Please, Just Throw Him the Damn Ball!

Cecil Shorts is not a happy camper at the moment. And I don’t blame him at all.

This past Sunday against the Cardinals in Jacksonville, Chad Henne looked for Shorts a grand total of five times. The Jags' wideout managed to grab two of these rare targets for 22 yards.

Henne seemed to suggest afterwards that this was part of some dubious strategy on the part of the Jaguars brain trust.

This begs the question: The Jags have a brain trust?

''It's always tough when a guy reaches out and says he's not getting the ball and plays aren't being called for him to get the ball,” Henne explained. ''Would I like to get him the ball in some more cases? Sure, but you can't blame it on the play calling. If it's his chance to get the ball, he'll get the ball.”

Hmmm, those are some rather cryptic remarks.

If this is some grand design, then I fail to see the logic in it.

Shorts clearly agrees.

"I'm not holding my tongue anymore," Shorts complained. "To have one target until seven minutes left in the game, that's (expletive) dumb. That's dumb, period. I have to say something and sit down with [the coaching staff] because it's getting ridiculous, in my opinion."

I feel you, Cecil.

This situation is puzzling and frustrating for a number of reasons.

Jacksonville is virtually devoid of weapons on the offensive side of the ball. This is particularly true since the most recent suspension of wide receiver Justin Blackmon. There's simply a dearth of options left at this point, yet the Jaguars seem to think it is in their best interest to marginalize Shorts.

I'm quite sure Shorts isn't concerned with the fantasy football implications of his usage, but I am, and it should be addressed.

Targets are important in the pretend game, and Shorts is theoretically set up for some nice volume with Blackmon out. Even in an offense as putrid as this one, Shorts could be productive based on the sheer number of targets he should be provided. 

Yet for some mysterious reason, Shorts has only been targeted nine times over the previous two games. And this is after receiving a boatload of looks earlier in the season, even when Blackmon was in the lineup.

I'm as confused as you are, my friend.

Simply put, Shorts is a playmaker and needs to be more involved in this anemic offense.

So again, please. For the love of God.

Throw him the damn ball.