While pass rusher Josh Allen had a solid performance for the Jacksonville Jaguars against the Miami Dolphins, there were several other guys who went under-the-radar with impressive showings of their own, and tailback Leonard Fournette was one of them. In his debut in John DeFilippo’s new scheme, Fournette was able to accumulate seven carries for 27 yards, which was good for a 3.9 average, but it was his abilities as a pass catcher that really caught the eyes of fans as he had two receptions for 19 yards.
In the early stages of Thursday’s game, the Jags got off to a bit of a slow start and Fournette was apart of that equation as he dropped a pass in the Jags’ first drive. However, later in the Jags’ third drive, Fournette began to find a rhythm and had a strong 12-yard run during an inside zone play-call. With Brandon Linder leading the way and making it to the second level, Fournette was able to get a full head of steam and truck a defensive back, hyping up his teammates in the process.
Of course, the run was one of many plays that led to the Jags’ only touchdown of the night in which went to receiver Dede Westbrook.
As for his work in the passing game, Thursday’s game made it clear that DeFilippo wants to utilize Fournette for swing passes and the pass above in which he caught late in the first quarter was one of mini which proves it. In the play (which was once again out of shotgun), Foles hit Fournette on a zero route behind the line of scrimmage. Similarly to his 12-yard run, that allowed him to pick up some steam and he once again trucked another defensive back in the process of gaining 15 yards.
Unfortunately, Thursday’s solid showing was probably the last we’ll see out of Fournette until the regular season, but it definitely left fans wanting more. Clearly, he should be able to do some positive things as a receiver under DeFilippo and once again become a 1,000-yard rusher, but the key will ultimately be the status of his health and continued dedication to the playbook.
