JACKSONVILLE Nick Bosa Jersey , Fla. (AP) — a spectator in a tight game.Jacksonville’s best offensive player and one of five team captains touched the ball once in the final 30 minutes — a 25-yard carry in the fourth quarter.It made no sense, not even for the dysfunctional Jaguars.Coach Doug Marrone said the plan all week was to take a look at undrafted rookie Dave Williams, who carried five times for 32 yards in a 16-13 loss to the Washington Redskins on Sunday.“We wanted to see Williams in there,” said Marrone, whose team has dropped nine of its last 10. “He’s had a good week of practice. He’s been here working hard, so we just wanted to see him in there and see what he can do.”It was the latest head-scratching move for a franchise that should be desperate for wins. Maybe the Jaguars (4-10) have a different agenda, one that’s more concerned about the future — maybe even getting a top-five draft pick — than avoiding further failure this season.Here’s what Jacksonville has done in recent weeks:—Benched quarterback Blake Bortles and replaced him with Cody Kessler . Bortles didn’t play well before he was benched, but Kessler has managed one touchdown in 31 drives over the last three games.—Benched defensive tackle Malik Jackson in favor of Abry Jones and rookie Taven Bryan. Jackson has been a disappointment since making the Pro Bowl last season, but no defensive improvements have been made with Jones and Bryan.—Benched and later waived veteran safety Barry Church . It’s hard to argue with moving on from Church, a 30-year-old defensive back who clearly had lost a step. But after losing rookie Ronnie Harrison (knee) and Jarrod Wilson (ankle) against the Redskins, special teams ace Cody Davis ended up on the field for Washington’s two scoring drives in the fourth quarter.—Made running back Carlos Hyde a healthy scratch against Washington, a clear sign his days in Jacksonville are done. The Jaguars traded a fifth-round pick to Cleveland for Hyde in October, and he’s due to make $4.75 million in 2019.“We think those players have worked extremely hard and that they give enough that we’re not losing much with them L.J. Collier Jersey , so we want to get up there and see what they can do,” Marrone said. “That’s exactly what the thought process is.”Marrone insists he has no assurances he will be back next season, making his most curious personnel decisions seems even stranger.With Kessler playing behind a makeshift offensive line — the Jaguars have one O-line starter, right guard A.J. Cann, remaining from the season opener — Fournette would seem like the team’s best option against the Redskins. After all, Marrone even had Fournette returning kickoffs for the first time since his freshman year at LSU.But Fournette finished with 11 carries for 46 yards and three catches for 18 yards.“I don’t know how many I had, to be honest,” said Fournette, who missed six games early in the season because of an injury and another because of a suspension. “It’s all about winning at the end of the day.”Kessler completed 9 of 17 passes for 57 yards, with an interception that set up the winning field goal and a fumble that set up Washington’s first score. Kessler also was the team’s leading rusher with 68 yards.Fournette watched most of the game unfold from the bench.“We tried to fight back, but like I said, at the end of the day it’s the little things that separate the winners and the losers,” Fournette said. “It’s hard. It’s very hard, especially with how the season gone. Just got to keep fighting.” The last time Clayton Kershaw pitched at Wrigley Field http://www.seahawksauthorizedshops.com/authentic-marquise-blair-jersey , the ace left-hander helped lead the Los Angeles Dodgers into the World Series.
It was a much different situation Monday. But still important for the Dodgers.
Kershaw threw a three-inning simulated game before Los Angeles’ series opener against the Chicago Cubs was postponed, taking another step forward in his recovery from a strained lower back. The three-time NL Cy Young Award winner said he felt really good and plans to pitch somewhere in four or five days, either in a minor league rehab start or for the Dodgers.
”It was good, very encouraged,” manager Dave Roberts said. ”Just the way that the ball was coming out today, the command of the fastball as good as it’s been for me – and obviously this setting is not a major league game – but for me the best it’s been in a month, for sure.”
The 30-year-old Kershaw was sidelined for nearly a month with left biceps tendinitis before returning May 31 against Philadelphia. He tossed five effective innings in a no-decision against the Phillies, and then went back on the disabled list the next day with the back injury.
The Dodgers said over the weekend that Kershaw was headed for a simulated game Tuesday or Wednesday – in Los Angeles. But Kershaw said that was just one of the plans in the mix.
”I knew it was probably going to be here,” he said. ”It’s just more of a logistical thing. It’s just harder to do in L.A. Nobody’s there when you go on the road.
”It’s just when you have hitters in there it’s good to see some, even though it’s a sim game at least you have them reacting. It was a little bit better today.”
The trip brought Kershaw back to one of the best moments of his outstanding career, a crisp six innings in an 11-1 victory over Chicago in Game 5 of the NL Championship Series last October – sending Los Angeles to the World Series for the first time since 1988. The Dodgers then lost to the Astros in seven games for the title.
He also was greeted by some Los Angeles-like weather, with temperatures in the mid-90s on a steamy day in the Midwest.
”It was hot,” he said. ”It was good, it lets you get loose.”
Kershaw is 1-4 with a 2.76 ERA in just eight starts this year for Los Angeles T.J. Hockenson Jersey , which has been riddled by injuries. He missed about five weeks last season with a similar back injury.
While Roberts left open the possibility Kershaw could return this weekend against the Mets, he said the organization was leaning toward a rehab start, likely with Triple-A Oklahoma City.
”You look at how much he’s pitched over the last two months and it hasn’t been a whole lot,” he said. ”So to see it in real competition, obviously that makes a lot of sense.”
Los Angeles had won five of six heading into the three-game set with Chicago. The opener was postponed because of rain and a limited power outage at Wrigley, creating a day-night doubleheader on Tuesday.
The Dodgers have more help on the way than just Kershaw.
Rich Hill is slated to start Tuesday night in his first major league game since May 19. The veteran left-hander has been sidelined by a blister on his left middle finger.
Infielder Chase Utley, who has been sidelined by left thumb sprain, is expected to come off the DL on Tuesday or Wednesday. Rookie right-hander Walker Buehler, one of baseball’s top pitching prospects, is scheduled for a bullpen session Saturday in New York, continuing his comeback from a right rib microfracture.
”From that point on we’ll have a little more information and figure out how aggressive we’ll want to be with him,” Roberts said.