Jacksonville Jaguars vs Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Cam Little's 61-yard field goal in the second quarter was more than just the game's opening points — it flipped field position and momentum decisively in Jacksonville's favour. Tampa Bay, which had held firm defensively through the first 18 minutes, suddenly faced a deficit against a Jaguars defence that was already winning the line of scrimmage. From that point on, Tampa Bay went scoreless across their remaining eight possessions, managing just 44 yards of offence after halftime.

DE Bryan Thomas Jr. (Jaguars) — The undrafted rookie was unblockable, finishing with 2.5 sacks, two tackles for loss, a pass breakup, and four quarterback hits. Head coach Liam Coen called the performance "huge" and Thomas Jr. ended the preseason as Jacksonville's team leader with 3.5 sacks.

K Cam Little (Jaguars) — His 61-yard field goal was the longest of the preseason for Jacksonville and gave the Jaguars a lead they never relinquished.

WR Michael Wortham (Jaguars) — Wortham was explosive in the return game, averaging 27.3 yards on four punt returns, capped by his 63-yard touchdown. He also added three receptions for 47 yards on four targets.

LB Jalen McLeod (Jaguars) — The second-year defender was active throughout, recording seven tackles, including one for loss, and a quarterback hit.

OLB Jack Pyburn (Buccaneers) — One of few bright spots for Tampa Bay, Pyburn recorded four tackles and 2.0 sacks, providing consistent backfield pressure.

Player of the match: Bryan Thomas Jr.

The final scoreline undersells Jacksonville's defensive dominance. The Buccaneers managed only 87 total yards of offence — a stark contrast to the Jaguars' 195. Tampa Bay converted just 2 of 12 third-down attempts and surrendered five sacks, with Thomas Jr. accounting for half of those. The Jaguars defence did not allow a single first down in the second half, per team reports. Jacksonville's offence was not prolific — 195 yards on 53 plays — but they controlled the clock when it mattered and committed no turnovers. The turnover battle was decisive: Jacksonville forced one fumble (recovered) and the Buccaneers failed to create any takeaways.

Both teams now face the NFL's final roster cutdown to 53 players by Sunday 4 p.m. ET. The Jaguars (2-1 preseason) head into the regular season with momentum from a shutout, having played most of their starters sparingly across all three exhibition games. Head coach Liam Coen said the team has "a pretty good idea" on the 53-man roster, with tougher decisions expected on practice squad placements.

The Jaguars open the 2026 regular season at home against the Cleveland Browns on September 13. The Buccaneers (2-1 preseason) travel to Paycor Stadium to face the Cincinnati Bengals on the same date.

A textbook preseason finale for Jacksonville: no major injuries, strong play from roster-bubble players, and a defence that controlled the game from start to finish. Thomas Jr. likely played his way onto the 53-man roster. For Tampa Bay, the shutout exposed a thin offensive line rotation and a lack of playmaking depth behind the starters. Neither result carries into Week 1, but the Jaguars have more positive tape to evaluate as cut-down day approaches.