JACKSONVILLE – Let's get to it …
Jeremy from Gilbert, AZ
Looks like the offense needs all the practice they can get. Also looks like the NFL continues to believe that tackling on defense equates to unnecessary roughness (i.e. Andrew Wingard's tackle). Is it time to officially convert to flag football?
Among this job's great pleasures is the annual teeth-gnashing over preseason. That the teeth-gnashing would ratchet up a notch this Jaguars preseason was perhaps expected because of the deserved expectations around this team entering the 2023 season. The Jaguars were fine in a 28-23 victory over the Dallas Cowboys in Preseason Week 1 Saturday. That's not saying they were great. They also weren't awful. They were OK. The first-team offense had one bad play – an interception on quarterback Trevor Lawrence's first throw of the game. The unit then settled in and scored a touchdown on one of its three series. My thought is that we know from Lawrence's current pace of development that we're likely to see far more of the good plays than the bad. The Jaguars got good performances from a lot of rookies. The first-team defense did fine against the Dallas second team. The Jaguars overall defensively got pressure on the quarterback and forced turnovers. They got out of the game uninjured except for a shoulder injury to long snapper Ross Matiscik. It's the preseason. The starters played about 12 minutes. Breathe. It's mid-August. And yes … the NFL is going to over-officiate hitting to veer toward player safety. It's the trend. There's no going back to the old days on this one.
Jeremy from Gilbert, AZ
The INT Lawrence threw was more than a bad throw. We had two receivers in the same location and Trevor made a terrible decision to even throw the ball. It's time to lower the expectations for this offense.
Sometimes when I read things about the Jaguars in fan pages and groups – and in this forum – I wonder if the people writing are making a joke. I hope they are making a joke. I learned long ago that sometimes they aren't making a joke.
Rob from St Augustine, FL
Enter overreactions and reading too much into things.
Input received.
Don from Marshall, NC
What a story with Nathan Rourke from Canada. Chasing the dream, man! Now I know why they locked him down with a three-year contract. This team is loaded for bear! Go Jaguars!
When it comes to Jaguars third-team quarterback Nathan Rourke, who played with the Canadian Football League's British Columbia Lions the past two seasons, Don is "all in."
Jason from North Pole, AK
I was actually surprised at the positivity in Ozone yesterday around this preseason game. I believe I've heard you say the biggest improvement this offense can make is to start faster and have Trevor eliminate his accuracy issues early in games. The fact that it took three possessions against the Cowboys backups to get points along with an interception on the first drive felt like more of the same. I'm not really concerned and keeping it in perspective, but that was not what I was hoping to see.
The starters played three series in Preseason Week 1. They left the game leading 8-0. The Jaguars' offense is going to be good this season. It may not score on every possession. They Jaguars also probably not going undefeated. If they do, that would be cool.
Brian from Round Rock, TX
I remeber why I loved thos defenae last year.
Step out of the box. Knock the dirt out of the spikes. Refocus. Take a cut or two and get back in. You'll get it.
Michael from Orange Park, FL
Any concern about Trevor and the interception> He seems to do that a lot.
Lawrence indeed throws an avoidable interception now and again. He is still a young player. He developed at a rapid pace at the end of last season and must develop more to be an elite quarterback. Throwing fewer avoidable interceptions is one of the top ways he must develop. I am not concerned about Lawrence.
Michael from Mean streets of Arlington
Free Rourke?
Rourke had a really nice game Saturday. He had some memorable throws and a spectacular play in the fourth quarter on which he evaded a sack and threw a 21-yard touchdown pass to running back Qadree Ollison that essentially secured the Jaguars' victory. It was a heady, instinctive play in a really good performance. Rourke looked much better in the game than he has at times in practices. Let's see where he goes from here. It's Preseason Week 1.
Jim from Jagsonville
Rourke is my new hero! DUUUVALL!!! Preseason can be fun ... who knew? Go Jaguars!!!
One fer Rourke.
Dave from Jacksonville
Zone, what do they do with Jacob Harris? All he does is show up and show out.
Jacob Harris is going to be one of the wide receivers making the decisions regarding the 53-man roster difficult. I sense the Jaguars may have to try to get him through to the practice squad. I don't know if he will get through.
Garrett from Edgetown
Zone, correct me if I'm wrong. Much like the previous seasons in his professional career, we saw nothing from Chaisson in Arlington?
K'Lavon Chaisson, an outside linebacker in his fourth NFL season, did not register a statistic against the Cowboys. Defensive statistics in short preseason stints aren't necessarily reflective of performance or potential.
Paul from Saint Johns
Do you see Chaisson making the 53-man roster? Has he shown anything, in your opinion, to be deserving of a spot? I was impressed with Yasir Abdullah in the last preseason game and would choose him over Chaisson if I were general manager.
I think Chaisson has a good chance to be on the 53-man roster. He looked good in the offseason, looked OK early in training camp and played solidly on special teams and as a reserve. If a roster spot came down to Abullah or Chaisson, I would expect the Jaguars to go with Abdullah.
Gary from St. Augustine, FL
I was right. You still suck in the preseason.
Go Jags.
Scott from Aruba
I just discovered there is a comment section after each of your posts. My takeaway after reading them is that you need a raise. Happy to inform Shad if you let me know how to contact him.
You discovered a what?
Gray from Random Locations
How bad is Ross's shoulder? Long snapping isn't easy. Should we be concerned?
Jaguars long snapper Ross Matiscik sustained a shoulder injury in the first quarter Saturday. He missed the rest of the game and the team as of early Monday has yet to update the injury. No, long snapping isn't easy. I would expect the Jaguars to sign a long snapper in the coming days whatever the severity of Matiscik's injury.
JT from Palm Coast, FL
A lot to like about this game, but the penalties stood out. Hopefully they get that out of them before the Colts game.
Hopefully.
Boxcutter Bill from Massachusetts
Left tackle Cam Robinson got a lot of time with the twos and looked pretty dominant. I know it wasn't against front-line guys, but still a good sign. He stood out from the guys on the field. Left tackle Walker Little looked good except for that false start call. How did the rookie look at right tackle? Didn't seem to stand out good or bad.
Robinson, who will begin the 2023 serving a four-game suspension, indeed looked fine playing in a backup role Saturday. That was unsurprising; Robinson has been a good left tackle in the NFL for a long time and there's no reason that should change. Little, who is expected to start in place of Robinson to start the season, also looked fine in a short stint Saturday. Harrison, the No. 27 overall selection in the 2023 NFL Draft, started at right tackle and by all accounts also fared fine. One analyst had him not allowing a pressure on 11 passing snaps. He was among multiple rookies looking the part Saturday.
Robert from Moorpark, CA
Was unable to watch. Most curious how Anton and linebacker Devin Lloyd played from your perspective?
Fine.
Kalani from Jax
Hey O! Junior's effort on that goal-line strip was a thing of beauty. He hit the receiver with his own blocker then punched the ball out in one motion ON THE GOAL LINE? I'm reeling it back in for obvious reasons but that's what we want to see from young developing draft picks.
Among the major storylines of Jaguars 2023 Training Camp and the '23 preseason is what young player(s) will take a leap and become a reliable fourth or fifth – and perhaps, eventually, at least a third – cornerback. Junior, a sixth-round selection in the 2022 NFL Draft from Ouachita Baptist, is beginning to look like such a player.
Scott from Jacksonville
"Don't play Kelce." Good answer, hehe.
I'm a delight.
