The preseason. AKA Jordan Palmer's Super Bowl. Melina Vastola-US PRESSWIRE

The preseason. AKA Jordan Palmer’s Super Bowl.

No evaluation was more important on Friday night for Jaguar fans than that of Blaine Gabbert. There were certainly some other storylines for the first preseason game and we’ll go over them here.

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  Aug 10, 2012; Jacksonville, Florida, USA; Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Blaine Gabbert (11) throws the ball during the first quarter of the preseason game against the New York Giants at EverBank Field. Mandatory Credit: Melina Vastola-US PRESSWIRE

  Blaine Gabbert looked good on the most important drive of any preseason game – the first. He was accurate and looked poised while marching (most of) the first team offense down the field, capping it off with a touchdown pass to Cecil Shorts III. Blaine only had one “chuck-and-duck” throw, but that was really a result of poor pass-protection.

• The offensive line is still a work in progress, which is to be expected when the starting lineup features your right tackle at left guard and a second-year undrafted player at right tackle. Of Blaine’s five incompletions, two were a result of bad line play and one was a ball that Cecil Shorts probably should have hauled in on a slant. The line did a good job run blocking for Rashad Jennings, but it looks like this particular unit needs more time together to get the protection scheme down.
• Speaking of Rashad Jennings, he looked terrific. He provided essentially what MJD provided to the offense last year – a solid 4-6 yards every carry to get the offense into a good spot for 2^nd and 3^rd downs. He didn’t get a chance to showcase one of his strengths – catching out of the backfield – but he showed enough for the Jaguars to maintain their stance on Jones-Drew’s contract.
• The first team defense, which had been dominant in training camp, was not as sharp as most expected. After dropping an interception on the opening drive and holding the Giants to a field goal after a turnover, the defense was completely screwed by a phantom “roughing the passer” call by the replacement referees that led to a Giants’ score. Most concerning was the overall lack of pressure on the quarterback during the first few drives. Remember though, this is all during the first preseason game where coaches don’t want to reveal their most effective schemes and blitzes. The Jaguars were mainly bringing pressure on a four-man front and didn’t really do anything too exotic.
  

  On one of the few blitzes, Aaron Ross got called for a phantom "facemask." Melina Vastola-US PRESSWIRE

On one of the few blitzes, Aaron Ross got called for a phantom “facemask.”

• Most of the Giants’ points came against the Jaguars’ second and third-team defenses. While some of those players won’t even make the roster, some will and some will be counted on to contribute when there are inevitably injuries (see: 2011). David Carr looked awfully good for a couple drives that led to Giant touchdowns.

Overall, it was a solid opening preseason game for the Jaguars, specifically on offense where they needed to improve significantly from last year. Once the Jags incorporate Justin Blackmon and Maurice Jones-Drew, the team should have enough weapons for Gabbert to work with. If the offensive line gains some stability over the next few weeks, the Jaguars will have a promising outlook to begin the 2012 season.

-Daniel Lago

Fortunately for us Jags fans, there is no shortage of things to talk about for this game.  Here are a host of points to pay attention to on Friday:

• Aaron Ross meets his old team: Ross will get to play against the Giants in his new home just months after winning a Super Bowl with them.  Will they miss their ex-cornerback
• Aaron Ross vs Rashean Mathis Battle Begins: With Ross back from the Olympics the fight for the starting cornerback spot opposite Derek Cox will begin.  They will have to show they can keep up at game speed if they want to avoid playing nickel.
• O-Line Depth:  The Giants have very good pass rushers.  It will be interesting to see if the offensive line can hold up against a pass rush that should be very strong.
• Defense vs “Elite” Eli Manning:  Can the defense defend the pass effectively?  The Giants lost a lot of receiving talent when Manningham left, but somehow Elite Eli manages to be clutch when he wants to be.  It’s the preseason so he may not be forced into it, but if he starts to light up the defense we may be in trouble for the season.
• The Rushmen: Can the defense get pressure on Manning?  Can they sack him?  Sacks get a lot of attention and if the Jaguar show they are here to play they could begin to cement themselves as a very, very good defense.  It all starts with the preseason.
• Wide Receiver Battle:  With Blackmon sitting out, the Jags’ receivers will have even more opportunity on the field.  Cecil Shorts has been running in Blackmon’s Z spot during camp, but can someone make the step up to contest with Shorts, Mike Thomas, and Laurent Robinson.  Kevin Elliott seems to have a good chance, as does Chastin West.
• Play Calling:  For the first time the fans will see Mike Mularkey’s scheming in action.  A scrimmage is nothing more than a scrimmage and the preseason is nothing more than a glorified scrimmage, but the beginning of the new regime begins with the game against the Giants.  Let’s see what the new coaching staff brought us.
• MJD-less Running: How effective will the Jaguars running attack be against a stronger defense without MJD?  Can Rashad Jennings actually carry the load?
• Gabbert, Gabbert, Gabbert: Does Blaine have what it takes to pass against a high pressure defense?  This strongly relates to whether the O-line can protect him, but if we continue to see sacks from phantom pressure then the development we’ve been hearing about may not be as great as we hoped.

As I was writing this I realized just how many things there will be going on during this game on Friday.  I am either wicked excited that football is back or there is an actual possibility of some rather serious developments beginning to take place during this preseason.  I am especially concerned about the wide receivers and whether they will look like a professional unit during the game.

- Luke N. Sims

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Sure, the games don’t mean anything.  Sure, almost the entire time is filled with players who will probably be second string at best anyway.  And sure, watching the few starters left in the third quarter demolish third stringers isn’t exactly competitive.  But it is fun!

The preseason game between the Jags and the Giants won’t be the most miraculous bit of football to ever occur, but it will start the season right.  The Jaguars get to test their young team against the Super Bowl champions and will have a good measuring stick to compare their team to as they trim down to the mandatory 53-man roster.

In two nights, there will be no more starving for football because we will finally be getting what we want.  There may not be a Maurice Jones-Drew stomping on a tough defensive line, but there will at least be a running back trying to find some holes and make the team – always a pleasure to watch.

- Luke N. Sims