JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Establishing the running game is the No. 1 goal of the Jaguars offense. That starts with the offensive line and running back Leonard Fournette. However during Saturday’s 17-6 win over Atlanta the Jaguars found ways to get T.J. Yeldon and Corey Grant involved as well.
Jacksonville’s best drive came on their third offensive possession. With the ball on the Falcons 40-yard line quarterback Blake Bortles found Grant on a screen pass for a gain of 19 yards.
On the next play from scrimmage Fournette took a handoff running to his right before showing excellent vision and cutting back across the field to his left for a 21-yard touchdown that gave the Jaguars a 7-3 lead.
With under two minutes to go in the first half, Jaguars offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett got the ball into the hands of Yeldon. The former Alabama running back touched the ball on three straight plays setting up a 24-yard field goal by Josh Lambo.
"I think we’re just trying to get playmakers on the field," said head coach Doug Marrone about the versatility of all three running backs. "Same thing with Leonard [Fournette] being out there on third down a little bit more, but T.J. [Yeldon] we know can carry a load on first or second down, Corey [Grant] is a guy that has some speed that is a really good changeup for those two. So we’re just trying to continue to look at ways that can help us move the football.”
During last week's preseason game in Minnesota, Hackett got Fournette and Yeldon on the field at the same time. On Saturday the Jaguars added another wrinkle with Yeldon and Grant on the field at the same time. These looks will give opposing defensive coordinators more to game plan for.
"You know that it’s going to be a lot tougher on the defense," said Grant. "They have to prepare for all three of us. All three of us are three different types of backs, so that would be something that they have to prepare for.”
On the night the trio of Fournette, Yeldon and Grant combined for 108 yards rushing and 80 yards receiving.