Jaguars rookie running back Maurice Jones-Drew was today named by the NFL the AFC Special Teams Player of the Week. He recorded three touchdowns and 303 all-purpose yards to help lead the Jaguars to a 44-17 victory at home over the AFC South division-leading Indianapolis Colts.
Jones-Drew, the NFL's fifth-leading touchdown scorer, electrified the Jacksonville home crowd throughout the day by scoring three touchdowns, including a 93-yard kickoff return to begin the second half. The return, the third-longest in club history, was the 5-7, 212-pound back's third and final score of the day to boost the Jaguars' lead to 31-10 before Indianapolis ran a second half play. Jones-Drew produced a franchise record 303 all-purpose yards, surpassing the previous mark of 291 by Jimmy Smith in 2000 against Baltimore. In addition, Jones-Drew (1,700) surpassed Fred Taylor (1,644, 1998) for the single-season team record for most all-purpose yards by a rookie. Jones-Drew has a rushing touchdown in five consecutive games as Jacksonville stands at 8-5.
In his first year from UCLA, this is the first Player of the Week Award for Jones-Drew and marks the second week in a row that a Jaguars player has earned a weekly honor, as David Garrard won in Week 13.
