Cam Little’s kick should be within the air someplace.
The Jacksonville Jaguars are formally again in motion after their first preseason recreation of the yr, a 31-25 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers.
The rating was doubtless the least of anybody’s worries yesterday as most followers, and folks throughout the league, had been extra so centered on what rookie WR/CB Travis Hunter would do in his first NFL motion.
Whereas Hunter performed nicely, he actually wasn’t the one one. And as at all times there may be room for enchancment on each side of the ball. For a primary preseason recreation, Saturday’s bout was about what was to be anticipated from the Jags.
This one is to be anticipated, however second-year kicker Cam Little set the NFL ablaze Saturday together with his record-setting 70-yard area purpose make. It’s the longest identified area purpose make in soccer, in line with Yahoo Sports activities, and would have been the longest made kick in NFL historical past had it been within the common season.
All of us knew Little was good. However solely Little knew he was THAT good when he referred to as his personal quantity to try the kick.
Yeah, OK, Hunter bought his head dribbled one time (he missed an open sort out). It occurs. However for rookie unicorn participant Hunter, it was a high-quality debut.
On offense, he caught 2 passes for 9 yards — together with his longest going for six — whereas operating with the starters (unsurprisingly). On protection, he ran with the second string. It may not have been probably the most eye-popping of general stat traces, however it’s the starting of one of many league’s most fascinating experiments.
Each preseason, Jags followers go nuts over who might be the staff’s final broad receiver. All of us have this fervor for that final dude on the depth chart. Saturday didn’t assist any of that.
Second-year move catcher Josh Cephus regarded good with 3 catches for 25 yards. Trenton Irwin regarded actually strong together with his 4 catches for 48 yards and a rating. Austin Trammell even flashed on particular groups with some strong kick returning. None of those guys are Brian Thomas Jr. or Hunter, in fact, however the Jags might have some strong depth and a wealth of backup move catchers if and when the time comes for them.
So what was that opening drive all about? The Jags’ beginning protection didn’t look spectacular in any respect towards Mason Rudolph because the Steelers’ backup quarterback marched his staff down the sector for a gap drive rating. The opening drive is probably the most scripted drive of the sport, in fact, however the Jags did little in the best way of stopping Rudolph from doing what he happy.
That Steelers offense was nowhere close to full energy both, because the likes of Aaron Rodgers and DK Metcalf sat on the sidelines. One preseason drive isn’t essentially one thing to sound the alarm about, particularly given it’s with a brand new teaching employees, but it surely isn’t precisely an excellent omen both. That unit wants a significantly better begin subsequent week.
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