Jacksonville Jaguars running back Maurice Jones-Drew missed his third consecutive practice and has been ruled out for Sunday's regular-season finale against the Houston Texans because of a lingering knee injury.
Jaguars coach Jack Del Rio ruled out Jones-Drew on Friday, along with linebacker Justin Durant (groin) and tight end Zach Miller (concussion).
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Jones-Drew has played with an injured right knee all season, but it really started bothering him after his sixth consecutive 100-yard game on Dec. 12. He has missed six consecutive practices, didn't play last Sunday against the Washington Redskins and likely will have surgery after the season.
"It wasn't hurt to the point that I couldn't play on it, but we knew that if I did play on it, this could happen," Jones-Drew admitted to The Florida Times-Union on Thursday. "I chose to do it. I wanted to play football and I love playing the game. This is the price you pay sometimes."
The Jaguars also signed linebacker Alvin Bowen to the active roster from their practice squad after placing quarterback David Garrard on season-ending injured reserve with a finger injury on his right (throwing) hand. Garrard underwent surgery on the finger Thursday.
The injuries to Jones-Drew and Garrard leave the Jaguars without their two best offensive players in a must-win game. They also need the Tennessee Titans to upset the Indianapolis Colts on Sunday to give Jacksonville the AFC South title and the playoff berth that comes with it.
The 6-foot-1, 222-pound Bowen has played in two games for the Jaguars this season and spent the remainder of the year on the practice squad.
Bowen signed with the Jaguars as a free agent in August after spending part of the preseason with the Seattle Seahawks. He also has spent time with the Washington Redskins and Buffalo Bills, who originally selected him in the fifth round of the 2008 NFL Draft.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
