Trevor Lawrence plays nine snaps in the Jaguars’ season opener against the Kansas City Chiefs.
Doug Pederson of the Jacksonville Jaguars reveals who will call the plays against the Chiefs
Doug Pederson, HC of the Jacksonville Jaguars, gave an insight into who will be calling the plays against the Kansas City Chiefs this Saturday in the 1st week of preparation.
Doug Pederson, head coach of the Jacksonville Jaguars, said earlier this week that the team’s core players would have to get used to the game, and they did just that in the season opener against the Kansas City Chiefs.
The Jaguars defeated the Chiefs 26-13 in their first preseason game.
Jacksonville finished the first half with a 10-point lead over the Chiefs (20-10), thanks in part to a Kansas City error that resulted in a safety and gave Jacksonville two extra points.
“I like that we play fast, our aggressive execution is pretty good. We need to fix a few things,” Pederson said in an interview with CBS47 at halftime. “We need to get the running game going a little more here in the second half, but I like the return game.”
Trevor Lawrence vs Patrick Mahomes: Who won the Jaguars’ short game against the Chiefs?
Jacksonville started the game on defense and held the Chiefs offense, led by Patrick Mahomes, to one field goal. Mahomes completed three of four passes for 27 yards. Chiefs running back Isiah Pacheco carried the ball twice for 16 yards.
Jacksonville’s offense also fared well. Lawrence left the game after two drives, having completed 3 of 4 passes for 42 yards and a touchdown. Travis Etienne has seen better days, managing just 3 yards on four carries. He did, however, have one pass reception for a 9-yard touchdown.
Free agent Gabe Davis grabbed his first ball as a Jaguar, catching a 20-yard pass from Lawrence, the longest play by the team’s regulars.
Clemson connection: Jaguars score touchdown from Trevor Lawrence for Etienne
The first drive of the game went smoothly for the Jaguars offense. After a 13-yard pass from Lawrence to tight end Luke Farrell, Lawrence found Etienne in the middle of the field, who made a nine-yard catch-and-run into the end zone.
Backup QB CJ Beathard was next to enter the game to play the first half. Beathard completed 7 of 14 passes for 125 yards and a touchdown.
His running mate this year, QB Mac Jones, finished the game with 9 of 11 completed passes for 98 yards. One of Jones’ incomplete passes was a dropped pass.
Parker Washington provides momentum with kickoff return
It didn’t take long for the Jaguars to see the fruits of the NFL’s new kickoff. After the Chiefs’ field goal, Washington caught Butker’s kick at the seven-yard line and ran around until he found it 73 yards to the Kansas City 20-yard line.
Washington was selected in the sixth round of the 2023 NFL Draft and was one of the team’s bright spots during training camp.
Brian Thomas Jr. makes a spectacular catch with the Jaguars substitutes
It didn’t take long for Jaguars rookie receiver Brian Thomas Jr. to make his presence felt on Saturday. With about a minute left in the first quarter, quarterback CJ Beathard found Thomas on the sideline and completed his second pass of the game for 41 yards.
Beathard targeted Thomas twice early in his season. Thomas was selected 23rd in this year’s draft and is expected to be one of the team’s starting receivers this year alongside Christian Kirk and Gabe Davis.
Thomas had a quiet training camp but has been making some plays down low recently and that has translated into the game now. Coming out of LSU, Thomas was known as a deep threat with a blistering 4.33-second 40-yard dash. Last season with the Tigers, he averaged 17.3 yards per catch and led all receivers in the nation with 17 TDs.
Devin Duvernay crowns the first half for Jacksonville with a pike catch and a goal
With less than 30 seconds left in the first half, Beathard threw the ball deep down the field to Jaguars receiver Devin Duvernay despite heavy pressure. Duvernay was tightly covered, but grabbed the ball right in the end zone and scored a 35-yard touchdown.
The touchdown gave Jacksonville a 16-10 lead at halftime. They scored two more points and converted them with a run by running back D’Ernest Johnson from a few yards away.
Duvernay was signed in the spring to replace return specialist/WR Jamal Agnew, and although he didn’t play as a returner, he made his presence known as a receiver on Saturday night.
Tyson Campbell and 7 other players excluded before kick-off
Before the game, the Jaguars ruled out eight players for the game against the Chiefs, including safety Darnell Savage, running back Keilan Robinson, cornerback Tyson Campbell, tight end Andrew Wingard, offensive linemen Steven Jones, Ezra Cleveland, Anton Harrison and defensive lineman Jordan Jefferson.
Savage (shoulder, non-contact), Robinson (toe), Wingard (knee), Jones (calf), Cleveland (heel), Harrison (concussion protocol) and Jefferson (ankle) have missed time due to injuries sustained in practice. Savage has been practicing at full speed but has not shed his red non-contact jersey.
Campbell suffered an ankle injury at the start of camp but fully participated in training.
Demetrius Harvey is the Jacksonville Jaguars reporter for the Florida Times-Union. You can follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter, at @Demetrius82.
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