The Jacksonville Jaguars’ starters didn’t play Saturday night, but the team’s backups were more than enough in a 25-7 win against the Detroit Lions.
Leading the way in the victory was the Jaguars’ first half defense, which didn’t allow the Detroit offense anywhere near the end zone and forced a couple turnovers, including a Gregory Junior interception that set up Jacksonville’s first touchdown of the day.
While the Lions scored a touchdown early in the second half, the Jaguars’ third-string quarterback Nathan Rourke kept the offense moving up and down the field, and running back D’Ernest Johnson punched the ball in the end zone on back-to-back drives.
Final scores don’t matter much in preseason, but Saturday offered further proof that the Jaguars’ roster has plenty of depth and the team has some tough decisions coming before the regular season starts.
Jaguars MVP of the game: DL Jeremiah Ledbetter
With the Jaguars starting defensive line watching from the sideline, Ledbetter got a start and looked unblockable, at times. He recorded a sack on the first play from scrimmage and he forced a fumble later in the first half when he brought down Teddy Bridgewater just as the Lions quarterback was trying to hand off the ball.
Folorunso Fatukasi is nursing an injury and may miss time early in the season, but the Jaguars have a couple good reserves in Ledbetter and Adam Gotsis.
Lions MVP of the game: LB Jack Campbell
There weren’t many standouts on the offensive side of the ball for the Lions, but Campbell had plenty of opportunities to make an impact. The first-round linebacker led all players in the game in tackles.
Jaguars play of the game: C.J. Beathard and Tim Jones connect for 48 yards
.@Timnjones5 with a great contested grab!#JAXvsDET on FOX pic.twitter.com/923rKxykOE
— Jacksonville Jaguars (@Jaguars) August 19, 2023
While it wasn’t a perfect throw from Beathard (Jaguars coaches probably prefer the ball pushed toward the boundary and out of the reach of the cornerback), Jones slowed his route and played the ball perfectly, calmly hauling it in for a big play.
It was over when D’Ernest Johnson scored his second of two touchdowns that extended the Jaguars’ lead to three scores early in the fourth quarter.
Stat that says it all: Total yards: Jaguars 399, Lions 131
The final score was lopsided, but maybe not quite as one-sided as it could’ve been. A look at the stats shows just how much of a domination it was on Saturday. Jacksonville essentially tripled Detroit’s offensive production and the Lions didn’t convert a third down until the fourth quarter.
What’s next: The Jaguars will wrap up their preseason slate with a home game against the Miami Dolphins.
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