JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The Jaguars open their preseason schedule on Saturday with a trip to face the Cowboys. Here’s what you need to know about the game.
When is it?
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Saturday, 5 p.m. at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.
Watch or listen
The game will be televised on CBS 47 and on the radio on 1010 AM and 92.5 FM.
The line
The Jaguars are currently a four-point favorite over the Cowboys. The over/under is 37.5 points.
Preseason schedule
Saturday, at Dallas, 5 p.m.
Aug. 19, at Detroit, 1 p.m.
Aug. 26, vs. Dolphins, EverBank Stadium, 7 p.m.
Why only one home preseason game?
When the NFL went to 17 games, that meant an uneven number of home games for AFC or NFC teams. Whichever conference has the additional ninth home game will play two preseason games on the road and one at home. AFC teams get the ninth regular season game at home in 2023, so those teams will play two of their three preseason games on the road. It rotates annually.
Will the starters play?
Yes, but don’t blink or you may miss them. Coach Doug Pederson said that he plans to get the starters a limited number of snaps. The Jaguars regulars didn’t play in the Pro Football Hall of Fame Game last year but did play three series in the second game against the Browns. Jacksonville played four preseason games last year, so this plan aligns with what Pederson did last year.
What is different this preseason?
The biggest thing for NFL teams is the elimination of multiple rounds of cuts. Instead of cuts after each week of the preseason, the league will have just one week of cuts. NFL teams have to go from 90 players to the final 53 by Aug. 29. That extra time is significant for players who are locked in position battles or trying to make the roster. Jacksonville has a number of too-close-to-call spots right now. Some of those battles would have been decided by roster cuts early in previous years. Now, those will go down to the final hours late this month.
Who has looked good in camp?
Trevor Lawrence and his receivers, notably Calvin Ridley, have clicked. Tight ends Evan Engram and Gerrit Prince have looked sharp as pass catchers. Rookie Tank Bigsby has shown the ability to not only run strong between the tackles, but also be effective in the passing game. Defensive players have flashed, too, although full contact drills have been limited thus far. Rookie safety Antonio Johnson and cornerback Tyson Campbell have both looked good.