Mac Jones threw for 210 yards and two touchdowns, moving closer to securing the backup quarterback position for Jacksonville. The Jaguars won 20-7 against Tampa Bay in a preseason game where few starters played on Saturday night.
Jones filled in for Trevor Lawrence and completed 16 of 23 passes, including touchdowns to Parker Washington and Brevin Easton. He also scrambled six times, including a smart move to avoid a sack by linebacker Vi Jones in the second quarter.
“Just got to keep carrying the momentum,” Jones said. “It’s a one-week season; everyone always says that. The preseason, too. You’ve got to stack good games and move on to the next game.”
Jones made his best throws count. He connected with Washington for a 25-yard touchdown on a third-and-17 play, finishing a 17-play drive and giving the Jaguars a 7-0 lead. Washington had three catches for 38 yards, following his 73-yard kickoff return against Kansas City last week.
Jones returned in the fourth quarter after C.J. Beathard (groin) was sidelined and threw a perfect pass to Easton for a 31-yard touchdown. Jones ended with a quarterback rating of 127.1. Beathard was 5 of 7 for 40 yards and was sacked three times.
“I thought Mac played a solid football game,” coach Doug Pederson said. “He was really into it. You saw his intensity out there. He made some great throws and led the team well. He loves playing the game and did some great things.”
Jones has been the top candidate for the backup role since the Jaguars traded for him in March. They see him as an improvement over Beathard, who struggled with a shoulder issue last season.
The Buccaneers (1-1) and Jaguars (2-0) practiced against each other earlier in the week, so many starters rested during the game.
Kyle Trask started for Tampa Bay instead of Baker Mayfield and completed 12 of 19 passes for 108 yards, including a 6-yard touchdown pass to Cody Thompson.
“He played with poise,” Bucs coach Todd Bowles said. “The defense didn’t give the offense many chances with short plays and missed tackles. But he stayed calm and made the most of the opportunities he had.”
John Wolford took over in the second half for the Bucs and made a big block on safety Erick Hallett in the fourth quarter. Wolford was knocked out of the game with 1:40 left when defensive end Yasir Abdullah tackled him.
Wolford, who grew up in Jacksonville, was at EverBank Stadium for the first time since being honored as a high school senior in 2013. The Bucs’ defense performed better, with five sacks, including three by Jose Ramirez.
“We knew he was a pass rusher,” Bowles said. “He gets off the ball quickly, uses his hands well, and knows how to reach the quarterback. He just needs to develop other parts of his game.”
Jaguars running back Tank Bigsby, a third-round pick in 2023, saw a lot of action and gained 56 yards on 13 touches.
Jacksonville rookie Cam Little made two field goals on his 21st birthday. He’s now 5 of 6 in the preseason, with his only miss coming from 62 yards.
Chase McLaughlin of Tampa Bay missed a 42-yard field goal attempt wide left in the fourth quarter.
