Jaguars vs. Buccaneers: Doug Pederson Reflects on Mac Jones' Performance

The Jacksonville Jaguars head coach spoke at halftime about what he saw from backup quarterback Mac Jones.

Aug 17, 2024; Jacksonville, Florida, USA; Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Mac Jones (10) leads a huddle against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the first quarter during a preseason game at EverBank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-USA TODAY Sports / Nathan Ray Seebeck-USA TODAY Sports

Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Mac Jones got the nod as the starter for the team's Week 2 preseason game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, leading two scoring drives before coming out at halftime.

With Jones' performance came some good -- such as a 25-yard touchdown to Parker Washington to cap off a 17-play drive -- and some bad, such as two sacks and a missed third-down throw to Elijah Cooks.

Ultimately, Jones finished the game 11-of-18 (61.1%) for 144 yards and one touchdown, giving him a 104.9 passer rating.

Was it enough for Jones to pull away with the No. 2 quarterback job? That remains to be seen, though Jones did receive some halftime praise from his head coach.

“I think he’s doing some good things. He’s staying composed," Jaguars head coach Doug Pederson said during a halftime interview on the sidelines.

"We missed a big third down that would have been great to get but I think he’s seeing the field, he’s making good strong accurate throws and I believe he’s playing well.”

“I think it's different. Some years you're the starter and you may not be playing much. A lot of times it's a coach's decision. But I always want to get out there and play as much as I can," Jones said earlier this week.

"I think that's good whether you're the starter, back-up and third or fourth. It doesn't matter. You want the reps in the game. I think that's really beneficial for the young people. I don't try and put too much pressure on these games. I think it's two games that are very important but for a lot of people they might not even be playing. But for a lot of people it's very important. So, you have to understand that. I'm just looking forward to competing. It's not all going to be perfect, but you've got to learn from it and continue to build momentum into the season.”

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