The Jacksonville Jaguars special teams apparently figured out the new NFL kickoff rules faster than the defending Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs.
The Jaguars broke off two long kickoff returns in the first half of Saturday's 26-13 preseason victory over the Chiefs at EverBank Stadium, a 73-yarder by Parker Washington in the first quarter to set up the Jags' first touchdown, and a 45-yarder by Tank Bigsby near the end of the second quarter that came off a free kick by the Chiefs — after Mecole Hardman botched a return that eventually was ruled a safety.
That's 118 yards on the first two kickoff returns of the preseason. With Hardman credited for a return of minus-1 yard, the Chiefs had 30 yards on two returns in the first half.
The Jaguars averaged 41.5 yards on four kickoff returns. The Chiefs had the number number of returns but averaged 21.75.
For good measure, rookie kicker Cam Little made field goals of 31, 40 and 47 yards. He missed from 62 yards on the final play of the first half but it had plenty of distance and drifted left.
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Washington's play was the longest kickoff return of the first week of the preseason. He took the ball back to the Chiefs' 20, and four plays later Trevor Lawrence hit Travis Etienne with a 9-yard touchdown pass.
"It's preseason and I know it doesn't count towards the record but it's always great to get a win with the fellows," Washington said.
Especially when the Jags special teams outplayed and outcoached Andy Reid's Chiefs.
What did Mecole Hardman do wrong?
The play Hardman made was an example of what not to do and it resulted in the Jaguars collecting 10 points on back-to-back plays.
Following a 35-yard TD pass from C.J. Beathard to Devin Duvernay with 33 seconds left, and a 2-point run by D'Ernest Johnson for an 18-10 lead, Jaguars rookie Cam Little kicked off. Returners Mecole Hardman and Deneric Prince watched the kickoff bounce 1 yard deep in the end zone, and then spin back into the field of play.
Hardman ran a step past the ball the ball when it was on the 1. He took a step into the end zone and reached out and grabbed it, thinking it was a touchback. That was the initial ruling but after a review, officials reversed the call and said it was a safety, giving the Jags 10 points on back-to-back plays.
"I'm trying to get it in a certain area and it just happened to kind of check back like that," Little said. "It's not something I'm necessarily trying to do but it worked out in our favor."
It could have been more. Bigsby gathered Harrison Butker's free kick at the 4 and and broke through the initial line of defense up the middle. He then stumbled and fell, and was tackled by Tyree Gillespie before he could get back up.
With 18 seconds left, Beathard hit Brenton Strange with an 8-yard pass and threw incomplete twice. Little then missed for the only time in four attempts.
Doug Pederson said coaches were on top of the play
Jaguars coach Doug Pederson said special teams coordinator Heath Farwell and coaches in the booth knew immediately Hardman's play was a safety.
"The ball landed in the end zone and now by rule it's still a live ball," Pederson said after the game. "Last year it would have been dead and the ball would have come out to the 25. Heath was yelling at me and the guys upstairs in the booth were in my ear about it. My point to the officials was, 'give us a chance to review it.' I think it was a good coaching point. It's a good teaching point for everybody."
Washington said as much: that the Chiefs' gaffe would help anyone in the league who watched the film. He also said the players on special teams were sure of their knowledge of the new rules and execution, both covering and returning.
"Heath does a real good job of coaching us and giving us the rules that we need to know and understand," he said. "We came into this game confident and understanding what needed to be executed."
Andy Reid unsure of the rule
Reid still seemed baffled by the ruling after the game.
"I think they're [NFL officials] trying to work that out," Reid said. "Normally when a ball goes in the end zone and you touch it there, then it's a dead ball. That’s a ... we'll get it cleared up and see what they come up with."
There didn't seem to be anything that needed to get worked out as far as Pederson, Farwell and the Jaguars special teams players were concerned.
"Credit to Heath and the [special-teams coaches]," said linebacker Chad Muma, who helped Washington on his return with a key block at midfield. "They've done a great job teaching us this off-season all about the rules. We knew when the ball hits [the ground] it's live."
