The Jacksonville Jaguars’ final preseason game against the Atlanta Falcons started with a bang when third-year safety Josh Thompson came down with an interception on the first play from scrimmage, but they’d enter halftime down 14-12. In the hopes of securing their first exhibition win of their 2022 season headed into September when the games will start counting toward playoff eligibility, Jacksonville will need to make some big plays happen in the second half to bring positive momentum into Week 1.
Here are three key observations from their first half against Atlanta:
Joint practices bred competitive edge between both teams
After a week spent practicing against one another in Atlanta, the Jaguars and Falcons seemed particularly familiar with each other’s strategies in the first half, especially on defense. Both teams were able to generate a double-digit point total, but the hard-fought half was competitive for every minute of competition.
The only touchdown that Atlanta scored on a sustained drive came on a short pass near the goal line from Falcons rookie Desmond Ridder to running back Tyler Allgeier in the first quarter. Jacksonville got into the end zone at the tail end of the second quarter on a touchdown pass from E.J. Perry to Laquon Treadwell just before time expired.
Watch for both offenses to continue playing aggressively in the second half in hopes of breaking the game wide open by gaining a ginormous lead before the final whistle.
Jaguars backup defense looks every bit as dominant as starters
This Jacksonville squad is desperate to improve over their abysmal 2021 campaign, and the backups seem dead-set on showing they’ll do anything necessary to secure wins, even if only in a preseason exhibition. The Jaguars allowed just 72 total yards in the first half and forced a big turnover on the game’s opening play to put their team up early in the first quarter. They gave up two touchdowns in the half, one of which was on a drive that started near the goal line following a blocked punt.
With another outstanding effort, Jacksonville’s defense could vivisect the Falcons’ offense in the second half if they can force another turnover or two.
Kicker James McCourt needs strong showing in second half to maintain spot as starter
Just 2-for-3 on field goals in the first half, McCourt needs to nail every opportunity that comes his way in the third and fourth quarters if he intends to stay employed in the regular season. After struggling to find a kicker in the preseason, Jacksonville cut Ryan Santoso this week before claiming McCourt off waivers. They also claimed another kicker on Friday, second-year leg Jake Verity who previously kicked for the Indianapolis Colts and Baltimore Ravens.
His competition is stiff, so McCourt will need to prove he can bounce back in the second half.
