Safety Gerald Sensabaugh could be headed for season-ending shoulder surgery, which would further challenge a Jaguars defense that is limping through the first month of the season.
“We think he’s going to need surgery,” head coach Jack Del Rio said at his Monday press conference.
Sensabaugh was injured in Sunday’s 13-7 win over the Atlanta Falcons and was replaced in the lineup by Sammy Knight. Sensabaugh was seeking an out-of-town medical opinion on Monday. He would be placed on injured reserve if surgery is prescribed.
Meanwhile, defensive tackle John Henderson is likely to go without contact in practice this week following a blow to the head early in Sunday’s game. Henderson returned to action in the second half and was instrumental in the Jaguars’ strong fourth-quarter performance.
The Jaguars evened their record at 1-1 in a game that was widely viewed as a must-win situation, especially since the Jaguars’ next two games are on the road. When asked if the 13 points his offense scored in Sunday’s game was good enough, Del Rio said: “Yesterday it was. Yesterday it was, absolutely.
“We could spend a couple of days on that whole topic,” Del Rio said of criticism that his offense doesn’t score enough points. “The best thing you can do is find a way to win. I believe you’ll see improvement as the year goes on with this football team.”
Quarterback David Garrard was given high marks for his performance: 17 of 25 for 272 yards, one touchdown, no interceptions and a 117.4 passer rating. Garrard has thrown a touchdown pass in each of the last five games; seven in the last eight. Sunday’s game marked his seventh 100-plus passer-rating game as a starter.
“David threw the ball well, went through his progressions well. We think he’ll continue to improve,” Del Rio said of Garrard, whose wife, Mary, gave birth to a son, Justin Thomas, at 4:47 a.m. on Monday.
One player who didn’t get high marks is wide receiver Matt Jones. When asked if he was satisfied by Jones’ effort on plays not involving him, Del Rio said: “No, I’m not.”
Del Rio said he has spoken to Jones about his effort, but declined to divulge details of that conversation, for obvious reasons.
“I’m not comfortable with some of the body language. Some times body language can be misconstrued. It’s not something that helps the team if it’s not positive. When you have that casual demeanor about you, it can be misconstrued,” Del Rio said.
“Is Jones soft?” Del Rio was asked.
“I think that’s something that nobody should ever say about an athlete. That’s not appropriate,” Del Rio said.
Del Rio challenged his team’s resolve in the fourth quarter of Sunday’s game, when it faced a fourth-and-one at midfield with about 10 minutes to play and leading, 10-7.
“I felt at that time our team needed to take control and play to win right then. I felt we could move down the field and put the game away. We didn’t completely put it away but we got the upper hand,” Del Rio said. “I said this is what we’re doing and the feedback right away was we’re with you all the way.”
The hope is that a strong fourth-quarter performance that saw the Jaguars outscore the Falcons 10-0 and hold the Falcons to minus-five yards of offense will carry over to this Sunday’s game in Denver.