Jacksonville Jaguars Show Promise in Preseason Game 2

Getting better and competing has been the goal of this past offseason, but the Jacksonville Jaguars did more than that against the New York Giants. They may have lost on paper 22-12 on Saturday night, but the final score doesn't reflect the Jaguars' encouraging performance.

There were flaws on both sides of the ball, but when it was all said and done and the starters on both sides came off, the Jaguars were up 9-3. That's not a gigantic lead, but it's better than where they were in a lot of games last year, including the 25-24 comeback win against the Giants in Week 13.

The first-team offense operated efficiently, and the defense did enough to hold the Giants.

Both sides of the ball were missing starters, such as T.J. Yeldon and Julius Thomas on offense and Johnathan Cyprien and Sen'Derrick Marks on defense. Despite not having their full squad, the Jaguars put in a solid, all-around performance. With injuries being such unpredictable and common problems for NFL squads, the Jaguars' depth showed up in this game, as they were able to not only compete with the Giants but lead for a time as well.

On offense, quarterback Blake Bortles put in another composed performance, and his stats below don't necessarily reflect how well he did. More dropped passes hurt his numbers, and a more aggressive offensive plan was undoubtedly going to lead to fewer completions.

Completions/Attempts	Completion Percentage	Yards	Touchdowns	Interceptions	Rating
8/16	50	98	0	0	69.3

Bortles found his receivers most times, and Allen Robinson was consistently a threat. He dropped a pass as well, but his all-around performance was impressive, as he brought down three receptions for 64 yards.

The rest of the receivers did fine, but the absence of Thomas definitely limited Bortles' options. The only other drop that really stands out from the receivers was the near-perfect long ball to Allen Hurns, who should have hauled that in for a huge gain.

The running backs also did a respectable job, with Denard Robinson running six times for 19 yards. Toby Gerhart carried six times for 15 yards and did a good job on third down, while Bernard Pierce's four attempts amounted to 13 yards.

The offense didn't have any major standouts and only a few big plays, but it was consistent and efficient. Offensive coordinator Greg Olson's play-calling was on point, and the Jaguars picked up first downs and drove down the field with ease.

He understands his weapons and the possibilities that his personnel give him, and he's customized his schemes and calling style to them, which has generated points and reliable offensive production.

A good example of this was the 37-yard reception by Allen Robinson. On a 3rd-and-3, the Jaguars spread the defense and sent receivers deep but quietly had Robinson in the flat, who was able to pick up a huge gain, as seen below:

Olson's biggest assistant in this success has been the offensive line. While the line looked sloppy against the Pittsburgh Steelers in the first preseason game, just about every lineman put in a good, consistent performance on Saturday.

The backs had space and got guaranteed yards thanks to a good push on just about every snap. Meanwhile, Bortles had plenty of time to throw and find his receivers, and his sole sack was for no loss, although he did fumble.

Penalties were at a minimum, and the sole holding call of the first team's time on the field was a questionable, if not terrible, call on left tackle Luke Joeckel, who looks to be improving, especially in the run game.

The offense has gotten the focus of this reaction, and for good reason. The defense didn't necessarily break the Giants down, and in a lot of ways, New York's sputtering offense will be remembered over the Jaguars' defensive performance.

Eli Manning went 4-of-14 for 46 yards and couldn't match up with his receivers. The running game worked better with Shane Vereen and Andre Williams, but the Giants didn't even run the ball until their second drive of the game.

Bill Kostroun/Associated Press

The Jacksonville secondary deserves credit for holding its own, especially since the pass rush was quiet all night. When the front four can't get sacks, the defensive backs become responsible, and they held Odell Beckham Jr. to zero catches and contained tight end Larry Donnell.

It wasn't a perfect performance by the offense or the defense, but not all games are going to be gorgeous and entertaining. The Jaguars will have to grind out wins, and the 9-3 lead at the end of the starters' time on the field is evidence that they can win like that.

It's still preseason, so no final verdicts can be made, but the Jaguars have had two encouraging performances to start. They need to continue to build the momentum and use preseason success to get off to a good start against the Carolina Panthers in Week 1.

What do you think? Did the Jaguars perform up to your standards against the Giants? Answer the poll and comment below!

All stats were provided by ESPN.com unless otherwise stated.

Evan Reier is a Featured Columnist for Bleacher Report covering the Jacksonville Jaguars. Follow Evan on Twitter @evanreier.