Jaguars vs Browns: 3 encouraging stats from preseason loss

The Jacksonville Jaguars played most of their starters against the Cleveland Browns one week after sitting a good chunk of them in the Hall-of-Fame game. Although they lost 24-13, both the offense and the defense made a few plays worthy of a highlight reel.

Sure, the Jags would have probably liked to come out of the game with a win but there were several things that stood out. Without further ado, here are three encouraging stats from the preseason Week 1 loss to the Browns.

3. Jaguars QB Trevor Lawrence nearly averaged 8.0 yards per attempt

Trevor Lawrence showed flashes in his rookie sheet but his numbers weren’t the ones of a top NFL quarterback. Not only did he lead the league in interceptions with 17 but he also averaged a measly 6.0 yards per attempt. There wasn’t a system in place that maximized his strengths nor a good supporting cast. However, the former Clemson Tiger showed in his preseason debut what he can do when he’s put in a position to succeed.

Right off the bat, Lawrence connected with wide receiver Zay Jones for a 32-yard gain in Jacksonville’s first offensive drive. Not long after, he showed his wheels, moving the chains with an 11-yard run.

Lawrence only completed just 50 percent of his passes but he averaged 7.9 yards per attempt, nearly two more yards than last year. Having a better wide receiver corps certainly helps but the sophomore signal-caller has also gotten better.

Earlier this year, head coach Doug Pederson said that he was starting over with Lawrence, helping him hone his mechanics. It looks like it’s paying off.

2. The Jaguars defense shined in the first quarter against the Browns

The Jaguars had a hard time stopping the Las Vegas Raiders from running the ball last week but it was a recurrent issue last year. Doug Pederson told the media that the team will work on it during the team’s next two live practices and make sure they get better.

Against the Browns, Jacksonville gave up a staggering 171 rushing yards, so they definitely make it a point of emphasis. However, most of those yards came when the coaching staff had pulled most of their starts. Not only that, defensive coordinator Mike Caldwell’s unit allowed just SEVEN total yards and limited Deshaun Watson to one completion for that same amount of yards.

It wasn’t until the starters began to leave the field that Cleveland was finally able to move the ball. Safety Rayshawn Jenkins and outside linebacker Travon Walker made running back D’Ernest Johnson fumble the ball.

This is encouraging when you take into account that Jenkins didn’t register a single big play last year and the Jags’ defense had a league-low nine takeaways. Here’s a clip of the play in case you haven’t seen it.

Of course, the Jaguars need to show they can keep offenses in check for a whole game. Last season, it was common to see them hold their ground early but eventually fade. They took a step in the right direction against the Browns. But as Pederson said, they must work on the issue and show progress against the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 2 of the preseason.

1. Both Jaguars starting units were penalty free against the Browns

This entry is similar to the previous one. The Jaguars’ starting units were 13-0 after the first quarter and it was the backups the ones that could score any points nor stop Cleveland from doing so. This is good and bad at the same time.

On one hand, both the first-string offense and defense played well, and there’s a reason to think that will carry over into the regular season. Having said that, the difference between the starters and the backups was notable and that should be a cause for concern. Even though the Jags have depth at positions such as wide receiver and cornerback, there are other units where the lack is evident.

One area where you could see the dropoff was in the number of penalties. The starters weren’t flagged a single time while the backups got four, including two by Safety Rudy Ford. Outside linebacker K’Lavon Chaisson was flagged for roughing the passer and offensive lineman Nick Ford was slapped with a holding penalty.

Again, this is just the preseason and there are several areas the Jaguars need to work on, including the number of penalties they commit. Having said that, the team’s brass should be encouraged with their performance against the Browns. It wasn’t perfect but you can’t take away the positives and there were more than a few, especially when you take into account that the team is coming off one of the worst seasons in franchise history.