Maurice Jones-Drew’s New Role

Maurice Jones-Drew is the face of the Jaguars.  No matter what Nike tells us with its flashy advertising and pictures of Blaine Gabbert in the new duds, it is always Jones-Drew.  However, Jones-Drew is obviously not the big play maker he once was.

No longer does Jones-Drew return kicks.  No longer does Jones-Drew come in with fresh legs every 5-7 touches.  No longer does Jones-Drew turn every play into a big play.  And that’s a good thing.

MJD became a national icon for his big plays when he was a spell back for Fred Taylor.  His ability to bust loose for 20 to sixty yards was something special to watch.  In the days of Devin Hester returning anything and everything for a touchdown, MJD was doing pretty well down in Jacksonville.  And, with his older age, MJD has managed to effectively transition his game to what most people expected it to be when he entered the league: a grinder.

A grinder, a bruiser, pounder, what have you is a running back that gives you that 3-5 yards every time he touches the ball.  Sometimes he’ll take it to the house, sometimes he’ll just give you those three yards you need.  You know that every time he touches that ball, the defense gets worried having to take him down.  Maurice Jones-Drew’s size at 5’7″ is low to the ground, difficult to tackle, and more beneficial for a short yard burst through the opponent’s line to get those 3-5 yards.  His early days of bouncing outside and outrunning the longer-legged competition was something to marvel at and opened the door for players like Baltimore’s Ray Rice to emulate.

Jones-Drew will never be Brandon Jacobs.  He won’t be some giant barreling down on the opposition like a colossus that can’t be escaped.  Instead, he will be a true grinder, making you appreciate him for sheer effort.  Like Rudy, but more successful.

Pete Prisco of CBS sports notes that MJD isn’t as explosive as he once was:

"Jaguars sources say he isn’t nearly as explosive as he used to be, and I would agree."

However, rather than saying this as a bad thing, I think it’s a good thing.  It’s a transition to a new role.  In a high tempo offense more balanced than in years past, the Mike Mularkey led Jaguars are going to need a grinding running back to punish the defensive line for their devoted pass rush after they’ve been running the previous down to keep up with the movement of the offense.  MJD is the man for that job.  Let some other spell back be the dynamite that explodes into the second and third level.  It’s what Rashad Jennings is there for, to provide that extra bit of flash and dash (something Deji Karim failed at last year).

Teams can be very successful with a strong grinding running back, especially with a player built for the role.  Jerome Bettis did it for years with the Steelers.  He provided a force that the opposition just couldn’t bring down.  That is the type of role that Maurice Jones-Drew is being put into.  There’s still some explosion in his legs, but it isn’t quite the same as it once was.  But he has the skill, foresight, and knowledge to last longer than bruisers like ex-Tennessee running back LenDale White or ex-Browns running back Peyton Hillis.  It takes skill to get over 1,000 yards in the NFL, don’t get me wrong.  But to do it consistently or to hover around 800-900 while abusing the opposition and abusing your body is difficult.

But when you talk about an explosive player, it doesn’t have to be the plays that that player does all on his own.  It can be the plays he sets up.  Sure, there will be some (MJD ran a 56 yarder in 2011), but there will also be those plays where he gets the ball and wears out the defense to free up Laurent Robinson on a post or Mike Thomas down the seem.

All due respect to Pete Prisco, truly, but being explosive doesn’t mean that you don’t deserve to be the face of the franchise, the featured player, or a new contract.  The role that Jones-Drew is carving out for himself is one of transition, dependability, and an ability to move the ball whenever and however a coach wants.  Let someone else be that explosive back, and when Maurice Jones-Drew takes another one to the house from 20+ yards out….let the defense be wary.

We’re talking about a player that will be dominant into his thirties.  A player that plays through injuries, poor team play, and can make a difference whether he’s providing that extra bit of flash or just blocking linebacker twice his size.  MJD’s  new role in the offense will be more balanced, less focused on him.  And to be honest, he’s at the right point in his career for that to be the case.

– Luke N. Sims

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