Gene Frenette: Jaguars' Walker flashes against Raiders, Baalke critics silent, RIP to two icons

On a night where Jaguars’ highlights were in short supply, at least Travon Walker continued to demonstrate that those who questioned his selection as the No. 1 overall draft pick might have to eat those words.

Walker, one of the few starters that head coach Doug Pederson allowed to play Thursday night in a 27-11 Hall of Fame game loss to the Las Vegas Raiders, ignited a stellar Jaguars pass rush by taking down quarterback Jarrett Stidham on the second series.

On the next play, free-agent acquisition Arden Key got the second of four Jaguars sacks in the first half to force a successful 55-yard field goal by Daniel Carlson.

But Walker set the tone for an active pass rush by overpowering left tackle Brandon Parker, a fifth-year veteran and 2018 third-round draft pick who has 32 career starts, mostly at right tackle.

Gene's previous three columns:

• Who's next?: With Tony Boselli in, which Jags should be next for the Hall of Fame? | Gene Frenette

• Piecing it together: Jaguars' offensive line coach Phil Rauscher must find right unit combination

• So nice he wants to do it twice: Jaguars coach Pederson chases NFL history; Ivy Leaguer payday

Despite Walker being flagged for a roughing-the-passer penalty on the game’s first play, he flashed the kind of pass-rush ability in two series that the Jaguars desperately need if a maligned defense is going to get off the field more often.

Walker saw just enough action to get himself comfortable in his NFL debut, but Pederson did the right thing by limiting him to 15 snaps. Why push the playing-time envelope with such an indispensable player when the Jaguars still have three more preseason games?

There’s no need to put too much stock in mostly Jaguars backups losing to Raiders backups. That disappointment was soothed by seeing Walker look like his freakish athletic skills will pay long-term dividends.

Another double-up guarantee

When the Jaguars finished the 2020 season with a pedestrian sack total of 18, former defensive coordinator Joe Cullen had no problem declaring last summer that his unit would double that total. It almost happened as the Jaguars finished with 32.

Now, after the Jaguars finished 2021 with a paltry seven interceptions (second lowest in franchise history), including none by high-priced free agent cornerback Shaquille Griffin, the UCF product didn’t back down from making a similar declaration about the team making a dramatic jump in the takeaway department.

“Guaranteed, I definitely think we’ll double [the interception total to 14],” said Griffin. In the Jaguars’ history, they had at least 14 interceptions 11 times in 27 seasons.

Baalke critics in hiding

The old adage that NFL also stands for Not For Long seems to be applying in the case of Trent Baalke. Seven months ago, the Jaguars GM was a favorite lampoon target by fans at the end of the Urban Meyer era.

Things got so bad that some dressed up as clowns for the season-ending game against the Indianapolis Colts — reveling in excessive media attention they received — in protest of him not being fired.

Criticism of Baalke also spilled over into the head coach hiring process, but things have quieted down considerably in recent months.

With the growing euphoria over first-round draft picks Walker and Devin Lloyd, plus what looks like a fairly promising free-agent class, the Baalke detractors who took great delight in burying him when things were down have gone conspicuously silent.

But if for any reason the Jaguars struggle in 2022, look for the it’s-all-Baalke’s-fault crowd to get revved up again.

Watson deserves bigger punishment

No matter what happens on the NFL appeal of Deshaun Watson’s six-game suspension, the initial decision by arbitrator Sue Robinson was another reminder to women that reporting sexual assault/misconduct has little chance of meaningful consequences unless there are corroborating eyewitnesses or video evidence.

When anyone agrees to settle 23 of 24 civil lawsuits against him, and a judge determines that Watson showed a pattern of conduct with massage therapists “more egregious than any before reviewed by the NFL,” it’s clear the Cleveland Browns quarterback got off way too easy.

Considering the league suspended Atlanta Falcons receiver Calvin Ridley for an entire season for betting $1,500 on games, that should have been the minimum penalty for Watson’s despicable behavior.

By allowing Watson to return in Week 7 and lose only $345,000 on a $230 million guaranteed contract, it’s a shameful outcome and sends a terrible message to NFL female fans.

Tony Buzbee, the attorney representing many of Watson’s accusers, said his clients felt “defeated” and “invisible” when the suspension came down.

If the NFL appeal winds up taking Watson off the field for a year, that would feel more like justice.

Russell’s greatness still underrated

Despite all the accolades he received on and off the court, I still consider Boston Celtics’ great Bill Russell — who passed away this week at 88 — one of the most underrated figures in any sport.

Yes, he played on Boston teams that were littered with Hall of Famers, but Russell also won two NCAA titles at San Francisco, got inducted into the Hall of Fame a second time for his coaching stint with the Celtics and excelled on the defensive end of the floor like few in NBA history.

While nobody can dispute Wilt Chamberlain was a more potent basketball force, Russell’s focus on team play and the Celtics outperforming Chamberlain’s squad every time but once when they met in the playoffs, that speaks to the 6-foot-10 center’s impact.

Few players in any sport had a more epic career farewell than Russell, who served as player-coach when Boston defeated the Los Angeles Lakers 108-106 in Game 7 of the 1969 NBA Finals.

Then Lakers’ owner Jack Kent Cooke foolishly had celebration balloons placed in the L.A. Forum rafters ready for release in anticipation of a Lakers victory. An infuriated 35-year-old Russell would have none of it, holding Chamberlain to eight points in the only road victory of the Finals. RIP, Bill.

An irreplaceable voice, legend

Following the loss of the legendary Russell, the sports world took another hit when the G.O.A.T. of broadcasting, Vin Scully, died at 94.

It’s hard to think of anybody behind a microphone who had a presence and voice as illuminating as the man who served as the Los Angeles Dodgers’ play-by-play man for 67 years.

Scully had so many legendary calls, including three perfect games, 18 no-hitters and Hank Aaron’s record-breaking 715th home run in 1974, that a documentary of his extraordinary life could be a mini-series as long as “Roots.”

His description of what seemed like the longest at-bat in World Series history — the Mookie Wilson ground ball in 1986 that rolled under Boston Red Sox first baseman Bill Buckner’s glove to end Game 6 in the New York Mets’ favor — is etched in my memory bank.

Anybody who grew up a Dodgers hater found it impossible to dislike Scully. His was a voice for the ages.

Jumbo Shrimp attrition challenge

With the Jumbo Shrimp locked in a tight battle with the Durham Bulls and Lehigh Valley in the International League East division, they’ll have to overcome roster call-ups that have seen the Miami Marlins promote four key players — JJ Bleday, Charles Leblanc, Lewin Diaz and outfielder Peyton Burdick — in the last two weeks.

Next week’s six-game series on the road against Durham, the last time facing an East opponent in first-place contention, could go a long way toward determining Jacksonville’s postseason fate.

The Shrimp, tied for first place with Lehigh Valley and one game ahead of Durham going into Friday, are 8-10 this season against the Bulls.

Under the IL postseason format, the winner of the East faces the West division champion in a one-game playoff (September 30) in Las Vegas, with the winner playing the Pacific Coast League champion for the Triple-A national championship.

Gfrenette@jacksonville.com: (904) 359-4540 

Gene Frenette Sports columnist at Florida Times-Union, follow him on Twitter @genefrenette

This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: Jaguars' Walker flashes against Raider, silent Baalke critics, more nuggets