Recent Troubles Involving Maurice Jones-Drew And Justin Blackmon Do Not Worry Me

It hasn’t even been a week and I’m already so sick and tired of hearing about this Maurice Jones-Drew business. It’s only going to get worse before it gets better. Apparently a video has surfaced that shows Jones-Drew attacking this security guard. If this is true, and if and when this video does surface, it won’t be good for our beloved running back. I think he’ll eventually be charged if this evidence does come out, but am I worried? No.

And then there’s Justin Blackmon. For some odd reason the Jaguars fan base is already tired of him. I’ve seen so many “cut him” posts scattered here and there across message boards, it’s ridiculous. C’mon, people. Really? You want to cut a guy as talented as Blackmon? Take a look at Dez Bryant. He’s had way more troubles and bumps along the road than Blackmon, and Bryant is now one of the best in the league. Granted, Dez has never been suspended four games, but it’s just something the Jaguars are going to have to deal with.

May 13, 2013; Jacksonville, FL, USA; Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver Justin Blackmon (14) answers questions from the media about his recent four-game suspension by the NFL for violation of its substance abuse policy after organized team activities at The Florida Blue Health

Now it seems as if the fan base is worried about Jones-Drew being suspended. Don’t worry, folks. He won’t be suspended. This guy has been as clean as a whistle as long as he’s been in the league. Even if he’s charged he won’t be suspended.

All of this aside, I must say…I don’t really care if both of them are suspended. That’s the NFL we live in. You can’t take back penalties can ya? Of course no one wants them to happen, but rules are rules. There’s some good calls and there’s some bad calls, and you can’t change one of them. So let’s just say worst case scenario happens, and come early September the Jaguars are without both Blackmon and Jones-Drew. Will the offense suffer in the worst of ways without these two? Who can say that right now? My guess is, well…yeah it would hurt. Fortunately, all of this is happening in May with enough time to make accomodations and preparations.

I’m not interested in these off field incidents. I don’t care if Blackmon has a drinking problem or if Jones-Drew slugged this guy out of nowhere. That has nothing to do with me. It has nothing to do with the Jaguars, but unfortunately it will affect the Jaguars. Which brings me to this: how will the team respond? We’ve already been talking about who can step up and start next to Cecil Shorts, but what about running back (still speaking in worst case scenario)? Well there’s free agent acquistion Justin Forsett and rookie draft pick Denard Robinson. One of the young guys in Todman, Grimes, or Eskridge would have to step up, or they could always go out and sign a low tier veteran free agent to pick up the slack.

What I’m getting at is that we as a fan base need to stop obsessing over what these guys do off the field, and start focusing on what the guys who are on the field can do because in reality, putting these players’ lives under a microscope isn’t being a football fan. It’s being a gossip queen. If that’s what you really want to read about, maybe you should just pick up an Entertainment Weekly instead. There you can find plenty of gossip regarding alcohol awesomeness and security-guard-punching.

-David R. Johns