Not only did the Jacksonville Jaguars lose heartbreakingly to the Cincinnati Bengals on Thursday Night Football, but they also lost one of their starters early to injury in the process. In the first series of the game, DJ Chark suffered an ankle fracture, and according to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, surgery would be the “most likely option” and the expectation is that he would miss the season, too.
Chark’s injury came on a James Robinson run where the running back ran to the right side. He ran into right tackle Jawaan Taylor who then rolled up Chark’s ankle (as he was stalk blocking) on the way to the ground.
For a Jags team already looking for their first win, this one is a tough blow as they had high hopes for Chark to be their leading receiver. It’s also a tough situation for Chark who was on a contract year and had previously been trying to find his groove after having finger surgery in the preseason.
In the first three games, Chark managed to accumulate seven catches for 154 yards and two touchdowns. A majority of those figures came Week 1 against the Houston Texans where he was able to garner three catches for 87 yards and a touchdown.
While the news on Chark is devastating, the good thing is that the Jags fared better than expected in Thursday Night Football while he was absent. Receiver Laviska Shenault Jr. stepped up in a big way and finished the game with six catches for 99 yards. Robinson also saw a higher volume in carries, garnering 18 for 78 rushing yards and two touchdowns.
As Jags Nation sends positive vibes and prayers up for Chark, the team will likely have to push forward and find their way without him, at least for 2021. As we witnessed Thursday, that means Shenault and Marvin Jones Jr. will have to lead the receivers unit. The team also has Tyron Johnson who is not as experienced, but does offer a similar skill set, as well as return specialist Jamal Agnew and utility player Tavon Austin.