Game Report, 2026 Preseason Week 1: Jaguars 24, Saints 20

Aug 15, 2026 at 07:17 PM

Jaguars Senior Writer

NEW ORLEANS, La. – This was a day for youth, and for a lot of competing.

That made the 2026 preseason opener important for many Jaguars players, though not for most starters and front-line players – with a slew of rookies and reserves playing in a 24-20 victory over the New Orleans Saints at Caesars Superdome Saturday afternoon.

"Always good to win – appreciate and like the response in the second half," Head Coach Liam Coen said.

Rookie running back J'Mari Taylor's 2-yard touchdown run with 4:55 remaining capped a second-half rally and gave the Jaguars their first lead – by the final margin. This came one play after reserve quarterback Joey Aguilar's 43-yard pass to rookie wide receiver Trebor Peña.

Jaguars kicker Cam Little converted field goals of 54 and 32 yards in the first half and 36 yards in the fourth quarter, with reserve quarterback Carter Bradley's third-quarter touchdown pass to tight end Hunter Long – and a conversion run by Taylor – cutting a 20-6 Saints halftime lead to six points.

"It's not ideal, being down 20-6 at the half," Coen said. "I thought Carter Bradley settled in and did some nice things. J'Mari Taylor and [running back] DeeJay [Dallas] ran hard. That's kind of what we were hoping to see, was a response."

Said Bradley, "It was a tough first half. Things weren't clicking, but it's a 60-minute ballgame. We came in here, rallied together and said, 'We're going to take it one play at a time, go out and execute and have fun.' That's the culture of what this team is now. We're tough and we're going to finish."

With arms wiiiide open@HunterLong | #JAXvsNO on FOX30 pic.twitter.com/lQKOgwxakZ
— Jacksonville Jaguars (@Jaguars) August 15, 2026

Taylor rushed for 78 yards on 22 carries and Dallas rushed for 26 yards on 10 carries, with Taylor rushing for 58 yards in the second half and Dallas rushing for 19 in the second half.

"I was really proud of the guys and the response, especially in the run game," Coen said.

Bradley, who spent last season on the Jaguars' practice squad, completed 10 of 17 passes for 105 yards and one touchdown with one interception. Backup quarterback Nick Mullens started and played about a quarter, completing three of seven passes for 33 yards. He was intercepted by linebacker Jaylan Ford at the Saints 4 to end a first-quarter drive.

Aguilar, who – like Taylor – signed with the Jaguars as a collegiate free agent following the 2026 NFL Draft, replaced Bradley with 7:35 remaining in the fourth quarter. The 43-yarder to Pena was his lone pass of the game.

The Jaguars registered four sacks Saturday: One by defensive tackle Ruke Orhorhoro/defensive end Danny Striggow in the first quarter to end the Saints' second drive, one by linebacker Yasir Abdullah to set up a first-quarter field goal, one in the third quarter by rookie defensive tackle Albert Regis and one in the fourth quarter by defensive end Bryan Thomas Jr.

The Jaguars play host to the Carolina Panthers in Preseason Week 2 Friday at EverBank Stadium with a joint practice scheduled against the Panthers Wednesday at the Miller Electric Center in Jacksonville.

"We've got two weeks of good work and we need to take a step in the right direction, physically and conditioning," Coen said.