According to a report by ESPN.com, Jaguars’ running back Maurice Jones-Drew is furious about the team’s play-calling, its lack of offensive identity and its constant shuffling of offensive linemen.
In a 15-minute session with reporters Wednesday, Jones-Drew ripped several aspects of his team. He even called himself the second-highest paid “decoy” in the league, behind New Orleans running back Reggie Bush.
“I don’t like to be embarrassed, so I do get upset about it,” Jones-Drew said. “You lead by actions. You can only say so much. You can talk to somebody until you’re blue in the face and they’re not going to do anything. But if you go out there and show why you’re upset and you try to do something to correct your mistakes, then they’ll pay attention.”
“It just seems like now if we don’t get 30 yards [rushing], we just go away from it,” said Jones-Drew, whose 75 carries are far less than Garrard’s 169 passes. “I’ve never been a part of a team like that.”
Jones-Drew goes on to talk about the offensive line being an issue because it’s constantly being reshuffled and never has an opportunity to gel.
I can almost write a script about what happens next. At some point before Sunday’s game against the Rams, Jones-Drew will apologize and say that he was ‘frustrated’ and ‘just wants to win.’ Then Jacksonville will go out and destroy a hapless Rams team on Sunday and winning will act like a cure-all.
Rants like these by frustrated players have a way of blowing over quickly. Nobody wants to lose 41-0 like the Jags did last week in Seattle, so players vent. Jacksonville does have a ton of issues, but for the most part the team has been competitive and guys like Jones-Drew are going to have to be patient as the young offensive line gains experience.
The biggest obstacle for the Lakers this season is Ron Artest. This may sound odd, but the franchise is rolling the dice that Ron-Ron can behave for another season. They gave up on the quietly improving Trevor Ariza and made a big move to add the unruly Artest to the roster. This is risky, especially for a team coming off an impressive title run. Why fiddle with your chemistry like that? Well, GM Mitch Kupchak is well aware that the Lakers aren’t getting by on chemistry. They are a group of very talented players, held together loosely by Phil Jackson’s thoughtful approach and Kobe Bryant’s will to win. In other words, chemistry may not matter to the Lakers, because it’s a by-product of winning. (For most teams, it’s the other way around.) There’s no doubt that Artest brings a lot to the table, but he’s the biggest change from last season, so if the Lakers take a step back, he’ll probably get the blame. Meanwhile, it appears that the big lineup question surrounds the Lamar Odom/Andrew Bynum quandary, but the truth is that Bynum’s game has not developed enough to demand that he be on the floor in crunch time. Odom can shoot (albeit, only a little) and is a terrific ball handler/passer, so Jackson knows that he can better space the court than Bynum can. When both Bynum and Pau Gasol are on the floor, the lane gets clogged and Kobe can’t find driving lanes, so look for Odom to get the edge in minutes again this year. But back to Artest — assuming he accepts a reduction in his offensive role, the Lakers are the odds-on favorites to once again represent the West in the Finals.