JACKSONVILLE – The Jaguars have struggled to run at times lately.
A starting running back with an injured foot may or may not hurt that area more, but that's the situation the Jaguars face as they prepare for the Baltimore Ravens.
Denard Robinson, the Jaguars' starting running back in the last eight games, sustained a mid-foot sprain against the Houston Texans this past Sunday. His status for practice and for Sunday's game at Baltimore is uncertain.
The second-year veteran sustained the injury three or four plays into Sunday's game.
"I didn't know how bad it was until yesterday (Tuesday), so we'll see how it goes," Robinson said Wednesday as the Jaguars (2-11) prepared to play the Baltimore Ravens (8-5) at M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore, Md., Sunday at 1 p.m.
Robinson wore a protective boot on his right foot when speaking to the media Wednesday, and said he didn't know his status for practice Wednesday or for Sunday.
Robinson has rushed for a team-leading 582 yards and four touchdowns on 132 carries this season, and has rushed for 99 yards and no touchdowns on 35 carries in three games since the team's Week 11 bye week.
He had rushed for 389 yards and four touchdowns in four games before that, including 100-yard-plus games at home against Cleveland and Miami.
Offensive coordinator Jedd Fisch early Wednesday afternoon said he also did not know the extent of Robinson's injury, or his status for Sunday. He said Robinson's injury could mean more time for rookie running back Storm Johnson, who has been inactive the last six games with the Jaguars having settled on a running back rotation of Robinson, backup Toby Gerhart and third-teamer/kickoff returner Jordan Todman.
"It will be an opportunity for Storm to get back in the mix," Fisch said. "Toby's healthy and will continue to be in the mix and Todman will probably be more in the mix. … We have to see where Denard is. I don't know what the final outcome is, but I think it will be an opportunity for Storm. I think that will be the biggest difference."
Fisch said the Jaguars likely wouldn't use the Wildcat formation if Robinson isn't the game though he said with a smile it was still a possibility. The Jaguars in the last two games have run eight plays from the Wildcat with Robinson taking snaps from center.
"Maybe – I don't know," Fisch said, laughing.
Gerhart, the starter in the first five games of the season after signing as an unrestricted free agent from Minnesota, has rushed for 211 yards and a touchdown on 73 carries this season. He rushed five times for 19 yards Sunday against Houston.
Gerhart missed Weeks 6 and 7 with the aftereffects of a foot/ankle injury sustained in the regular-season opener, and said Wednesday he has dealt with the issue most of the season.
"I don't know all the details of what's going on," Gerhart said of Robinson. "I haven't heard anything yet, but anything with the foot is not cool. I know from experience. Whatever week we're in now … you still feel it a little bit. Your foot's weird. There are so many little intricacies, but I'm hoping for the best for him."
Johnson, a rookie from the University of Central Florida, has rushed for 63 yards on 20 carries, with 21 yards on 10 carries coming in his lone career start against Tennessee in Week 6. Todman, a second-year veteran, has rushed for 56 yards on 17 carries and has been active in every game this season.
Also around the Jaguars Wednesday, defensive tackle Sen'Derrick Marks said he expects to practice full Wednesday and play Sunday.
Marks, the Jaguars' sacks leader this season with 8.5, sustained a neck strain against Houston and finished the game. He has started all 29 games since joining the Jaguars as an unrestricted free agent before the 2013 season.
