The long-awaited debut of Jacksonville Jaguars rookie two-way player Travis Hunter went off without a hitch.
Meanwhile, the team lost its preseason opener at home 31-25 to the Pittsburgh Steelers at EverBank Stadium.
Still, no one will remember the loss after witnessing Hunter’s ability, and an unlikely field goal by the team’s second-year kicker.
Hunter began his career with Jacksonville on offense, playing with the team’s starters alongside quarterback Trevor Lawrence and receivers Dyami Brown and Brian Thomas Jr.
Hunter and the first-team offense played just one series. Lawrence finished the game completing 6 of 7 passes for 43 yards, leading the team to a 41-yard field goal made by kicker Cam Little.
Jacksonville’s backups played the remainder of the game with Hunter taking a seat, at least on offense.
Jacksonville finished with 339 total yards, including 273 passing yards and 66 rushing yards.
Jacksonville played all four quarterbacks, with rookie Seth Henigan getting the final few minutes of game action.
Jaguars backup QB Nick Mullens completed 11 of 18 passes for 89 yards and a TD. Third-string QB John Wolford finished 3 of 5 for 63 yards, while Henigan completed 11 of 14 passes for 78 yards.
Travis Hunter gets time on both sides of the ball
Hunter’s night ended with about 4:21 remaining in the first half as the team got set for the fourth possession on defense. Hunter played two possessions on defense while starting the game on offense, playing 10 snaps (including a play called back due to a penalty).
Hunter finished the game with two catches for nine yards. He would have had three catches for 16 yards had his catch not been called back due to a penalty.
On Hunter’s first defensive drive, he appeared to make his presence known right away. Hunter was covering the left side of the field when Steelers quarterback Mason Rudolph looked his way twice but had to move on. Rudolph was ultimately sacked by defensive end Dawuane Smoot.
The Jaguars will hope Hunter can continue to provide lock-down defense
Jaguars penalty issues continue in preseason
Coen won’t be happy about his team’s performance in the discipline department. Jacksonville racked up penalties through the first half of the game, including three penalties up to just a couple of plays into the second quarter. Their first flag came before the first snap of the game, a false start by third-year tackle Anton Harrison.
One penalty even wiped out a would-be seven-yard snag by Hunter, an illegal block in the back by Ezra Cleveland.
Coen’s edict ahead of the game was to see fewer yellow flags after the team struggled over the last week of training camp in the discipline department.
“We are making a conscious effort, the league is making a conscious effort at detailing formations, alignments, assignments, and motions is a huge part of the rules this year,” Coen said last week.
“Two men in motion, illegal formation, shaving the line of scrimmage, it all showed up today. All the things that they are trying to emphasize, so long-winded way of answering your question, I’d like a little bit more discipline.”
Jaguars starting defense makes it too easy for Steelers backups
Jacksonville’s first-team defense played just one series, but they might as well not have taken the field.
Against most of the Steelers’ backups, including a backup QB, the Jaguars gave up a 75-yard touchdown drive that looked effortless.
Rudolph completed 7 of 7 passes for 70 yards and a 19-yard touchdown pass to tight end Darnell Washington. Jacksonville’s secondary entered the year as the 32nd-ranked pass defense, and they’ll need another week to dispel any thoughts of them repeating that this year.
Jaguars kicker Cam Little makes longest kick in NFL history
As the clock was winding down to head into halftime, Mullens threw a three-yard pass to Bhayshul Tuten to conserve just one second left in the first half for Coen to call a timeout. With the ball spotted at Jacksonville’s 48-yard line, it felt unlikely but somehow possible that Coen would trot out the field goal unit.
Immediately following, kicker Cam Little could be seen motioning to go for the field goal. Long snapper Ross Matiscik and punter Logan Cooke trotted out with what would be an NFL-record 70-yard field goal attempt. Little lined up and hit a line drive through the uprights that could have been good from maybe 75 yards with a bit of wind.
Little’s kick is the NFL record that, unfortunately, for the second-year kicker won’t ultimately count. Still, it will remain the longest field goal ever made in an NFL preseason.
Little made all four of his field goals and converted his lone extra point. Little was drafted in the sixth round of last year’s draft and missed just two field goals as one of the team’s most consistent players.
This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: Travis Hunter makes debut as Jaguars fall 31-25 to Steelers in first preseason game
Reporting by Demetrius Harvey, Jacksonville Florida Times-Union / Florida Times-Union
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
