Gene Frenette: Jaguars' schedule should give Maurice Jones-Drew incentive | jacksonville.com
Because the Jaguars aren’t inclined to give Maurice Jones-Drew a contract extension, maybe they can entice their franchise back to end his holdout by merely pointing to the schedule. Look closely. Jones-Drew has seven games against backs with more lucrative contracts. Other than wanting his team to win, can anything light a bigger fire under Jones-Drew than showing the Jaguars he can outperform colleagues making more coin? Remember, this is the guy who said earlier in his career how he liked wearing No. 32 because it matched how many teams passed on him in the first round of the NFL Draft.
Jaguars receivers know it's time to catch on | jacksonville.com
Wide receivers Laurent Robinson and Mike Thomas got the message from Jaguars coach Mike Mularkey, and they agree with it. After the Jaguars lost to the Ravens 48-17 in Baltimore on Thursday night, Mularkey said the Jaguars’ other receivers have to do what rookie Justin Blackmon and the Ravens’ receivers were doing. "When the ball is tightly covered, we need to make plays," Mularkey said.
Eugene Monroe is back, and happy to be there. Monroe, the Jaguars’ starting left tackle, participated in practice on Saturday, as did linebacker Daryl Smith and offensive guard Will Rackley. Monroe missed the last two games in the concussion program, with Smith (groin) and Rackley (high ankle sprain) having been out the entire preseason. Monroe, who sustained a hit to the head in practice on Wednesday, August 15, was cleared in a concussion test Friday, head coach Mike Mularkey said. "It stinks not being able to play," Monroe said. "I had to heal up. I’m good now and ready to get back to work. I can’t wait. Seeing the progress that the team is making, that the offensive line is making – it’s promising. I want to be a part of it."
Jaguars look ahead to preseason finale against Falcons
Two days later, it was time to look forward. That’s not to say the Jaguars weren’t very aware that what happened Thursday night in Baltimore was unacceptable, and in the wake of a 31-point loss to the Ravens, there was the expected talk of recovering, responding and moving forward. "It was definitely a wakeup call," defensive end Jeremy Mincey said. But Jaguars head coach Mike Mularkey said while many things went wrong Thursday, many things went right. Saturday was a time for working on each.