags’ Week 5 opponents, the Carolina Panthers, watched Fournette’s big game closely and are gearing up for what will likely be a physical dog fight. Defensive captain and linebacker Luke Kuechly especially knows how special Fournette is as he praise the young running back Thursday while meeting with the media.

“Obviously he’s a monster,” Kuechly said. “He’s big, he’s strong and runs hard. He built like a big old strong running back, but I think the thing that separates him is his ability to run. I think he’s really fast. He ran 4.4s at the combine and for a guy his size that’s super impressive. He also likes contact.”

Afterward Kuechly added that the Jags offensive line has done a good job blocking for Fournette, which makes the offense even more dangerous.

In the first half of Sunday’s game against the Broncos, the Jags were struggling to run the ball and get Fournette going. He only managed to garner 35 yards over eight carries in the first half, but came to life in the second half by rushing for 190 yards, which gave him a career-high of 225 yards on the day. His comrades up front were more physical, too, despite being the reason behind multiple penalties.

With the Panthers passing defense being first in the league, the Jags will need Fournette to have another monstrous day against their No. 24 ranked rushing attack. If he can do so, the Jags should be able to win their third consecutive game.

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