Jaguars vs. Falcons: 3 things to watch for

The Jacksonville Jaguars play their final 2017 preseason game on Thursday evening against the Atlanta Falcons. There’s a possibility some of the Jaguars starters play in the game, most notably the offensive line because of their disappointing play.

Overall there probably isn’t too much to glean from the game, but here a few things to keep an eye on during the game.

Does the starting OL play?

As mentioned, the offensive line has left a lot to be desired through three preseason games. In fact, the poor play of the line and the inability to run the ball was one of the reasons Jaguars head coach Doug Marrone went back to Blake Bortles, as he has some improvisational ability that Chad Henne simply does not and may be necessary early in the season. So the question are: If the starting offensive line plays, what is the combination and can they run the ball effectively against what will largely be backups?

Is there a pass rush?

I wouldn’t expect a lot of the starting defensive line and Dante Fowler to play much, but the overall pass rush in the preseason hasn’t been there. Can any of the backups make some plays and provide pressure? Who will step up? There are some spots up for grabs on the defensive line.

Is it just the Brandon Allen show?

While I don’t think there is a lot to gain from performance in the final preseason game, I do think not playing can be a pretty good sign of a player making the roster or not. If the Jaguars decide to make the final preseason game the Brandon Allen solo-act once again like last year, it probably means Chad Henne is the primary backup and Allen might be on the outs. I personally think Doug Marrone’s comments about Allen being better in games than he is in practice was a warning sign his spot on the roster is in jeopardy.