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The final week of the NFL preseason will see the Miami Dolphins face the Jacksonville Jaguars. Kick-off is set for 7 p.m. ET from EverBank Stadium, with the Dolphins looking to hand the Jaguars their first loss of the preseason. Miami is coming off a 28-3 win over the Texans while Jacksonville is coming off the heels of a 25-7 win over the Lions.
Miami Dolphins
Miami’s strong rushing performance continued in Week 2 as they finished with 205 yards on the ground against Houston. Salvon Ahmed finished with 12 carries for 99 yards, and had briefly topped the century mark, while regular-season starter Raheem Mostert averaged 5.0 yards per carry while finding the end zone once.
Before leaving with a shoulder injury, rookie running back De’Von Achane finished with six carries for 27 yards, which included a highlight-worthy 20-yard gain that marked his longest of the day.
Which Dolphins will play, expected inactive
According to NFL Network reporter Cameron Wolfe, Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel indicated that quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, as well as the other offensive starters, would play for more than a series in Saturday’s contest. However, the expectation is that the group will not play for the entirety of a half, which means we will likely see key cornerstones like Tyreek Hill in limited action.
Dolphins HC Mike McDaniel tells reporters his plan is to play Tua Tagovailoa and starters “more than a series but less than a half” in preseason finale vs. Jaguars Saturday.
— Cameron Wolfe (@CameronWolfe) August 24, 2023
Jacksonville Jaguars
With the Jaguars’ starters sitting for their Week 2 contest with Detroit it opened the door for the backups to put their skillset on display. Rookie running back Tank Bigsby totaled 70 rushing yards on 13 carries, with an impressive 41 yards coming after contact. Backup tailback D’Ernest Johnson also had a strong day, scoring both of the team’s rushing touchdowns.
Which Jaguars will play, expected inactives
Head coach Doug Pederson told reporters that he plans to play his starters for the first half of Saturday’s preseason finale versus the Dolphins. Interestingly enough, the decision was made despite a handful of players suffering injuries in last week’s joint practices and subsequent Week 2 preseason bout with the Lions. The team’s starting unit, which includes quarterback Trevor Lawrence and running back Travis Etienne, did not suit up in last week’s game versus Detroit and has only played a few series in this preseason to date.