Jaguars vs. Cowboys: 5 Observations on Jacksonville's 28-23 Win

What do we make of the Jaguars' encouraging 28-23 win over Dallas in the preseason opener?

The Jacksonville Jaguars left Dallas with a preseason win on Saturday, knocking the Cowboys off with a 28-23 win and with touchdowns from Trevor Lawrence, C.J. Beathard, and Nathan Rourke. 

What did the win mean for the Jaguars and what does it tell us about their prospects moving forward? We break it down below.

Travis Etienne is clearly the lead back 

It is clear based on how the Jaguars operated on offense that there isn't much threat from Tank Bigsby to take Travis Etienne's role as the lead back. This is to be expected considering Etienne is fresh off joining to 1,000-yard club and Bigsby is a mere rookie with a handful of preseason carries under his belt, but the Jaguars still made it abundantly clear on Saturday that Etienne is the top dog at running back.

While Bigsby did pop off a 34-yard run and also got the first short-yardage attempt (a 3rd-and-1 rush that was stuffed in the hole), Etienne got five of the Jaguars' first six carries and was the predominant first-team running back by a wide margin. Bigsby will get his carries here and there, but it is obvious he and Etienne are on different levels right now, both in terms of production and role.

Anton Harrison has an encouraging debut 

It was a solid debut for rookie right tackle Anton Harrison. The Jaguars' first-round pick played for most of the first half and, while he wasn't facing Micah Parsons, he certainly looked comfortable. Considering it was not just his NFL debut but also only the second game he has ever played at right tackle, it was as encouraging as preseason starts can get.

It wasn't all perfect, with Harrison giving up ground on a Dante Fowler Jr. tackle for loss. But Harrison was rock solid in pass protection, beautifully picking up a stunt on Trevor Lawrence's touchdown pass to Christian Kirk. It wasn't just that play, either, with Harrison having several eyebrow-raising reps in pass protection. 

Nice pass pro by Jags rookie RT Anton Harrison passing off the stunt with the RG pic.twitter.com/tXFa1212FM

— Billy M (@BillyM_91) August 12, 2023

Calvin Ridley gets his first test of game speed in a few years 

It was obvious that Calvin Ridley was amped up for his first NFL game since 2021. The Jaguars' star wide receiver got his first taste of game speed in nearly two years on Saturday, turning in a two-catch, 21-yard effort on two targets. It was clear the Jaguars wanted to get him used to game speed before Week 1 crawls around, but it was also clear that Ridley needs these reps.

The best example was on this scramble drill, with Ridley, Trevor Lawrence, and Evan Engram all seemingly being on different pages. This resulted in an interception on Lawrence's second pass of the game, and is an example of just how important these preseason reps are for Ridley.

Trevor forcing it and throws a pick pic.twitter.com/5pVpVp1na6

— Fitz (@LaurieFitzptrck) August 12, 2023

Gregory Junior, Seth Williams and Jacob Harris make their cases for the roster

Saturday meant the Jaguars were able to get a good look at several players who have stood out on the practice field so far, giving them a chance to see if the play can go from practice to a live game. And for the most part, the Jaguars didn't see many disappointments. There were three players who particularly stood out, however. 

Second-year cornerback Gregory Junior was fantastic, recovering a fumble and forcing one in his own right to prevent a potential touchdown. Junuor has been one of the roster's most improved players and his ability to continue to find the ball on Saturday stood out in a big way.

Then at wide receiver, the Jaguars saw two different towering options make impressive catches in Seth Williams and Jacob Harris. The duo are two of the Jaguars' biggest wideouts and showed off their athleticism and natural ability to win the ball in the air vs. Dallas, with Harris making the catch of the night and Williams making a few impressive grabs in his own right. It will be tough to make room in the wide receiver unit, but they have earned consideration.

Depth looks improved across the board

There were past preseasons where it was clear the Jaguars simply didn't have NFL-quality depth -- when you are struggling to field a successful first-team unit, the second-and third-team units are bound to struggle, too. This was clearly not the case on Saturday, however, as the Jaguars' depth seemed to thrive. The Jaguars' coaching staff has done a terrific job of developing players since Doug Pederson was hired. As a result, the Jaguars' depth is better now than it has been in years. 

From the second-team defense looking stingy to the Jaguars having several legitimate playmakers at wide receiver, tight end and running back, all the way down to C.J. Beathard and Nathan Rourke making plays with their arms and legs, the Jaguars' backups had a night to remember on Saturday. The Jaguars officially have a deep roster.