JACKSONVILLE, Fla.
With 5:48 left in the fourth quarter of a game already leaning Jacksonville's way, Michael Wortham returned a punt 63 yards for a touchdown, then watched Joey Aguilar find Chandler Brayboy for the two-point conversion that made it 19-0, the final stamp on a preseason shutout of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at EverBank Stadium.
Both clubs finished the exhibition season 2-1. Neither side played its starters Friday, the Associated Press reported. On a night built for evaluation, Wortham's return was the clearest statement play, and the defense's blank sheet gave coach Liam Coen something concrete to take into cutdown weekend.
Special teams statement
Wortham's score, detailed by Jaguars.com, arrived after Jacksonville had already built an 11-0 lead. Speaking to the AP afterward, Wortham put the moment in roster terms: "This is what it's all about, man. You prove yourself on special teams, then you work your way onto offense and defense, whatever it is."
The path to that return had been methodical. Cam Little opened the scoring with a 61-yard field goal at 10:21 of the second quarter for a 3-0 edge. CBS Sports and RotoWire noted Little finished the preseason 7-for-7 on field goals.
Carter Bradley then threw a 1-yard touchdown pass to DeeJay Dallas at 3:45 of the third and ran in the two-point attempt himself for an 11-0 cushion before Wortham's fourth-quarter dash.
Rotation under center
Nick Mullens started and went 5 of 7 for 62 yards in the first quarter, including a 34-yard completion to Hunter Long, per Jaguars.com. Bradley handled the middle of the game, completing 8 of 15 for 77 yards with one touchdown and no interceptions across the second and third quarters. The AP noted Bradley is the son of former Jaguars coach Gus Bradley.
Aguilar closed it out at 7 of 9 for 57 yards in the fourth.
Defense sets the floor
Bryan Thomas Jr. led the rush with 2.5 sacks, four hurries and one pass breakup, finishing the preseason with a team-high 3.5 sacks, according to Jaguars.com. Coen, quoted by the club, credited that group for the blank sheet: "The defense as a whole, with the shutout, was huge - being led by Bryan." Wesley Williams recovered a fumbled snap at the Buccaneers' 15.
