JACKSONVILLE – Senior writer John Oehser examines the day that was around EverBank Field Thursday as the Jaguars prepared to play the Minnesota Vikings Sunday
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WAIT AND SEE
The Jaguars' backfield is a wait-and-see situation.
As Head Coach Gus Bradley sees it, that could remain the case for the Jaguars' injured group of running backs for several more days.
All of the Jaguars' top three running backs – Chris Ivory, T.J. Yeldon and Denard Robinson – remained on the team's injury report Thursday, and Bradley was uncertain for a second consecutive day regarding Ivory's status.
Ivory, the Jaguars' most effective runner at times this season, missed this past Sunday's loss to Denver with a hamstring injury. He was limited in practice for a second consecutive day Thursday.
"We'll wait and see with a guy like Chris Ivory to see where he's at," Bradley said Thursday as the Jaguars (2-8) prepared to play the Vikings (6-6) at EverBank Field Sunday at 1 p.m.
The status of Yeldon and Robinson appears more certain.
Robinson, the third running back much of the season, missed a second consecutive practice Thursday with a high-ankle sprain. Robinson left the Denver game with the injury. A high-ankle sprain typically is a multi-week injury.
Yeldon, who has played through an ankle injury the past two weeks, remains on the injury report but he has worked full each of the last two days. He leads the Jaguars with 373 yards on 103 carries while Ivory – who has played just nine games this season – has 350 yards on 93 carries.
"I feel better about T.J. Yeldon, Corey Grant" than Ivory, Bradley said. "We'll have to wait and see."
Grant, a second-year veteran, rushed for two yards Sunday on his lone carry of the season.
SPEAKING QUICKLY
Jaguars wide receiver Allen Robinson for the first time on Thursday discussed his meeting with quarterback Blake Bortles and offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett this week, a meeting Bortles described Wednesday as an effort for him and Robinson to "get on the same page." Robinson, typically cordial and talkative with the media, was cordial discussing Thursday but not as talkative as normal. Among other topics, he was asked if his frustration level had risen in recent weeks. "About the same," he replied. He also was asked if he and Bortles indeed were able to get on the same page. "Yeah, I think so," he said, and when asked if there was anything specific gained from the meeting he said, "That's between me, Blake and Nate." Robinson, after catching 80 passes for 1,400 yards and 14 touchdowns last season, has caught 56 passes for 622 yards and six touchdowns this season. He was targeted 10 times for three receptions and 31 yards Sunday.
SPEAKING EFFUSIVELY
Hackett on Thursday also discussed the meeting between him, Robinson and Bortles. Asked who had called the meeting, Hackett said "It was everybody. … It was all of us together." Hackett described the meeting in a similar way to how Bortles and Bradley described it early in the week – as a positive occurrence between two players trying to improve a difficult situation. "They both want to be good so bad," Hackett said. "They want to be great and they both care about the team; they care about each other. … They're still the same guys; it's just that same production and them being on the same page. The more that everybody can get together and the more that they can get comfortable the better they're going to get."
BACK AT IT
Free safety Peyton Thompson returned to practice on a limited basis after missing practice Wednesday. He was the lone change on the Jaguars' injury report Thursday.
INJURY UPDATE
Wide receiver Allen Hurns (hamstring) and center Brandon Linder (ankle) were among five Jaguars players to miss a second consecutive practice Thursday.
Hurns missed the loss to Denver Sunday while Linder was injured against the Broncos before returning. Tyler Shatley would start at center if Linder can't play and Marqise Lee started for Hurns last week across from Robinson.
Denard Robinson also missed a second consecutive practice Thursday, as did defensive end Jared Odrick (shoulder) and tight end Julius Thomas (back).
Left tackle Kelvin Beachum (knee), Ivory and linebacker Dan Skuta (elbow) worked on a limited basis for a second consecutive day Thursday.
Bortles (shoulder) worked full for a second consecutive day, as did Leo defensive end Dante Fowler Jr. (shoulder), Leo defensive end Yannick Ngakoue (ankle), Yeldon and tight end Neal Sterling (hip).
QUOTABLE I
"He [strong safety Johnathan Cyprien] has been very consistent. I think having him more at the line of scrimmage has helped. Not that he can't play in the back either; he does a good job there, too. It has kept him in his comfort level. I think he really understands the scheme; I think that is the biggest part of it. He understands his responsibility and how he fits in and knows where everyone else is going to be and that allows him to play faster."
--Bradley
