Mike Tomlin will be evaluating his young talent after their second game in five days (Getty).
Their opponents Friday night are the Pittsburgh Steelers, who will be playing their second game in five days after appearing in the NFL Hall of Fame Game. After losing starting kicker Shaun Suisham to a season-ending knee injury in the preseason opener, expect the Steelers to audition multiple kickers throughout the game.
Here’s a look at everything you need to know about the upcoming contest:
Date: Friday, August 14, 2015
Time: 7:30 p.m. ET
Location: EverBank Field, Jacksonville, FL
TV Channel: KDKA in Pittsburgh; WJXT in Jacksonville; Check here for full listings in surrounding areas
Odds: Jacksonville -1, Over/Under 36, via OddsShark.com
Steelers Player to Watch: Tajh Boyd
Tajh Boyd can earn a spot on the Steelers roster after Landry Jones failed to impress Sunday (Getty).
Boyd was drafted by the Jets in 2014, but failed to make the roster as a sixth-round pick. He signed with the FXFL in September, and played well enough to catch the eye of Mike Tomlin and the Steelers.
Headed to Training Camp, bout to go make this team! #SteelersNation http://t.co/9ToS6pwmzt
The opportunity is there to replace Jones, who may fall victim to roster cuts if Boyd succeeds. Pittsburgh won’t be keeping four quarterbacks, and the Steelers already know what they have in Jones.
The good news for Tajh Boyd is that Landry Jones failed to distinguish himself in any phase of QB play and will likely be released soon
Jaguars Player to Watch: Blake Bortles
Blake Bortles is ready to step up in his sophomore season (Getty).
Bortles, who was the third overall pick of the 2014 NFL Draft, wasn’t named the Jags starter until week four of the regular season. He finished the season with 11 touchdowns and 17 INTs, with a record of 3-11. Olson is charged with turning Bortles around, and the additions of Thomas and rookie T.J. Yeldon should help the process.