WR Christian Kirk gives Jaguars lead over Cowboys with 9-yard TD: Watch
The Jacksonville Jaguars got off to a slow start against the Dallas Cowboys in Week 1 of the Preseason. They couldn't get anything going on offense but then cornerback Gregory Junior and the special teams bailed them out. And after a touchdown by wide receiver Christian Kirk, the Jags are now leading 8-0 in the first quarter.
Lawrence went 1-2 on the first drive and his second pass was an interception. The defense didn't let the Cowboys do much though. In fact, Dallas only mustered a yard on six plays. Once again, the Jaguars offense got the ball and for the second time in as many drives, they couldn't move the ball, logging nine yards. But then, the punt coverage unit provided a spark to a Jacksonville team in need of one.
The Jags special teams forced a fumble and Junior recovered it. Once they got the ball back, the offense put together a six-play drive that ended on a nine-yard touchdown pass Trevor Lawrence threw to Christian Kirk. They then opted to attempt a two-point conversion that gave them an 8-0 lead when Lawrence connected with wide receiver Zay Jones.
Can’t cover ‘em all ¯\_(ツ)_/¯@ckirk | #JAXvsDAL on CBS pic.twitter.com/fN1NI941A9
— Jacksonville Jaguars (@Jaguars) August 12, 2023
The Jaguars are leading the Cowboys 7-0, many things to like about Jacksonville
Now, it's important to put things in context. This is just the preseason and the outcome of the game isn't as important as making sure players are in synch and fulfilling their assignments. Sure, Lawrence's first interception stung but that doesn't mean he's regressing or he'll struggle in Year 3.
On the other hand, it was great to see the defense look for ways to apply pressure to the quarterback. In the Cowboys' offensive drive, safety Andre Cisco blitzed and forced Cooper Rush to move around the pick. This led to a sack by defensive tackle DaVon Hamilton.
Again, the final score might not matter, and some plays need to be analyzed in context but there are a handful of things to like, incluing Hamilton's sack, Junior's fumble recovery and Kirk's subsequent trip to the end zone.
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