Even in victory, there are always some things that you can work on. Despite the team winning their preseason battle against the Jacksonville Jaguars, 12-8, there were a handful of players who didn’t have nights to remember. These were our most disappointing players from Thursday night.
OT Caleb Benenoch
It’s hard to blame Benenoch too much here, because he is a backup that was forced to go in with the first team when starting right tackle Demar Dotson got hurt with a groin injury. But, on the other hand, that’s his duty, one that could totally be called on at any time during the regular season. Benenoch really struggled with Jags starting pass rusher Dante Fowler. He gave up at least one sack, had apenalty and a few other pressures. He has to be better if he’s going to be that “first man in.”
K Nick Folk
Folk’s night looked promising after starting the game 2-for-2 on field goals, but at the end of the night, his stat sheet looked shaky. He may have connected on his first two kicks, but neither of them were father than 35 yards. Plus, he had a PAT blocked, and his lone field goal from beyond 40 yards, he missed. More shaky confidence going into the regular season if this keeps up – even with Aguayo out of town.
RB Jacquizz Rodgers
Last year Rodgers looked very steady as a running back. He was the guy the team could call on in reserve to pick up some tough yards, and even got his time to shine as a starter for a bit in 2016 – where he average more than four yards per carry. However, on Thursday night, Rodgers just didn’t look himself. He didn’t have the best lanes to run with, but even then, he just looked sluggish or not as explosive. It was an off night for him and Charles Sims.
CB Vernon Hargreaves
Hargreaves was one of our top performers last week with an interception and a great push-out play near the sideline at the end of his time on the field. However, on Thursday night, he was getting picked on a lot by the Jaguars No. 1 wide receiver, Allen Robinson, and got burned for it. Robinson ended the night with five catches, most of which were with Hargreaves guarding him. Also, even though it doesn’t show up on the stat sheet that Hargreaves had a touchdown thrown on him, there were two catches where that should have happened (on the same drive) and the receivers just dropped it.
CB Jonathan Moxey
Speaking of getting picked on, it was a tough night for back up cornerback Jonathan Moxey, who was asked to guard Heisman finalist Dede Westbrook late in the game. Westbrook ended the game with six catches for 131 yards and a handful of those catches on Moxey’s coverage. Moxey has been getting work with the second team with Brent Grimes and Jude Adjei-Barimah out with injury. He had a tough task on Thursday night, but and he might just want to burn the tape from this game.