Jacksonville Jaguars vs Cincinnati Bengals: studs

The Jacksonville Jaguars escaped with a victory over the Cincinnati Bengals in large part due to the depth of the team, which stepped up and made plays.

The first team offense has been the talk of the town for the Jacksonville Jaguars through the preseason, but when the first team faltered it was actually the guys deeper on the depth chart that stepped up in a big way and secured the win.

This 26-21 victory over the Cincinnati Bengals gave the Jags the first preseason win of 2016. While it didn’t feel particularly good, there were a handful of studs that deserve singling out for praise. In addition, the important thing was that the Jags escaped with their health.

Making off with a preseason victory is less important than coming away with quality roster evaluation. Of that, the Jags had no shortage in this game. Aside from the problems for the first team offense and much of the first team defense, there were plenty of players that clearly felt the need to step up to make the team.

Here are some guys who really stood out.

Neal Sterling, wide receiver, Jacksonville Jaguars

Three receptions for 31 yards and a touchdown doesn’t read like much, but Sterling seemed to be doing so much more.

As the Jags marched down the field in the fourth quarter, Sterling seemed able to make catch after catch. He was the prime mover for an offense that desperately needed to show it could be something more than just the B-squad behind the starters that had lit up the first two preseason games.

In addition, Sterling was all over the field on special teams. Special teams is something the Jags desperately need to work on. There’s no question that Sterling was putting in the effort, managing to make a part of the game that has felt lackluster at least have some positives.

The big-bodied wide receiver/move tight end is progressing nicely. He was drafted in the seventh round of the 2015 NFL Draft and is making a case that he deserves a spot on this team.

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