Maurice Jones-Drew has yet to shake loose in 2010. He probably has the Buffalo Bills shaking in their boots.
The Jacksonville Jaguars and their diminutive star travel north to face the winless Bills on Sunday afternoon at Ralph Wilson Stadium.
Jones-Drew finished fourth in the NFL last year with 1,391 yards, added 53 catches and finished second with 16 touchdowns in a Pro Bowl season.
The 5-8, 200-pounder was held out of the end zone in the first three games this season as Jacksonville (2-2) scored just 33 points in its first three games. The Jaguars pulled out a 24-17 triumph in the opener against the Denver Broncos before getting waxed by the San Diego Chargers and Philadelphia Eagles.
Jones-Drew broke out a little last week, rushing for 105 yards and scoring two touchdowns (one running and one passing) in the Jaguars’ 31-28 victory over the Indianapolis Colts that was decided by Josh Scobee’s franchise-record 59-yard field goal on the last play of the game.
The former second-round pick from UCLA could really break out in a hurry against Buffalo (0-4), which has allowed 473 yards rushing the last two weeks and 889 total yards.
LaDainian Tomlinson and Shonn Greene combined for 250 yards as the Jets demolished the Bills 38-14 last week. The pass-happy New England Patriots rushed for 200 yards for just the sixth time this decade in the previous week’s 38-30 win over Buffalo.
Jacksonville quarterback David Garrard has been excellent in the two wins, completing 33 of 43 passes for 333 yards with five touchdowns, no interceptions and a passer rating of 137. In the two losses, the nine-year veteran is 28 of 53 for 278 yards with one TD, five picks and a passer rating of 34.
Because of the inconsistent play of the offense and a defense that has been scorched thus far, the Jaguars are fortunate to have split their first four games.
The defense has yielded 405 yards per game and ranks 30th against the pass, but like Jones-Drew, they may have found the perfect elixir. Buffalo averages just 237 yards of total offense, is last in passing at 132 yards per game and released former starter Trent Edwards prior to the Jets game in favor of Ryan Fitzpatrick. Edwards is now the backup for Garrard.
The Bills made another change this week. Fred Jackson, who rushed for 1,062 yards last season but has played a diminished role in 2010, returns to the feature back position after the Bills traded talented but troubled Marshawn Lynch to the Seattle Seahawks earlier this week.
Jackson, who has 20 carries for 87 yards this season, will split time with electric rookie C.J. Spiller, the 2010 first-round pick who has scored on a kick return and pass reception but has just 49 yards on 14 carries.
Buffalo managed just 223 yards against the Jets, including 74 on the ground by Fitzpatrick, failed to convert any of its 10 third downs and held the ball for less than 20 minutes. Fitzpatrick completed 12 of 27 passes for 128 yards and two TDs in his second start this season.
Buffalo leads the all-time series 5-4, but Jacksonville took an 18-15 victory last season.
Garrard threw for 215 yards and Mike Sims-Walker had eight catches for 91 yards, including a game-winning 3-yard TD pass with 56 seconds remaining. Fitzpatrick threw for 297 yards – the second most of his career – and he hooked up nine times for 197 yards with departed wide receiver Terrell Owens.