The Jacksonville Jaguars took a 34-17 hit from the Carolina Panthers in their second preseason game this past Friday night, August 21, 2026. The real kicker? Head coach Liam Coen made the call to sit his starters, including Trevor Lawrence, leaving a lot of questions about that final score.
Coen’s Calculated Risk or Preseason Puzzler?
Liam Coen had been mulling over his decision all week, and ultimately opted to keep his key players off the field. The big reason? They’ve got two joint practices with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers coming up, so protecting the roster was clearly the priority. But letting the Panthers hang a 34-spot on you, even in preseason, has to sting a little. The Jaguars fell behind hard at EverBank Stadium.
Panthers Showed a Glimpse, Then Pulled Back
The Carolina Panthers, on the other hand, only trotted out their starting offense for two series. Yet, they still managed to put points on the board, scoring on that second drive after a solid seven-play, 58-yard march down the field. It’s a contrast, right? One team keeps everyone tucked away, the other shows a bit of its hand and still runs away with a decisive win. Jacksonville’s Carter Bradley was out there trying to evade guys like Panthers linebacker Thomas Incoom, and running back Ameer Abdullah got some work, but the scoreboard tells the story.
So, what’s next? The Jaguars will hit those two joint practices with the Buccaneers. Hopefully, those reps are worth the 34-17 beatdown they just took, and their starters come out firing when it really counts.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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