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A bad season in Jacksonville has gotten much worse as star running back Maurice Jones-Drew will at least miss Sunday’s game in Green Bay and could be done for the season with a foot injury.
Jones-Drew, the Jaguars’ three-time Pro Bowl running back, is expected to miss at least one game following an injury to the middle part of his left foot Sunday, Jaguars coach Mike Mularkey said.
Mularkey did not offer a firm diagnosis but did confirm that Jones-Drew’s foot is not broken and said he hopes the team’s franchise running back will not miss significant time.
He did, however, utter the dreaded word, “Lisfranc,” when discussing possible outcomes, the NFL Network’s Andrew Siciliano reports. the injury that has already sidelined New York Jets wide receiver Santonio Holmes for the season.
Jones-Drew unsuccessfully held out for a new long-term contract with the team over the summer but had no difficulty regaining his starting role. He rushed for 177 yards and a touchdown in Jacksonville’s Week 3 win at Indianapolis — coincidentally their lone victory to date — but failed to crack 60 yards in the three weeks since.
Rashad Jennings will start against the Packers.
The Jags also might be without quarterback Blaine Gabbert this week. Gabbert, the Jaguars’ starting quarterback the last 20 games, sustained an injury his left (non-throwing) shoulder, and although he did not play the second half Sunday, Mularkey said there is a chance he could play Sunday.
Mularkey said while backup quarterback Chad Henne will be prepared to play Sunday, much of Gabbert’s status will “be up to Blaine, depending on how the shoulder feels.” Mularkey didn’t rule out the possibility of Gabbert taking all practice reps Wednesday, and said the team has not yet discussed signing another quarterback.
ESPN is reporting that the preliminary results of Blaine Gabbert’s MRI show a torn labrum in his left shoulder. Gabbert will receive a second opinion from Dr. James Andrews on Tuesday.
After that, a determination about his Week 8 availability will be made. Since the damage is on Gabbert’s non-throwing shoulder, it’s possible he could play through this injury.
Backup Chad Henne was an inept 9-of-20 for 71 yards in relief during Sunday’s loss to the Raiders. But it might not make much difference which quarterback plays if the Jaguars can’t protect better. Their offense ranks last in the league in yardage gained.
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