The Steelers boast the benefit of having one preseason game under their belt, losing 14-3 to the Vikings in the NFL Hall of Fame Game. Jacksonville will finally have the opportunity to open its season come Friday night.
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For those out of network, a free live stream to watch the contest can be found here (requires free trial registration).
Preview
Game Time: 7:30 p.m. ET
Location: EverBank Field
Weather: 89°F, Mostly Cloudy
Odds: Pick'em (-110)
Radio: Pittsburgh (WDVE-FM); Jacksonville (1010XL)
Position Battles To Watch
Steelers: The secondary continues to be an area of need for Pittsburgh, particularly at safety. Alden Darby featured at free safety in Sunday's HOF Game, and will have an opportunity to compete for a roster spot on Friday. Mike Mitchell, Will Allen and Robert Golden are the other safeties on Pittsburgh's roster, leaving Darby with zero margin for error.
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Jaguars: T.J. Yeldon was selected in the second round of the 2015 NFL Draft to mature into Jacksonville's first-choice RB, but Denard Robinson has impressed early in camp. The early edge belongs to Yeldon, but look for Robinson to use the experience from last year's four-game stretch as a starter to his advantage.
Performance To Examine
Make no mistake, Jacksonville's fate in 2015 rests on the shoulders of Blake Bortles. Entering year two, the 23-year-old has reportedly returned to camp with a shorter release and better accuracy, per NFL.com.
Friday will be his first opportunity to showcase the improvements he made with QB guru Tom House in the offseason.
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