Hunter said postgame Sunday<\/a> of his play on the ball. \u201cI have to do my job and put myself in a better position.\u201d<\/p>\nDefensively, Hunter was thrust into a position potentially the Jags coaching staff didn\u2019t exactly want. Jarrian Jones got dinged up early and Hunter filled in for him. Hunter also played his usual increasing allotment of snaps, resulting in 31 total coverage snaps. Head coach Liam Coen said after the Panthers win he wanted Hunter on defense more, but there is no telling if he wanted him out there this much. To Hunter\u2019s credit, he played well.<\/p>\n
The best play of Hunter\u2019s defensive day came with him swiping a ball out of Andrei Iosivas\u2019 hands for his first career pass breakup. It was later Iosivas who drew the PI flag but that\u2019s the ups and downs of the league.<\/p>\n
\u201cI was prepared for the moment. I just have to do my job,\u201d Hunter said, \u201cmake a couple more plays. They told me I would play a lot more defense, so I was prepared and ready.\u201d<\/p>\n
Obviously the marquee offensive players for the Bengals outside of future Hall of Fame quarterback Jake Browning are Ja\u2019Marr Chase and Tee Higgins. Just two plays after Hunter\u2019s flag, Chase got the best of Hunter for a 16 yard reception furthering the final scoring drive. That catch was the only one given up by Hunter in coverage.<\/p>\n
While Chase and Higgins made barbecue chicken of veteran Tyson Campbell, the rookie embraced the experience and said he plans to use it to get better moving forward.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt was great for me early in my career to go against those two guys,\u201d Hunter said. \u201cThey did their job. They did what their team needed them to do.\u201d<\/p>\n
The offensive side of the ball is where Hunter\u2019s numbers are disappointing for what his expected production could have, or should have, been.<\/p>\n
Hunter caught three of his six targets for 22 yards. So far this year, Hunter has nine catches for 55 yards, including two drops. Coincidentally, two would-be touchdown passes to Hunter from quarterback Trevor Lawrence have been picked off this season.<\/p>\n
For comparison, through two games last year Brian Thomas Jr. had almost 150 yards receiving and a touchdown. Chase had well over 200 yards in his first two games, but players like Justin Jefferon had just 70.<\/p>\n
The biggest issue with Hunter\u2019s up and down day wasn\u2019t him not eclipsing 100 receiving yards though, but rather his inability to get set all afternoon.<\/p>\n
By Hunter\u2019s own admission he was the sole reason for upwards of three illegal shift penalties which often helped derail any momentum the Jags were able to cobble together throughout Sunday\u2019s game.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe weren\u2019t lining up right, we weren\u2019t locked in,\u201d Hunter said. \u201cI had a couple mistakes with that so I have to do better. I have to do my job and the other guys have to do their job.\u201d<\/p>\n
On both sides of the ball it hasn\u2019t been picture perfect for Hunter. Going as far back as the preseason, no one game from Hunter has been entirely memorable. Thus far Hunter has been mainly used as a gimmick screen pass catcher and an extra body on defense.<\/p>\n
Like last week, Hunter wasn\u2019t outraged over his so-so performance. He knows there is far more in the tank for him to give. But it seemingly has taken a bit longer for him to showcase that fact as the Jacksonville coaching tries to fit a 40-sided peg into a hole that doesn\u2019t even exist yet.<\/p>\n
\u201cI have to play within the system,\u201d Hunter said. \u201cI have to make sure I am on my Ps and Qs. This is what I want to do. There are a lot of people that will continue to doubt me. I just have to continue to do my job.\u201d<\/p>\n
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