There was an energy at TIAA Bank Field on Saturday night that hasn’t been there in a long time. The seats were filled for the debuts of Quarterback Trevor Lawrence and Head Coach Urban Meyer. While there were a few bright spots, the Jags certainly have things to work on going forward. 

The crowd was on their feet as they saw number 16 take the field for the first time early in the first quarter. Disaster almost struck right off the bat, as Lawrence was sacked and stripped on his first snap before falling on the ball. Sometimes the quicker that happens the better for a young quarterback, as it can be a wake up call. The number one overall pick out of Clemson responded with a 6/9, 71 yard stat line, making a few key throws on third down. Coach Meyer had some constructive criticism for the rookie, noting that “instead of anticipating the throws [he was] holding on to it a little bit but we have a long way to go.” All in all, about the debut you would expect from a player in Lawrence’s situation; some good, some not so good, but plenty to move forward with. 

Early on, new acquisition Marvin Jones looked to be Lawrence’s go-to wide receiver. Jones finished the game with three catches for 52 yards, all three receptions coming on third down. Laviska Shenault was also involved early with a few quick screens designed to get him in the open field. It remains to be seen how the targets will be dispersed when D.J. Chark returns from injury (finger), but there were some encouraging signs of chemistry already in the works. 

Lawrence’s former college teammate and fellow first round pick Travis Etienne also saw the field, but didn’t get the start, as last year’s star rookie James Robinson was out there with the first unit. This running back situation will be one to watch going forward to see if Etienne’s involvement expands or if Meyer wants to go with a committee approach.

Hometown favorite Tim Tebow also saw some action in the second half, but was held without a catch in his Jaguars debut. 

Other than a few solid plays from cornerback C.J. Henderson, the Jacksonville defense didn’t make much of an impact. The Browns rested most of their starters, but still found plenty of room to operate with their second and third units. The Jaguars offense also struggled to move the ball against the backup defensive units for Cleveland. Overall, we saw a Browns team that executed better and was better coached for the majority of the game. The Jags looked like the younger, less-experienced team on Saturday, but have plenty more chances to make improvement before the season starts. 

Monday, August 23rd the Jags head to New Orleans to take on the Saints in their second preseason battle.

Photo Credits: Aaron Berkshire/904 Happy Hour

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