Denard Robinson On Pace for 1,000-Yard Season

Jacksonville Jaguars running back Denard Robinson — who rushed for just 66 yards as a rookie in 2013 — is on pace for a 1,000-yard season.

Jacksonville Jaguars second-year running back Denard Robinson is on pace to rush for 1,000 yards in 2014.

The Florida Times-Union’s Hays Carlyon notes this would be an enormous jump from Robinson’s rookie year in 2013 when he rushed for just 66 yards:

“Jaguars running back Denard Robinson could rush for 1,000 yards this season.

“Don’t laugh.

“The same Robinson who rushed for 66 yards as a rookie continued his impressive improvement in Sunday’s 33-23 loss to the (Cincinnati) Bengals. Robinson carried 17 times for 94 yards, a 5.5-yard average, and scored a touchdown.

“It was the third consecutive game in which Robinson has sparked the ground game. 

“The former Michigan (Wolverines) quarterback now has 423 rushing yards on the season. If he averages 82.4 yards a game over the final seven contests, he’ll hit 1,000 yards this season.

“‘He’s been running really well, and the offensive line has been blocking really well,’ Jaguars quarterback Blake Bortles said. ‘He’s been hot, and we’ve been riding him. He’s been able to produce and run confidently. It’s been really good for our offense to run the ball like that.’

“Robinson broke a 39-yarder against the Bengals. He also showed good instincts for the end zone on his 5-yard scoring run.

“However, it was a missed opportunity that he was upset about after the game. Robinson broke through a hole and had a chance to break a long touchdown run, but tripped over his own feet. 

“‘It hurt for that to happen,’ Robinson said. ‘That’s one you want back, but you can’t get it back. I can’t trip over myself. Can’t have it. Those big runs don’t come too often.’

“They rarely came in the first six games of the season for the Jaguars. The running game was stagnant. Not anymore.

“Robinson’s last three games would be a run any back in the league would take.

“Cleveland (Browns): 22 carries for 127 yards and a touchdown.

“Miami (Dolphins): 18 carries for 108 yards.

“That’s 329 yards in the last three games.

#Jaguars Denard Robinson solidifies starting job with consecutive 100-yard rushing games. http://t.co/m9mlOTtT0c pic.twitter.com/s36EdT4HeA— FOX Sports Florida (@SunSportsFOXFL) October 27, 2014

“‘Denard’s doing a great job, as is the offensive line,’ Jaguars receiver Cecil Shorts said. ‘He’s finding the holes and running hard. He would’ve had over 100 yards today if he didn’t slip on that one. He would’ve been out of there.’

“The Jaguars entered the week 25th in the NFL in run offense at 97.3 yards per game. The offense gained 132 yards on the ground against the Bengals and now averages 101 yards a contest.

“‘We did a good job covering guys up and finishing our blocks,’ Jaguars left tackle Luke Joeckel said. ‘Denard did a great job running hard. It’s good to stack up games like this, three games in a row.'” 

Head coach Gus Bradley told John Oehser of the team’s official website on Nov. 3 he loved the way the Jaguars fought back in the second half of the Week 9 loss to the Bengals:

“But Bradley said what perhaps mattered more was how the Jaguars responded to a nine-point halftime deficit, rallying in the second half to give themselves a chance to win a game that easily could have been more one-sided.

“‘What a tell-tale sign for us was our team and how we came back,’ Bradley said Monday, a day after the Jaguars lost to the Bengals, 33-23, at Paul Brown Stadium in Cincinnati. 

“‘We made it a three-point game. Everything, momentum, was going in our favor. The fight, and how we went about it, was really cool. Now, how it ended…that stung, that stung.’

“…Players on Monday agreed with Bradley that they see clear improvement from last season, when the Jaguars lost their first eight games by 10 or more points. Six of the team’s losses this season have been by double digits, with double-digit losses at NFC-East leading Philadelphia and AFC North-leading Cincinnati coming after the Jaguars were within three points in the fourth quarter.

“‘It’s a big improvement from this time last year,’ Shorts said. ‘We just have to continue to work. We can’t get frustrated. It hasn’t showed up in the standings yet, but other teams are seeing it. We have to keep fighting this thing will turn around sooner or later.'” 

The 1-8 Jaguars will take on the 6-3 Dallas Cowboys in London on Nov. 9. 

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