Jacksonville vs. Washington: Previewing Jacksonville's Preseason Week 4 Matchup
The fourth preseason game has lost its weight over the years and for good reason. It's only another chance for players to injure themselves and cause a team even more headaches on top of the first three weeks.
That's why you won't see many starters take the field for both the Jacksonville Jaguars and the Washington Redskins. The risk of losing key starters is too high, but that doesn't mean the game is without value.
It's the final chance earn a roster spot for many of the players on the second and third teams. It's not just a battle against the Redskins, but it's one of the final opportunities for players to prove themselves over their teammates.
There is a lot to play for in Week 4, and the Jaguars' players and staff realize this. The regular season starts in just over a week, and that means every player has to be on top of his game on Thursday night as well as in practice.
Location: FedEx Field, Landover, Maryland
Time: 7:30 p.m. ET
TV: News 4 Jax (Local)
Week 3 Results and Recap
1 of 6
The scoreline may not represent the success of last Friday night's preseason game against the Detroit Lions, but there were a lot of positives to take away from the 22-17 loss. The team played consistently across the board, but the real standout was quarterback Blake Bortles.
Bortles had his best night of the preseason, completing 20 of 29 passes for 245 yards and a touchdown. He threw no interceptions, and possibly the most important of all, he looked composed and mature throughout the game.
The Jaguars, on the back of Bortles' excellent performance, were up 14-0 on the Lions to start the game. Detroit was finally able to strike back through a 62-yard TD pass from Matthew Stafford to Golden Tate and then scored again on a four-yard TD to Corey Fuller before missing its PAT (point after touchdown).
The Jaguars offense was able to get one more field goal before coming off for the night, around the same time Detroit pulled its starters. It's not necessarily a 100 percent accurate tell of what would've happened in the regular season, but a 17-13 lead is something the first team should be proud of.
Now the majority of the starters will take the bench in favor of the backup and third-team players, and they'll look to put on an impressive performance of their own. Last week's game was another positive experience for the Jaguars, and capping it off with a solid night against Washington would make for a productive preseason.
News and Notes
2 of 6
The First Game Without Josh Scobee
Kicker Jason Myers is now the sole kicker on the roster following Josh Scobee's trade to the Pittsburgh Steelers, and he'll likely have an opportunity or two to prove why in Thursday night's matchup.
Myers recently spoke with Jaguars.com's John Oehser about Scobee as well as the future:
"Josh has been great the whole time...He was one of the first guys who called me. Coming in, him being such a long-term vet, I didn’t expect anything from him. But he was helpful from Day One... Obviously, I’m excited, it’s not all the time you get an opportunity like this, so when it came about, I was happy.”
"
Myers has no regular-season experience as a kicker, but he has certainly done enough this offseason and preseason to allow the Jaguars to move forward with him.
Battles at Wide Receiver and Corner Continue
Thursday will stage one of the crucial moments for the wide receiver and cornerback positional battles, with multiple players at both positions competing for one or two limited roster spots.
Rashaad Reynolds, Nick Marshall, Jeremy Harris and Peyton Thompson should all see reps on Thursday, and each will be battling to see who can get one of the possibly two spots. Marshall and Harris are personal favorites, but Reynolds and Thompson both have a valuable opportunity here.
At WR, Kasey Closs, Neal Sterling, Bryan Walters and Erik Lora are likely competing for one spot because of the Jaguars' tight end situation. Depth at TE may have taken a roster spot for the WRs, so that'll make this competition even more intense.
Latest Injury News
3 of 6
Preseason rules don't require updates on injuries and things of the like, so figuring out who will play can be difficult. Take running back T.J. Yeldon's first appearance last week as well as safety James Sample's absence, for example.
Here is a list of injured, potentially unavailable players for Thursday night:
| Player | Position | Injury |
|---|---|---|
| Demetrius McCray | CB | Knee |
| Andre Branch | DE | Knee |
| Brandon Linder | G | Toe |
| Marqise Lee | WR | Hamstring |
| Allen Hurns | WR | Hip |
| Toby Gerhart | RB | Abdomen |
| LaRoy Reynolds | LB | Knee |
| Bernard Pierce | RB | Back |
| Bryan Walters | WR | Hamstring |
| Julius Thomas | TE | Hand |
| Jonathan Cyprien | SS | Finger |
| Matt Daniels | S | Shoulder |
| Davon House | CB | Unspecified |
| Sen'Derrick Marks | DT | Knee |
| Dante Fowler Jr. | DE | Knee |
(All injury information courtesy of Jaguars.com.)
Some of the injuries above are ones that have gone back months and will affect players far in the future, such as the one rookie Dante Fowler Jr. suffered. However, some of these players are fighting for roster spots and will be close decisions for Thursday night.
The Jaguars have been without some of their key players, but a lot of the players on this list have light injuries and/or are coming back from injuries. It hasn't been the ideal preseason in terms of health, but the Jaguars have gotten by all right.
.jpg?w=256 "Colts Jaguars Football")
Key Matchups
4 of 6
Jaguars Pass Rush vs. Redskins Offensive Line
In the first three preseason games, the Jaguars' pass rush has been painfully quiet. What was one of the bright spots of last season has now been one of the flaws of the preseason, and the Jags can start to remedy that Thursday night.
Not all the starters will play, but players with the potential to make an impact this season will. Defensive tackle Mike Bennett and defensive end Chris Smith are just a couple of the names who will look to flip the script of this preseason.
The Redskins offensive line has skill, but the starters might not even see the field. If they don't, then that's even more reason for the front seven's plethora of depth to reappear and cause havoc for the Redskins.
Jaguars Run Offense vs. Redskins Front Seven
Like the pass rush, the run offense hasn't been stellar. Upgrades on the offensive line may not matter if the starters sit, but offensive coordinator Greg Olson needs to show some type of positivity in the run game on Thursday.
The Redskins had the 12th overall rush defense in 2014, according to Odd Shark, allowing just over 107 yards per game. The Jaguars need to at least match that number to have a positive night in the rushing game.
Matchup X-Factors
5 of 6
Jaguars' X-Factor of the Week: Nick Marshall
Nick Marshall has shone this preseason, and the rookie corner/punt returner can possibly guarantee himself a roster spot with a good performance against the Redskins. He's shown that he's versatile and exciting thus far, and another night of solid returns and good coverage will solidify his value.
Undrafted free agent Marshall came into Jacksonville better known for his QB play at Auburn but had extensive experience as a corner at Georgia and in high school. However, covering WRs isn't the only thing Marshall does well. He can also return kicks, as seen in the past few preseason games. His highlight was the 35-yard return against the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 1 of the preseason.
Marshall is obviously a talented player, but it's a matter of execution now. If he can be a nightmare for the Redskins on more than one side of the ball, he should be a big factor in the game and will be one step closer to a roster spot.
Prediction: Jaguars 13, Redskins 17
6 of 6
Preseason games can be hard to predict, and honestly, the final score doesn't matter. Sure, you don't want to see your team blown out in the preseason, but if it's a close scoreline, it's more about the specifics of the game.
The Jaguars will likely let QBs Chad Henne and Stephen Morris do most of the directing, and that means a less explosive and entertaining offense. It wouldn't be surprising to see the offense drive down the field a few times but lack the killer edge the first team was starting to show.
On defense, the depth of the front seven should be able to cause trouble for the Redskins offense but not enough to win the game. It should be a fun night for the defense to mix up its personnel, but it may not result in a win.
As mentioned, preseason scores often don't matter, especially in Week 4, when most of the starters see little to no playing time. It should be a close contest all the same, but it seems like the Redskins will edge out the Jaguars.
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.
.jpg?w=480 "Colts Jaguars Football")
.png?w=480)
