Jacksonville Jaguars: Observations from the First Preseason Game

The Liam Coen era for the Jacksonville Jaguars started the 2025 season with a close preseason loss. Yet despite the loss, there were some bright spots for the team.

Jacksonville Jaguars: The Liam Coen Era Begins

The Pittsburgh Steelers did not play their starters, and the Jacksonville Jaguars only played their starters for the first drive on each side of the ball. With that in mind, let’s take a look at the observations from the first preseason game.

A Quick[er] Start for First String?

During the regular season last year, the Jaguars struggled in the first quarter and found themselves behind early. They only scored five times on their opening drives, and only two touchdowns on their opening drives.

In the first preseason game, Jacksonville’s starters did not score a touchdown on their first drive, either. However, the unit sustained a 12-play drive for a field goal.

Coen scripted quick passes to get the ball out of Trevor Lawrence’s hands quickly and let the playmakers get in space. This was a good gameplan, as Lawrence needs to have easier throws to get in rhythm.

Running back Travis Etienne received reps with the first team, and it was good to see him utilized in a screen on the first drive. The Jaguars only attempted 60 screens last year and gained 248 yards.

While the Jaguars weren’t able to find the endzone, their initial quarter was promising from a fan’s perspective.

Same Old Jaguars Defense

The starters did not play for the Steelers offense, but quarterback Mason Rudolph led an opening drive right down the field. The Jaguars defensive line could not get pressure, and Rudolph was able to complete all seven passes on the first drive.

The Jaguars’ defense will play more zone this season under new defensive coordinator Anthony Campanile. Yet with no pressure, areas were open, and safeties were late to help. This was especially true on the touchdown to Darnell Washington.

The second and third string of the Jaguars defense did not fare much better. Third string quarterback Skylar Thompson threw for 233 yards and three touchdowns in relief of Rudolph.

The defense did have a couple of bright spots in a healthy Darnell Savage supporting the run. Yasir Abdullah made a nice tackle for loss, along with almost having his first interception.

This was Coach Campanile’s first game calling plays so it may take some time for the defense to gel as a unit. However, this was not a great sign against the Steelers’ backups.

Who is the WR5?

The top four receivers seem to be set with Brian Thomas Jr., Travis Hunter, Dyami Brown, and Parker Washington. There is speculation whether the Jaguars will keep only five receivers or if there is more flexibility with Hunter playing receiver and cornerback.

Trenton Irwin made a strong case for himself in this game. He had a bad drop in the first half. Yet in the third quarter he had three catches on a drive, including a touchdown. Irwin is an experienced veteran and could provide leadership in the room and on special teams.

Mullens throws a strike and Irwin reels it in 🤝#PITvsJAX on NFL+ pic.twitter.com/T2MsZqlmg6

— Jacksonville Jaguars (@Jaguars) August 10, 2025

Later in the game, Utah rookie Dorian Singer showed off his ability after the catch with 40 yards on three catches. He has a smaller frame, but did see 30 snaps on punt returns last year.

Finally, Joshua Cephus is in the mix as well. He caught all three of his targets for 25 yards. This is his second year with the Jaguars,  and he was signed to the practice squad in 2024.

Other Observations

• Cam Little was 4-of-4 on kicks, including a 70-yard field goal. He is a weapon for the Jaguars and becoming one of the best kickers in the NFL.
• Bhayshul Tuten was the third running back in. He ran hard and showed his explosion on a couple plays. It will be interesting how the rotation will be played out at running back.
• Seth Henigan came in as the fourth quarterback and showed good poise. He had some pinpoint passes trying to lead the team back from being down nine points.
• The running game was not overly productive but it was good to see Coen stick with it even with modest gains.
• Travis Hunter played 10 snaps on offense and eight snaps on defense. The plan is still up in the air but it looks like the Jaguars are sticking to their word of using him quite a bit on both sides of the ball.