When Sen’Derrick Marks sacked Charlie Whitehurst on the final play of the Jaguars’ Week 16 win over the Tennessee Titans, many marveled at the defensive tackle’s uncanny sense of timing.
Little did they know.
A day after the end to their 2014 season, the Jacksonville Jaguars are facing the possibility of having one of the most integral members of their defense unavailable for the start of the 2015 season.
Marks, who led them in sacks and quarterback hurries, was diagnosed Monday with a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee, an injury suffered in the second quarter of the 23-17 season-ending loss to the Houston Texans on Sunday.
Surgery has not been scheduled yet because Marks said he was told to wait until the swelling went down in his knee before doing so.
Marks' team-leading sack total is 8.5 -- a mark which drew particular significance and noteriety with that game-clinching sack against the Titans as that sack triggered a $600,000 bonus for the sixth-year player out of Auburn. After making the play, Marks popped up and did the "money" gesture made famous by Johnny Manziel before teammates began celebrating with him.
"I've always thought an ACL was the worst injury a football player could have," said Marks, who did not get another sack after the bonus clincher. "But I'm not going to let it get me down."
Marks has started every regular-season game for the Jaguars since coming over as a free agent in April 2013 from the Tennessee Titans. His 8.5 sacks this season were more than he had in his previous five years in the NFL combined.
He crumpled to the ground on the back side of a play where Texans running back Alfred Blue scored on a 1-yard run. Marks was able to walk off the field and to the locker room under his own power but never returned to the game.
"I felt it (the knee) move, and that's when I went down," he said. "I knew as soon it happened that it was something bad. I didn't think it was an ACL."
Defensive end Chris Clemons, who was second to Marks in sacks on the Jaguars with eight, tore an ACL in January 2013 during a playoff game as a member of the Seattle Seahawks. Rookie defensive back Aaron Colvin suffered the same injury last January before the Senior Bowl. Clemons was able to return to the Seahawks the following September, while Colvin was activated Nov. 11 and played in the Jaguars' final six games.
"You've heard of guys having it and guys coming back and playing stronger," Marks said. "So I'm going to stay positive about it."
"It's unfortunate," said strong safety Johnathan Cyprien, who wound up leading the Jaguars in tackles in his second pro season. "You don't want it to happen to a teammate, and definitely not to a friend."
Marks' injury was the latest to befall a key member of a team which finished with a 3-13 record, one game worse than in Gus Bradley's first season as head coach. Running back Denard Robinson, wide receiver Allen Robinson, offensive tackle Austin Pasztor, middle linebacker Paul Posluszny and cornerbacks Alan Ball and Will Blackmon all ended the season on injured reserve, while a series of nagging injuries to running back Toby Gerhart limited him to 326 yards rushing.
"I was just talking to (Marks), and he said, ‘You know I'll be back,' " said Posluszny, who is 10 weeks removed from surgery on a torn pectoral muscle. "He's going to fight back and rehab and hopefully we'll have him at some point early next season. But you hate to see that because he had such a great year, and he's playing so well. You just want to see him get out of the year healthy. That's a tough deal for him."
Despite Marks' contributions on a defense which recorded 45 sacks, the Jaguars finished 26th out of 32 teams in total defense and 27th against the run.
"There were times early in the season where it didn't seem like we were jelling," he said. "But I think it came along good. So it can only go up from there."
You can follow Ken Hornack on Twitter @HornackFSFla or email him at khornack32176@gmail.com.
