3 thrilling observations from the Jaguars' win vs. the Chiefs in preseason Week 1

The Jacksonville Jaguars are off to an encouraging start the the 2024 NFL Preseason, beating the Kansas City Chiefs 26-13. All the work they've put in the past few months was at full display during the opener, with all three units generating big plays throughout the game.

Leaving aside that the win won't count on the standings, the Jaguars should be thrilled with how things played out. Granted, it's just the preseason but it looks like they're trending in the right direction. With that in mind, here are three observations from the win over the Chiefs.

Tank Bigsby and other Jaguars running back stepped up vs. the Chiefs

Heading into the game, B&T's own Joel Lefevre argued that the Jags should get running back Travis Etienne more involved in the passing game. Looking at his touchdown reception against Kansas City, he might be onto something.

Although Etienne isn't a pass catcher in the same breath as Christian McCaffrey or Marshall Faulk, he's certainly no slouch. Sure, the Jaguars' surplus of options in the passing game prevents them from giving him a massive number of targets, but the coaching staff should most definitely consider giving him a bigger role as a receiver.

But as encouraging as Etienne was, he wasn't the only Jaguars running back who stood out in the preseason opener. Heck, you could even make the case that Tank Bigsby was even better, showcasing his ability to run with authority that made him a staple of the Auburn offense. Besides getting 28 yards on three carries, he also broke off a big run.

Once Bigsby left the field, D'Ernest Johnson, and later undrafted rookie Jalen Jackson took the field. The former had five carries for 31 yards and the latter toted the rock five times for 29 yards.

Last year, the Jaguars had trouble getting the running game going. While Johnson and Jackson went against Kansas City's third and fourth teams, it was encouraging to see the coaching staff trying to pound the ball.

The Jaguars defense was able to neutralize the Chiefs offense

All things considered, the Jaguars defense did a fine job in the opener at all three levels. The defensive front routinely brought the heat, the linebackers generally diagnosed plays correctly and the secondary rarely gave up big plays. On top of that, sophomore cornerback Christian Braswell had a fumble returned for a touchdown that was wiped out but should've been good.

The one weakness Jacksonville had was their completion percentage rate allowed. They gave up 22 passes on 27 attempts. Then again, Kansas City went 2-of-13 on third downs, so most of those completions didn't go anywhere. It's still early, but it's fair to say that defensive coordinator Ryan Nielsen's focus on fundamentals, pursuit, and technique is paying off.

The Jaguars special teams were special in Week 1 of the Preseason

As noted before, Tank Bigsby had a big return but he wasn't alone. Fellow sophomore Parker Washington Parker Washington also had one for 73 yards.

Following the win, Trevor Lawrence praised the former Penn State Nittany Lion, pointing out that he's reaping the rewards of the work he's put in throughout the offseason.

Kicker Cam Little also was solid. He missed his 62-yard attempt but made three field goals, two of them from 40+ yards out.

The Jaguars will continue to sort out the new kickoff rules, which follow the XFL model, but it's fair to say that they've gotten the most out of them, at least early on.

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