NEW ORLEANS, La. – Senior writer John Oehser, senior correspondent Brian Sexton and team reporter Kainani Stevens offer quick thoughts on the Jaguars’ 17-17 tie with the New Orleans Saints in Preseason Week 2 at the Caesars Superdome Sunday

John Oehser, Jaguars Senior Writer…

1. Message received. Much went right for the Jaguars early Sunday, but most significant was how it looked for most of the first half. That's because it looked clean, which was the buzzword for Head Coach Liam Coen and quarterback Trevor Lawrence following a tie in which the Jaguars dominated the first two quarters. Coen throughout the week emphasized eliminating pre-snap penalties, calling them the "theme of the day" following a 31-25 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers in Preseason Week 1. Lawrence during the week called self-inflicted wounds the "story of camp." The Jaguars not only led 7-0 when the starters left the game and 17-3 at halftime Sunday, they committed just one first-half penalty – none when the offensive and defensive starters were playing the first two series. "You definitely felt a better sense of urgency of the alignment assignment, getting lined up," he said. "The shifts and motions were clean. I was pleased with the operation, especially coming from what we were trying to emphasize last week." Said Lawrence, "We made a big emphasis on it this week in practice, and it was good to see a carryover. The guys really owned it and we were a lot sharper. It was definitely improvement." The head coach speaketh, the players listeneth. That's a decent enough sign.
2. Better and better. We've reached the point in wide receiver Parker Washington's growth where he may be making the coaching staff work harder – or at least differently – than originally expected. Washington, a sixth-round selection by the Jaguars in the 2023 NFL Draft, has been one of the best stories of 2025 Training Camp with at least two of the best days of any Jaguars wide receiver. This is significant because Washington entered camp as the clear No. 4 receiver behind Pro Bowl wide receiver Brian Thomas Jr., veteran free agent Dyami Brown and rookie No. 2 overall selection Travis Hunter. Parker Washington caught two passes for 19 yards Sunday and his seven-yard touchdown reception gave the Jaguars a 7-0 lead with 2:33 remaining in the first quarter. "It's going to be tough to keep that guy off the field the way he's playing," Lawrence said. There were multiple encouraging storylines for the Jaguars Sunday. The solid play of Lawrence. Encouraging flashes from the running game. A strong defensive effort. Washington's continued emergence deserves a place among them, because Lawrence is right: He's more than just a good camp story. A player playing this well needs to be on the field.

Brian Sexton, Senior Correspondent…

1. The quarterback looked different to me. Lawrence was patient until he needed to be decisive Sunday. He didn't leave the pocket early and when he did the turn-your-back-and-get-out-of-there thing to his left, he stopped and waited for Thomas to get open and delivered a precise pass for positive yardage. There was another throw when he started to climb the pocket. A season ago, he would have scrambled. On Sunday, he threaded a beautiful pass to tight end Brenton Strange for a 12-yard gain and a first down. Coen asked Lawrence to lift his game – and in the process, lift his team. I thought he did that Sunday. On the first-quarter fumble while trying to hand the ball to running back Tank Bigsby, Lawrence should have just lived to fight another play. While he must learn to do that, he followed that with a strong drive that ended with a touchdown pass to Washington. Defensive end Travon Walker on Saturday said he has been very impressed with what he's seen from Lawrence. That follows similar commentary from defensive end Josh Hines-Allen, Brian Thomas Jr. and cornerback Tyson Campbell. Lawrence showed the rest of us Sunday, which is a promising sign for the season.
2. We must slow the roll on the kicker being Superman. While it's hard not to think Cam Little is money from anywhere the field, even after delivering a 70-yarder in Preseason Week 1, remember: There only have been 39 field goals from more than 60 yards in NFL history. That means the potential game-winning field goal that Coen passed on with :09 remaining Sunday wasn't a gimme. Coen's decision to have reserve quarterback Seth Henigan pass instead made sense. Henigan made a bad decision and a bad throw. Coen preaches situational mastery and didn't get it there, which cost the Jaguars a chance to win. But I don't disagree with the decision to gain a few extra yards to increase the odds of success.

Kainani Stevens, Jaguars Team Reporter/Producer ...

1. Clean it up. After an error-filled Preseason Week 1 against the Steelers, the Jaguars starters cleaned up their act Sunday. The defensive communication improved as the starters got off the field quickly on the first two possessions without giving up any points. The starting offense operated smoothly, despite a red-zone turnover, and should be commended for bouncing back on the ensuing drive. The mistakes were limited in this game and perhaps more importantly, the roster showed the resolve to not allow those mistakes to break them. That change in mentality is a notable difference compared to last season.
2. Musical chairs on the offensive line. A physical scrimmage on Thursday left some of the offensive line banged up as Anton Harrison and Chuma Edoga did not dress against the Saints. There was a rotation that saw Fred Johnson and Patrick Mekari playing multiple positions. The running game thrived with running backs Travis Etienne Jr. and Tank Bigsby contributing early thanks to good blocking. The success on the ground continued with a strong showing from rookie Bhayshul Tuten, who scored his second touchdown of the preseason. The offensive line also kept the quarterback well-protected and has yet to allow a sack in the preseason.