JaguarsTalk: Jacksonville Jaguars vs Atlanta Falcons - Final Preseason Showdown
JT: 0-4 in the Preseason. Consistency is Key.
Is it September 11th yet? Can we please just fast forward to the Washington match-up at FedEx Field. I just can’t spend another week explaining to people that the preseason is for evaluating your team's talent, not game planning for the opponent. Not matching your second string against their third string, giving you a better chance of scoring. The preseason exists solely to see how your guys play in adverse situations. How your team adapts and overcomes. How your QB progresses through his reads. How your defense adjusts to offensive audibles. How well your blitzes work in certain situations. How well you run your two-minute offense. How well your offense responds to a fourth and 3 attempt. How far your kicker can kick. It’s literally about everything BUT who wins and loses. Hmm, that sounds exactly like something a team who lost every preseason game would say. Okay ya got me, but folks, all of the above is true. The Baltimore Ravens haven’t lost a single preseason game for years, they’ve won 22 in a row. That hasn’t translated into a Super Bowl. In fact, they finished dead last in their division last year, just like the Jaguars. For most of the preseason every team is playing 30+ players that won’t even be on the squad come the regular season. If that doesn’t hit home let’s simplify it even further. When your team makes it to the playoffs, does the regular season matter? Nope. Just like when the regular season begins, the preseason doesn’t matter. So that’ll about do it for that topic.
The Jacksonville Jaguars played their final preseason game in Atlanta this Saturday, against the Falcons. They lost, 28-12. Jacksonville lost the first quarter 7-3, the half 14-12, so on and so forth. Being that this game involved almost no Jacksonville starters, let's talk about some of the most notable people that did play. We are coming down to the final 53 cut. Jacksonville needs a kicker. To this point they’ve had five try out for the team. Kickers 4 and 5 displayed their talents in this final preseason game. To JaguarsTalk, kicker will be one of the most important positions this year for Jacksonville. JAX will need a dependable kicker specifically because the offense has consistently gotten in field goal range and consistently failed to get in the endzone. Three pointers will be vital to Jacksonville’s success this year. James McCourt was claimed off waivers from the Los Angeles Chargers and Jake Verity from the rival AFC South Indianapolis Colts. James McCourt was two for two from 38 and 54 yards while Jake Verity will be cut before the week begins. Verity missed his only attempt of 46 yards. It was nice to meet you Jake. Pederson played it cool when asked about the kicking situation. He said he’s going to look at tape and use this week's practice to decide (teeny tiny fib? We think so. Pederson already knows what he’s going to do). You could read the tea leaves on Jake Verity’s face when his field goal sailed wide. He knew his time in Jacksonville was over. It was almost painful to watch.
Next up on the chopping block, EJ Perry? Perry played the entire game and while he had some great passes, he also threw two interceptions. One was not his fault though as it hit the receiver right in the hands and deflected into the hands of a defender. The second INT, however, rests solely on Perry’s shoulders. He tossed up a duck, in order to avoid a sack, which was inevitably picked off. It was just a bad decision on Perry’s part. Other than the turnovers his numbers weren’t all that bad (19-37 for 201 yards and a touchdown). He may be spared his walking papers, however, seeing as only two other QBs are on the roster since Jake Luton was let go (again) early in the week.
Devin Lloyd, inside linebacker, finally saw playing time after nursing a hammy the entire preseason. Surprisingly Lloyd stayed on the field until roughly halftime. According to John Oehser’s reporting, Pederson liked what he saw. Coach said, “he looked good, played fast. It was good to see.” Lloyd left the game after recording five tackles. There is no doubt that first round draft pick Devin Lloyd will be ready to start against Washington in September. A guy who won’t be starting on Sept. 11 but who may have played himself onto the team this year is wide receiver Tim Jones. Jones, a Jaguars practice squad player last year, has been making a compelling case for a team jersey come Tuesday. He had 219 yards on 14 catches this preseason. Against the Falcons he pulled down a 49-yarder and a 41-yarder. The stat that truly stands out to JaguarsTalk is that Jones led the Jags in receiving 3 out of the 4 preseason games. Did Timmy just play himself off the practice squad and onto the team?
Speaking of receivers, let's talk about a couple who were once thought of as starters and now are just trying to take a roster spot. Laquon Treadwell caught a seven-yard touchdown pass from EJ Perry, the only touchdown the Jags would register in this contest. Laviska Shenault, a 2020 NFL draft second rounder has to be looking over his shoulder. Who does he see? None other than Timmy Jones, in fact, at this point he may have to look ahead of him to find Jones. In looking at the wide receiver group we have the Jaguars starting three in Christian Kirk and the two Joneses (both Zay and Marvin Jr.). There are essentially three remaining spots for four guys, Laquon Treadwell, Tim Jones, Laviska Shenault Jr. and Jamal Agnew. JaguarsTalk believes it will come down to Shenault being shown the door and that would be really big news. Will Pederson keep all four of them? It’s doubtful that he can afford to spend that many roster spots on receivers. No matter who ends up being shown the door, they will be claimed off waivers rather quickly by another NFL team. I don’t see any of them landing on a practice squad in 2022. Needless to say, Tuesday’s cut down to 53 will be extremely interesting.
Who do you think will be left out in the cold? Let us know in the comment section below.