Big Cat Country - Jaguars vs. Jets 2013: Blaine Gabbert gets the start, looks to improveStand United, Duval Til We Diehttps://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/47383/bigcatcountry_fave.png2013-08-24T09:00:11-04:00http://www.bigcatcountry.com/rss/stream/43751072013-08-24T09:00:11-04:002013-08-24T09:00:11-04:00Gabbert shows quick growth
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<p>Jaguars quarterback Blaine Gabbert showed a growth in patience and decision making from Week 1 to Week 2 in the preseason.</p> <p>Through two games, we're starting to see offensive coordinator Jedd Fisch's offense form it's identity. The <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.bigcatcountry.com/">Jaguars</a> are currently second in the league in terms of time elapsed between snap and throw - second only to the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.bleedinggreennation.com/">Philadelphia Eagles</a>. More importantly though, we saw <span>Blaine Gabbert</span> take some incremental steps, giving some hope that the Jaguars can at least have a functional offense this year.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The most noticeable difference between the first and second game of the preseason was Gabbert’s patience. The Jaguars so far have made a major emphasis on playing at a fast tempo and getting the ball out quickly, and Gabbert did a much better job of not rushing his post-snap reads and allowing plays to develop against New York than he did against Miami.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">If you remember from the <a href="http://www.bigcatcountry.com/2013/5/23/4350420/jedd-fisch-offense-jaguars-breakdown" target="_blank">Jedd Fisch Offensive Primer</a>, <span>one of our new offensive coordinator's favorite pass concepts is the Snag Concept. Snag features a <b>CHI</b>NA (<b>C</b>orner <b>Hi</b>gh-Low) route combination from two inside receivers and a Mini-Curl route from an outside receiver. The combination of a Corner/Flat High-Low stretch and the Curl/Flat Horizontal stretch forms to create a </span><a href="http://smartfootball.com/passing/snag-stick-and-the-importance-of-triangles-yes-triangles-in-the-passing-game" target="_blank">Triangle Stretch</a><span> against the defense. The quarterback's progression goes from deep-to-short on the Corner/Mini-Curl combo. If the defense is able to take both of those routes away, there will likely be a void for the Curl runner to settle into.<br></span></p>
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<p align="center"><i>(Miami running Snag off of Outside Zone action under Fisch)</i></p>
<p>Gabbert's final play in the first preseason game against Miami resulted in an interception off of Snag. Granted, the interception came off a deflection as the ball ricocheted directly off of fullback Will Ta'ufo'ou's facemask, but Gabbert rushed the progression and made a sub-optimal choice on where to go with the football.</p>
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<p>Miami runs Cover Two - the exact coverage the Corner High/Low combination is designed to attack. The safety to the playside bails deep and the cornerback gets sucked up into the Flats, leaving <span>Marcedes Lewis</span> wide open on the Corner route. As you can see, the design of the play sets up so that Gabbert's drop times up with Lewis' break. The ball should come out in rhythm and arrive well before the safety has a chance to react up. However, after the playfake, Gabbert immediately throws the flat route to the fullback, leading to the deflection and interception.</p>
<p>The Jaguars called a similar Triangle concept against the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.ganggreennation.com/">Jets</a> in a 1st and 20 situation this past Saturday. It featured the same Corner High/Low combination, but the horizontal stretch came from a backside crosser - as opposed to a mini-Curl from outside of the Corner/Flat combo. The progression is identical to Snag - High-to-Low (or Corner-to-Flat) and then onto the receiver creating the Horizontal stretch (in this case, the tight end running a Drag from the backside).</p>
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<p>The Jets run Cover One (man coverage across the board with a deep safety over the top), meaning that there won't be any natural voids where the defense gets stretched. The players running patterns have to simply beat their man and make a play on the ball. Gabbert completes his drop and fires the ball into Blackmon's chest in rhythm coming out of his break on the Corner route. Note that Blackmon is actually more "covered" on this play than Lewis was on the Snag. One extra split-second of patience makes all the difference between a negative play and a 15-yard completion.</p>
<p>Gabbert's accuracy in the short passing game also seem improved from a week ago. It goes without saying that accuracy is an integral part of playing quarterback, but precision is an absolute necessity for any quick, rhythm-based pass game (which the Jaguars have been utilizing greatly so far this preseason).</p>
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<p><span>Ace Sanders</span> runs a quick Square-In against a cornerback in press-man coverage. He does an excellent job of sinking his hips and using his hands to fight the corner off his chest (and actually pushes the corner to the ground out of his break). However, Gabbert's high pass causes Sanders to break his stride and jump to bring the football in - giving the cornerback the split-second he needs to recover and disrupt Sanders at the catch point. Like with the interception, the blame on this play doesn't solely lie with Gabbert. Sanders contributed to the poor outcome, much like Ta'ufo'ou on the interception. However, it's another good example of small details being the difference between a routine play and a wasted play.</p>
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<p>Gabbert puts everything together against an overload blitz with man coverage behind it on 3rd and 9 against the Jets. Instead of rushing a throw to the Quick-Out to the slot receiver (who the safety begins driving down on immediately out of the break), he waits a split-second longer and throws to the Reisner on the deeper Out.</p>
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<p>Not only does Gabbert show improved patience by not jumping onto the Quick-Out, his precision in hitting the deeper Out allows for yardage after catch and, ultimately, the first down. The Jets' overload blitz comes to the same side as the passing strength, forcing their man coverage defenders to cover a lot of ground post-snap. With Gabbert hitting the Out in rhythm and with accuracy, he gives the linebacker no chance to recover and disrupt Reisner at the catch point like the Sanders play.</p>
<p>The hallmark of Jaguars quarterback play over the last few seasons has been major inconsistency (not just week-to-week, but drive-to-drive). The Jets challenged Gabbert with a lot of man coverage and blitzes, and he responded with solid drives. The offense overcame penalties, mistakes, and bad situations for the first time in what seems like eternity. In typical Jaguars fashion, Gabbert's day ended with a fracture to the thumb on his throwing hand, which will cause him to miss the remainder of the preseason. Once the regular season resumes, it will be interesting to see if these were true steps toward progress for the young quarterback or just another frustrating flash in the pan.</p>
<p><i>Eric Stoner is a recurring contributor to the Big Cat Country Film Room and owns <a href="http://draftmecca.com" target="_blank">Draft Mecca</a>, a website covering the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/nfl-draft">NFL Draft</a>. </i></p>
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https://www.bigcatcountry.com/2013/8/24/4653328/blaine-gabbert-jaguars-film-breakdownEricStoner2013-08-22T10:20:10-04:002013-08-22T10:20:10-04:00Jags vs. Jets: Advanced numbers
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<p>We know how the Jaguars did against the Jets by the raw numbers, but how did they do according to the advanced metrics?</p> <p>The <a href="https://www.bigcatcountry.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Jacksonville Jaguars</a> are one of many teams who have an analytics department now, so we'll take a look at some of the advanced metrics after games this season to see how players did. We've referenced <a href="https://go.redirectingat.com?id=66960X1516590&xs=1&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.profootballfocus.com&referrer=sbnation.com&sref=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.bigcatcountry.com%2F2013%2F8%2F22%2F4647102%2Fjets-vs-jaguars-2013-results-advanced-metrics" target="_blank" rel="sponsored nofollow noopener">Pro Football Focus</a> in the past at times, but we'll be using more of them going forward.</p>
<h4>Jaguars vs. <a href="https://www.ganggreennation.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Jets</a> ratings: Who fared well</h4>
<p><b><span>Roy Miller</span> -</b> Miller played just 19 total snaps in the game, but he walked away with the Jaguars highest defensive rating for the game with a <b>+1.9</b> using PFF's measure. The weight of the score was on his run defense, which is what his primary job is going to be, but he was also able to add a quarterback pressure up the middle.</p>
<p><b><span>LaRoy Reynolds</span> -</b> The undrafted rookie linebacker continues to impress, and even though he looked out of place and missed some run fits as the SAM linebacker with the first team, he walked away with the Jaguars second highest rating with <b>+1.5</b>, mostly because of his pass coverage. He had one pass thrown his direction and had one pass deflection. Reynolds also picked up five tackles and two stops.</p>
<p><b><span>Cameron Bradfield</span> -</b> Surprisingly Bradfield picked up the highest offensive rating in the game with a <b>+1.3</b> overall, including <b>+1.4</b> in pass protection despite giving up a sack in the game. Bradfield is back in his natural position as a backup swing tackle, and with <span>Luke Joeckel</span> sitting out it's nice to see him play well.</p>
<p><b><span>Justin Blackmon</span> -</b> Blackmon made his return to the field felt against the Jets, taking advantage of the corners, especially rookie first-round pick Dee Milliner. Blackmon picked up three receptions for 42 yards against the rookie, including 21 yards after the catch.</p>
<h4>Jaguars vs. Jets rating: Who fared poorly</h4>
<p><b><span>Jonathan Cyprien</span> - </b>The Jaguars second-round pick struggled in his preseason debut, which wasn't too much of a surprise. Cyprien was clearly amped up, picking up some quick penalties and falling down in coverage which led to his <b>-3.5</b> rating bogged down by his <b>-3.3</b> rating in coverage. I'd expect him to play much better against the <a href="https://www.bleedinggreennation.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Eagles</a>.</p>
<p><b><span>Matt Scott</span> -</b> Team #StartMattScott took a big hit on Saturday with his play against the Jets late. Scott dropped back four times and didn't complete a single pass, nearly having three of them intercepted. He also had a pass batted at the line and ended with a <b>-3.2</b> rating.</p>
<p><b>Mike Brewster -</b> The Jaguars back up utility interior offensive lineman has seemed to struggle during the offseason and so far in games, not taking that step forward most of us expected. He finished the game with a <b>-2.3</b> rating, giving up two pressures and had a <b>-1.6</b> pass block rating, by far the worst for the Jaguars on the night.</p>
<p><b><span>Jason Babin</span> -</b> The Jaguars pass rush has been a big issue so far in the preseason, as outside of <span>Sen'Derrick Marks</span> no one has gotten pressure, including veteran Jason Babin. Babin had a <b>-1.5</b> rating against the Jets rushing the passer, as he was handled by D'Brickashaw Ferguson. Ferguson is a top tier left tackle in the NFL, but Babin has just one pressure in 48 snaps so far in the preseason.</p>
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https://www.bigcatcountry.com/2013/8/22/4647102/jets-vs-jaguars-2013-results-advanced-metricsAlfie Crow2013-08-22T08:48:27-04:002013-08-22T08:48:27-04:00Bold City Football Show - Episode 5<img src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/8E9WbjiAEHSYdNoDAdCGbHVXutA=/410x410/cdn.vox-cdn.com/fan_shot_images/301947/Screen_Shot_2013-06-24_at_2.08.17_PM.png" />
<div class="source source-img"><p><p>The archive of <a href="http://www.sportsradiojax.com/pages/bcfs.html?feed=476597&article=11592547" target="new">Episode 5 -- 8/21 is now available. You can listen to it here</a>.</p></p></div>
https://www.bigcatcountry.com/2013/8/22/4646996/bold-city-football-show-episode-5Alfie Crow2013-08-19T10:01:45-04:002013-08-19T10:01:45-04:00Pass rush underwhelming
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<p>The Jaguars have struggled to rush the passer and look as if that will continue to be the case.</p> <p>The Jacksonville Jaguars have been woeful rushing the passer for nearly a decade now, and after the first two preseason games it appears it's still going to be an issue. The lack of a pass rush reared it's ugly head on Saturday night, as the team ended the night with just two hits on the quarterback and two sacks, both of which game late in the second half.</p>
<p>Against the Jaguars first team defense, Jets quarterback Mark Sanchez setup his lawn chair in the pocket and picked apart the defense without much pressure. Starting LEO end Jason Babin was handled by D'Brickashaw Ferguson most of the game, as was any other defensive end who matched up with him.</p>
<p>Once again the only player who was a consistent hassle for the offensive line was defensive tackle Sen'Derrick Marks, who's quickness off the snap has been trouble for guards in the first two preseason games.</p>
<p>A rather looming "stat" from the game was the fact that former second-round pick Andre Branch netted just 15 total snaps in the game, nine of which were on special teams. When Branch was in rushing the passer from the LEO position, his lack of flexibility and <a href="http://i.minus.com/iblkeybRK3FnhJ.gif" target="_blank">inability to bend around the edge was glaring</a>.</p>
<p>It's going to likely be an issue all season long, which will require the Jaguars defense to do things like send linebackers and defensive backs after the quarterback, which is going to put strain on an inexperienced secondary.</p>
<p>Expect the Jaguars to be on the look for a veteran in final cuts, after the first regular season game, hoping to find something to assist the pass rush for this season.</p>
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https://www.bigcatcountry.com/2013/8/19/4635880/jaguars-depth-chart-pass-rushAlfie Crow2013-08-18T11:04:18-04:002013-08-18T11:04:18-04:00Jags D gives up yards, points late
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<figcaption>Debby Wong-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>The Jaguars defense gave up a lot of yards early against the Jets, but the points didn't come until the second half.</p> <p>There we're two big takeaways from the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.bigcatcountry.com/">Jacksonville Jaguars</a> second preseason game against the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.ganggreennation.com/">New York Jets</a> on Saturday evening. <a href="http://www.bigcatcountry.com/2013/8/18/4633088/blaine-gabbert-jaguars-quarterback-competition" target="_blank">The first was the play of quarterback</a> <span>Blaine Gabbert</span>, the second was how the Jets marched down the field against the Jaguars defense.</p>
<p>The defense gave up over 400 yards of total offense on the night to the Jets, but a good chunk of that was in the second half. In the first half, the starting defense allowed the Jets to get down the field on their opening drive and pick up a touchdown. The drive was assisted by some mistakes by rookie safety <span>Jonathan Cyprien</span>, who looked like a bull in a china shop in his debut.</p>
<p>The Jets scored on a <span>Mark Sanchez</span> touchdown pass to tight end <span>Jeff Cumberland</span>, who was covered by Cyprien until he fell down picking up the route.</p>
<p>There's been some hand wringing about Cyprien's poor showing in his debut, but to me it was clear he was just over-amped to get on the field and just needs to calm down. As head coach Gus Bradley said on the post-game radio show, "You'd rather tell him 'Woah there' rather than he needs to buck up and get going."</p>
<p>After the initial scoring drive, the defense tightened up and held the Jets starting offense to just a field goal, limiting them to 10 points at halftime.</p>
<p>Giving up yards, as the Jaguars defense did, wasn't uncommon for the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.fieldgulls.com/">Seattle Seahawks</a> defense under Gus Bradley either. It would often tighten up when teams were in third and long or after crossing midfield. That's likely going to be what the Jaguars defense does as well, especially with playing so many young players in the secondary on islands.</p>
<p>Things got a bit out of hand in the second half and the points piled up, but that's what happens when you turn the ball over multiple times.</p>
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https://www.bigcatcountry.com/2013/8/18/4633360/jets-vs-jaguars-recap-defenseAlfie Crow2013-08-18T09:00:07-04:002013-08-18T09:00:07-04:00Gabbert slams the door
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<p>Jaguars quarterback Blaine Gabbert slammed the door on the quarterback competition on Saturday night.</p> <p>The <a href="https://www.bigcatcountry.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Jacksonville Jaguars</a> fell to the <a href="https://www.ganggreennation.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">New York Jets</a> 37-13 on Saturday evening, but the biggest takeaway from the game was that someone finally took hold of the starting quarterback job. Third-year quarterback <span>Blaine Gabbert</span> played arguably the best we've ever seen him play against the Jets, starting the night off with a 35-yard strike to rookie <span>Ace Sanders</span>, picking up an opening drive touchdown a few plays later.</p>
<p>The most impressive thing Gabbert did on the night however was on his second drive of the game, which stalled out and ended in a field goal. Gabbert's downfield strike to Sanders was fantastic, but the second drive ended up running 16 plays and scoring a field goal.</p>
<p>How Gabbert operated on the drive was the most encouraging thing of the night. Gabbert converted three third downs through the air, even overcoming some bad penalties on the drive. Right after the offense crossed midfield, <span>Jordan Todman</span> ripped off a 21-yard run, but it was called back due to a holding penalty, which is typically a drive killer.</p>
<p>How did Gabbert respond?</p>
<p>A 12-yard pass to backup tight end <span>Allen Reisner</span> for a first down.</p>
<p>On the very next play the team picked up another holding penalty, putting them in first and 20.</p>
<p>How did Gabbert respond?</p>
<p>With a 16-yard pass to <span>Justin Blackmon</span> setting the team up in a more than manageable second down.</p>
<p>A few plays later the team found themselves in third and long and once again Gabbert picked up the first down through the air.</p>
<p>Gabbert looked comfortable, decisive, and seemed to pick at the defense where the holes in the zones were. Even under pressure, where Gabbert seems to look the most uncomfortable, he looked calm and collected, hitting his throws.</p>
<p>He finished the night going 13-for16 with 165 yards and a touchdown with a 130.5 quarterback rating.</p>
<p>Jaguars head coach Gus Bradley didn't declare a starter after the game, but it should be clear now who's nearly across the finish line. The only question now is about Gabbert's health, as he sprained his thumb on his last throw of the game. All indications are he should be fine, though.</p>
<h4>More from Big Cat Country:</h4>
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<li><a href="http://www.bigcatcountry.com/2013/8/17/4632426/jets-jaguars-final-score-recap-analysis?utm_source=bigcatcountry&utm_medium=nextclicks&utm_campaign=blogs">Jaguars vs. Jets final score: New York dominates second half in 37-13 win</a></li>
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<li><a href="http://www.bigcatcountry.com/2013/8/17/4631788/new-york-jets-jacksonville-jaguars-game-thread?utm_source=bigcatcountry&utm_medium=nextclicks&utm_campaign=blogs">Jaguars vs. Jets 2013: First half game thread</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.bigcatcountry.com/2013/8/17/4627692/jets-vs-jaguars-2013-maurice-jones-drew-justin-blackmon?utm_source=bigcatcountry&utm_medium=nextclicks&utm_campaign=blogs">Jaguars vs. Jets 2013: Maurice Jones-Drew, Justin Blackmon will play</a></li>
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https://www.bigcatcountry.com/2013/8/18/4633088/blaine-gabbert-jaguars-quarterback-competitionAlfie Crow2013-08-17T19:00:03-04:002013-08-17T19:00:03-04:00Jaguars vs. Jets: First half game thread
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<img alt="" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/DtRPdIRNGoWQ9ue-y__o7G1JH6U=/0x165:2951x2132/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/18026159/20130809_mbr_av1_135.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Melina Vastola-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Join the BCC community to discuss the first half of Saturday's preseason game between the Jaguars and Jets.</p> <p>The preseason debut of the <a href="https://www.bigcatcountry.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Jacksonville Jaguars</a> didn't go as planned against the <a href="https://www.thephinsider.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Miami Dolphins</a>, as the team lost 27-3 and struggled to get much of anything going offensively. On Saturday night the Jaguars will have a chance to right the ship in the second preseason game of the year with a tilt against the <a href="https://www.ganggreennation.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">New York Jets</a> at MetLife Stadium.</p>
<p>Like the Jaguars, the Jets have had some well-documented struggles at quarterback, but unlike the Jaguars they elected to try and help that issue with a selection in the <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/nfl-draft" class="sbn-auto-link">2013 NFL Draft</a>. The Jets selected <span>Geno Smith</span> in the second round to add competition to the quarterback position; however, Smith will not be playing on Saturday meaning the Jaguars will instead see more of <span>Mark Sanchez</span> and <span>Greg McElroy</span>.</p>
<p>For the Jaguars, <span>Blaine Gabbert</span> is still the one in the lead of the quarterback battle and will make the start for the team on Saturday. After Gabbert, <span>Chad Henne</span>, Mike Kafka and <span>Matt Scott</span> will likely each take some snaps under center.</p>
<p>Saturday will also feature the debut of Jaguars second-round pick Johnathan Cyprien.</p>
<h4>More from Big Cat Country:</h4>
<ul>
<li><a href="http://www.bigcatcountry.com/2013/8/17/4629516/jacksonville-jaguars-2013-roster-cheat-sheet-for-jets-preseason-game?utm_source=bigcatcountry&utm_medium=nextclicks&utm_campaign=blogs">Jacksonville Jaguars 2013 roster cheat sheet for Jets preseason game</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.bigcatcountry.com/2013/8/17/4628540/jets-vs-jaguars-preseason-2013-game-time-tv-schedule-online-streaming-live-odds-announcers?utm_source=bigcatcountry&utm_medium=nextclicks&utm_campaign=blogs">Jaguars vs. Jets preseason 2013: Game time, TV schedule, online streaming, odds and more</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.bigcatcountry.com/2013/8/17/4627692/jets-vs-jaguars-2013-maurice-jones-drew-justin-blackmon?utm_source=bigcatcountry&utm_medium=nextclicks&utm_campaign=blogs">Jaguars vs. Jets 2013: Maurice Jones-Drew, Justin Blackmon will play</a></li>
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<li><a href="http://www.bigcatcountry.com/2013/8/16/4627658/chad-henne-jaguars-quarterback?utm_source=bigcatcountry&utm_medium=nextclicks&utm_campaign=blogs">Chad Henne not disappointed in Jaguars QB decision</a></li>
</ul>
https://www.bigcatcountry.com/2013/8/17/4631788/new-york-jets-jacksonville-jaguars-game-threadAdam Stites2013-08-17T12:00:09-04:002013-08-17T12:00:09-04:00MJD, Blackmon will play
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<img alt="" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/yHRb0TdJiMXuc-eES3EcVddM3Cc=/0x318:4000x2985/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/17989133/20130809_mbr_av1_132.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Melina Vastola-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>The Jaguars will finally see Maurice Jones-Drew and Justin Blackmon get game action in the 2013 preseason against the New York Jets on Saturday.</p> <p>The <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.bigcatcountry.com/">Jacksonville Jaguars</a> were without both <span>Justin Blackmon</span> and <span>Maurice Jones-Drew</span> for their first preseason game against the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.thephinsider.com/">Miami Dolphins</a> last week. On Saturday evening however, the team will have both players back and in the game at some point.</p>
<p>Jones-Drew has been coming back from a Lisfranc injury that caused him to miss the final 10 games of the 2012 season. Jones-Drew looks to be back and ready to go, but the team has held him back a little bit as a precaution, including keeping him out of last weeks game. Jones-Drew is expected to get some playing time early on Saturday, but don't expect him to play a ton.</p>
<p>Blackmon on the other hand missed last week's game because he began the season on the PUP list, recovering from offseason groin surgery. He returned to practice earlier in the week and by all accounts has made some great plays. He's not expected to start, but he should get plenty of playing time early on.</p>
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https://www.bigcatcountry.com/2013/8/17/4627692/jets-vs-jaguars-2013-maurice-jones-drew-justin-blackmonAlfie Crow