Bob Stanton-USA TODAY Sports
Jacksonville Jaguars fans had an awful feeling of déjà vu on Sunday when running back Maurice Jones-Drew limped off the field in Oakland for the second straight year with an injury.
The injury Jones-Drew suffered last year kept him out for the rest of the season, but the Jaguars coaching staff seems confident that they could have him back on the field this Sunday when they play the Seattle Seahawks. The team is calling his injury a “tendon strain” in his ankle, which should be a relief for the Jaguars because with the awkward way he fell on Sunday the injury could have been much more significant.
Health is not the only question surrounding Jones-Drew right now, however. Through two games, Jones-Drew has only managed 72 yards on 25 carries which only adds up to 2.9 yards per carry. Sure the Jaguars offensive line has not been doing its job up front, but Jones-Drew has made a career running through tackles and it does not appear that he is running with the same power this year.
Jones-Drew has accumulated a bunch of carries over his career and it may be time to wonder if the 28-year-old running back is starting to lose his effectiveness. He certainly is not lacking for motivation as he is playing on the last year of his contract and he made it known last offseason that he wants one more payday before he hangs it up.
So, while it appears the Jaguars have dodged a major bullet with Jones-Drew’s injury not being serious, they need their star running back to play a lot better moving forward if they want their offense to improve.
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