Marrone pleased with ground game
JACKSONVILLE — Jaguars running back Leonard Fournette’s sore right ankle is probably not going to feel great the rest of the season, but coach Doug Marrone is excited about the progress being made by the star rookie.
Fournette carried 24 times for 101 yards and a touchdown in Sunday’s 30-24 thrilling home victory against formidable Seattle, showing the sort of burst that had been missing from the team’s running game the previous two weeks.
“It was good to see him go out there and making those runs and those tough runs,” Marrone said. “That’s going to be important for us going down the stretch.”
The Jaguars lead the AFC South by one game over Tennessee and pace the league in rushing at 149.9 yards per game — about seven yards per game better than No. 2 Philadelphia.
But lackluster efforts on the ground against Indianapolis (27 carries for 96 yards) and Arizona (22 for 91), coupled with a clearly limited Fournette, were cause for some concern.
Fournette, who sat out Wednesday’s practice with a quad injury, will try to stay on track against Houston on Sunday.
The Texans rank 10th in the NFL in rushing defense, allowing 104.5 yards per game.
“I’m doing what I need to do to keep my ankle healthy and stuff,” Fournette said, “making the right reads and helping the offensive line out.”
Maybe Fournette’s strongest run Sunday — and one his best carries of the season that didn’t result in a touchdown — came late in the fourth quarter.
Clinging to a 30-24 lead with 1:55 remaining, the Jaguars turned to Fournette, who picked up 13 yards on a run to the left on third-and-11.
On the play, right guard A.J. Cann pulled to the left and laid a solid block on Seahawks linebacker D.J. Alexander.
Fournette had a good angle on safety Earl Thomas and outran him to the first-down marker.
“It was funny because Blake [Bortles] was like, ‘We need this.’ In the back of my mind, I was like, ‘I can’t let nothing stop me,’ ” Fournette said. “I got the first down and that was it.”
Four players sat out Wednesday’s non-padded practice: Fournette, left tackle Cam Robinson (back) and receivers Larry Pinkard (concussion) and Allen Hurns (ankle).
The Fournette, Robinson and Pinkard injuries were sustained against Seattle. Hurns has missed the last four games and was spotted jogging on a side field during the media-viewing period.
Jaydon Mickens was named AFC Special Teams Player of the Week, becoming the first returner in Jaguars history to win the award twice in the same season and the first Jaguars specialist to win it twice in a year since kicker Josh Scobee in 2005.
Mickens’ 72-yard punt return set up Fournette’s 1-yard touchdown run against Seattle.
Mickens’ 13.1-yard average this year is tied for second in the NFL with Baltimore’s Michael Campanaro. Detroit’s Jamal Agnew is first (16.8).