Jacksonville Jaguars: What We've Learned Through Week 3 of Preseason

Looking back at the past week in the hours before to the next preseason game against the Detroit Lions, it seems as if the Jacksonville Jaguars can notch another productive week under their belts. It's been by no means perfect since the last "What We've Learned," but it's been encouraging all the same.

The team is making the final adjustments, and it seems as if the Jaguars are nearly done making all of their final decisions. There are still some questions and open-ended situations, but for the most part, the team now has to focus on preparing for the regular season.

The third preseason game has always been the biggest one for most NFL teams. It's a chance to put the starters out on the field for a full half—or possibly longer—and to make sure the players are synced up and ready.

The game this Friday will be the closest thing the Jaguars and the fans see to a regular-season game before Week 1. The Lions should provide a good test, and the Jaguars will hope to continue to progress and match them.

Quarterback Blake Bortles Isn't Perfect, and That's OK

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After a stellar 11-of-15 night against the Pittsburgh Steelers in the first preseason game, quarterback Blake Bortles came back down to earth with a solid but not spectacular 8-of-16 night in the Meadowlands.

And while some of you may be thinking that it wasn't his fault (which we'll get into later) and that he isn't deserving of some criticism, it's important to realize that the more commonplace performance was impressive all the same.

If Bortles' off days consist of a 50 percent completion rating, 98 yards through a quarter-and-a-half and a 69.3 rating, then the Jaguars can rest easy. Compared to some of the rough patches he had last year, those numbers are almost surprising.

Bortles' improvement is undeniable at this point, but it's now a case of consistency. The next couple of preseason games will give a proper tell of how consistent he can perform, but even then the regular season will be the eventual decider of his improvement.

In the meantime, the fans and team should be happy with his performance thus far, and most people seem to be. It's been a promising start for Bortles; now he must sustain his performance, but that's easier said than done.

The Jaguars Still Have Injury Issues but Are Handling Them Properly

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Players may be eager to prove themselves for roster spots or depth ranking in the final couple of weeks, but the Jaguars' main focus at the moment is to have the team as healthy as possible going into the preseason.

As Jaguars.com's John Oehser reported, the Jaguars have ruled out 12 players for the game against the Lions, most notably corner Demetrius McCray, running back Toby Gerhart and linebacker LaRoy Reynolds.

On Gerhart specifically, who suffered an abdominal strain, head coach Gus Bradley said, “It’s a strain, so he needs time this week. ... Next week we’ll see how it goes, but he should be ready Week 1.”

That's good news for the former Stanford star who has had a stellar preseason. He struggled with injury in his first season in Jacksonville, so letting Gerhart get healthy and be ready for Week 1 of the regular season is the best course of action.

Other injured players such as wide receiver Marqise Lee, defensive tackle Sen'Derrick Marks and tight end Julius Thomas will continue to be on the sidelines, but safety James Sample is set to make his Jaguars debut this Friday. 

Corey Grant and Nick Marshall Doing Well in the Race for Roster Spots

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Running back/kick returner Corey Grant and cornerback/kick returner Nick Marshall both came into the NFL from Auburn and are competing for roster spots as undrafted free agents. Both have had solid preseasons so far, and the upcoming game on Friday will be crucial to their making the next step for a final roster spot.

Both are also vying for a starting job returning kicks, which provides an interesting competition for two guys who have played together for so long. Grant seems to be leading the race, especially after his two returns against the New York Giants.

But Marshall has done a fine job as a transitioning corner. The former quarterback surprised some people when he switched to his second position of corner before the NFL draft, but it's obvious that Marshall has the skill and a high ceiling if he can hit his stride.

Both players have a lot to offer, but it's just a matter of logistics. The 53-man roster forces teams to squeeze in the most useful and best players, and Grant and Marshall have to continue to prove that they are worth that selection.

Luke Joeckel's Productive Offseason Getting Results

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Sadly, the biggest play that Luke Joeckel was directly involved in this past Saturday was a questionable holding penalty called against him. However, his overall performance against the Giants was one of his best in a Jaguars uniform.

His game against the Steelers wasn't necessarily perfect, but it was solid all the same. This may be a product of his bulking up this offseason, as Jaguars.com's John Oehser pointed out recently.

Joeckel's strength has never been a distinct flaw, but since his offseason work, he does seem much more capable against the defensive ends he's faced. Sure, he allowed an older James Harrison to reach Bortles, but that was one mistake of an otherwise decent performance.

Joeckel has also attributed his improved play to his strength building. He told Jaguars.com:

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That’s definitely been one of the things we’ve been focused on in camp, and it’s coming along... It’s been a process, but my set and that kind of stuff is coming along. Now, I’ve just got to keep tweaking things and fixing things with the hands and I think I’ll be good to go. Coming into camp that’s one thing we circled. I think (Saturday) was an improvement, but I can get better from it also, so that’s exciting, too.

"

Knowing that Joeckel isn't satisfied with where he's at is encouraging as well. It's been a rough two years for him, but it seems like he's on the verge of a turning point going into his third season with the Jaguars.

The Jaguars' Wide Receivers Still Have Work to Do

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Bortles' incredible game against the Steelers may have erased some of the bad drops from his receivers, but the overall showing against the Giants didn't show much improvement and still poses questions about how well the receiving corps will perform this season.

Week 1 saw surprising drops from wide receiver Allen Robinson and tight end Clay Harbor, but most were ready and hopeful to chalk it up to rust or just a rare occurrence. However, the general play from the receivers last Saturday couldn't wipe away the memory.

The most surprising drop of the night was from Allen Hurns. He hit a go route with the instinctive running and speed that we saw last season, but instead of finishing the catch as usual, he dropped it.

It's just the preseason, and there's no reason to sound the panic alarm, but the drops are concerning. Bortles can't be performing the way he is for his receivers to let him down.

There are still two weeks and change to shake off the rust and get the receivers in proper shape for this season, but the offense needs to figure this out sooner rather than later.

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.