Jacksonville Jaguars undrafted free-agent rookies state their case in final preseason game

It had to be frustrating for Miami Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel. 

McDaniel had many of his offensive starters, including quarterback Tua Tagovailoa and wide receivers Jaylen Waddle and Malik Washington, playing into the second quarter in their preseason game against the Jacksonville Jaguars at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens. 

But the reason they were playing so deep into the half is that the Jaguars' defense, composed of second- and third-team players, stuffed the Dolphins' starting offense by forcing three-and-outs on the first two possessions. 

Miami gained 17 yards on those first two turns with the ball and Tagovailoa was three of five and sacked twice. In addition, the two incompletions were forced when the Jaguars blitzed linebackers. 

The Dolphins finally pulled off a lengthy drive to score on Tagovailoa’s 31-yard touchdown pass to Washington. But they kept the drive going by converting a fourth-and-six at their own 46, a chance they’re not likely to take in the first half of the regular season.  

Otherwise, the Jaguars would have had the Dolphins off the field again with two incompletions by Tagovailoa (who finished the game going four of eight for 49 yards) and a first-down run stopped by linebackers Branson Combs and Dennis Gardeck. 

Jabbar Muhammad, Danny Striggow, B.J. Green II state their case 

Here’s how the Jaguars throttled the Dolphins’ first unit and how three players in particular, cornerback Jabbar Muhammad, and defensive ends Danny Striggow and B.J. Green II — all undrafted rookie free agents — may have helped their stock heading into the cutdown day on Aug. 26: 

First possession:Chad Muma blitzed Tagovailoa, who threw up a pass that was knocked down by Muhammad. After a 9-yard pass play to Washington, who forced Muma to miss the tackle, Striggow sacked Tagovailoa. 

Second possession: Cornerback De’Antre Prince bounced Ollie Gordon out of bounds after a 5-yard gain on first down but Tagovailoa was then sacked by Green, and thew incomplete under heavy pressure from a blitzing Muhammad. 

Third possession: Prince and cornerback Cam’Ron Silmon-Craig had D’Wayne Eskridge covered well on a deep ball that was overthrown, with Silmon-Craig nearly getting a hand on the ball. After another incompletion, Tagovailoa converted the fourth down with a short pass to Washington and two plays later threw the touchdown pass, with Washington making Muma look helpless with a move to the outside.

Miami converted the two-point conversion on a pass from Tagovailoa to Pharoh Brown.

Rookie Jack Kiser adds another sack 

Tagovailoa gave way to Zach Wilson after that, and after moving the second-team offense to a first down at the Jaguars' 25, got pushed back. Green flushed Wilson from the pocket, who scrambled for 3 yards. Muma atoned somewhat for his two missed tackles by breaking up a pass and rookie linebacker Jack Kiser sacked Wilson on a delayed blitz for a 12-yard loss. 

Jason Sanders then missed a 54-yard field goal attempt, giving the Jaguars good enough field position for Seth Henigan to move the team in position for Cam Little’s 59-yard field goal on the final play of the half to cut the score to 8-6. 

Henigan completed his first three passes of the drive for 14 yards and three players had good gains on running plays, Ja'Quindan Jackson for 10 yards, Kevin Harris for 10 yards and Austin Trammell for 9 yards.

While it was only a preseason game, it was the kind of complementary football the Jaguars often lacked last season: a combination of the defense making plays, which led to a possession that resulted in points scored by the special teams.

This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: Jaguars rookies B.J. Green II, Danny Striggow, Jack Kiser rise up vs. Miami