The Jacksonville Jaguars have struggled this season to a 1-5 record behind second-year quarterback Blaine Gabbert and working hard to turn things around.
Things got a bit harder for the team this past Sunday, when both starting running back Maurice Jones-Drew and Gabbert were hurt against the Oakland Raiders. Drew was injured on his first carry of the game and was later seen on the sidelines with crutches and boot on his foot.
"It was a routine tackle. I just got rolled,'' Jones said to Jacksonville.com. "I just didn't feel right. I didn't want to go out there and hurt our team."
On Monday the coaching staff ruled Jones-Drew out of this week's game against the Green Bay Packers, but got some better news regarding their star running back. According to ESPN.com, Jones-Drew will not need surgery, which means that he most likely has a foot sprain and not a painful Lisfranc injury.
It will be a tall task for the Jaguars to stay competitive against the Packers considering they are one of the highest scoring offenses in the league. The Jaguars on the other hand are ranked near the bottom of the league in both offense and defense. The team is ranked 29th in rushing defense and 24th in passing defense.
Quarterback Blaine Gabbert has the team ranked last in the league with 144 yards per game, while the rushing attack is ranked 25th. Those numbers should take an even bigger hit depending on how long Jones is out.
According to ESPN.com, Jones-Drew has the third most yards from scrimmage since 2006, only behind stars Steven Jackson and Frank Gore.
Without Jones-Drew, the team had trouble rushing the ball and lost a 14-point lead to the Raiders in regulation before losing the game 26-23 in overtime. Jones-Drew is the Jaguars leading rusher with 412 yards on the season. He was replaced by backup Rashad Jennings, who rushed for 44 yards on Sunday.
Jones-Drew has been one of the most dominant running backs in the league since he was drafted in 2006 out of UCLA. He had made the Pro Bowl three times and rushed for over 1,300 yards three straight seasons from 2009-2011. He was on pace to do the same this year before getting injured.
The Jaguars are also dealing with an injury to Gabbert, who hurt his non-throwing shoulder against the Raiders as well. According to ESPN's Ed Werder, Gabbert has a torn left labrum and may also miss this week's Packers' game.
The second-year quarterback out of Missouri has struggled behind a young offensive line. He has thrown for 906 yards on the season with only six touchdowns and three interceptions.
He underwent MRI testing, but the team is waiting for a second opinion before making a decision on when he will be back. Gabbert was tackled hard to the turf and his shoulder was driven into the ground by an Oakland Raiders player.
Gabbert was playing solid on Sunday, completing 8-of-12 passes for 110 yards and a touchdown before getting injured. He was replaced by Chad Henne, who only threw for 71 yards the rest of the game.
The team plans to have Gabbert meet with Dr. James Andrews, one of the top NFL doctors, for a second opinion this week.
