Running back Josh Jacobs was a key cog in the Las Vegas Raiders offense last year. Heading into the 2020 season, he feels he can be even better than he was in 2019.Â
The Raiders trusted Josh Jacobs to carry the offensive load
Jacobs had a successful rookie season whichever way you want to look at it. He had the most rushing yards by a first-year running back and was a runner up for the Offensive Rookie of the Year Award. Moreover, he averaged seven yards per carry against the Kansas City Chiefs even though the Silver and Black struggled as a whole and lost those two division games.
All in all, Jacobs finished the season with 1,150 yards and seven touchdowns despite missing the last three games of the year. We can agree the first round pick the Raiders used on the Alabama product paid off dividends right away and could play an even bigger impact in 2020.
Jacobs believes he can be even better
The Raiders made Josh Jacobs available to the press this past Wednesday. This was the first time the running back spoke to reporters since the team got together from the offseason break. Talking about his performance last year, he said there are things he could’ve done better in retrospect.
I would grade it, I would say a B. It’s a lot of yards that I felt like I left on the table, It’s a lot of plays that I felt like I could’ve contributed more if I necessarily prove that I could do it or necessarily knew how to do it the correct way. So that’s probably the biggest thing for me.
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Jacobs said that the Covid-19 pandemic hasn’t really affected his routine much. In fact, he doesn’t care for the restrictions and wouldn’t have done much different had this been a normal offseason.
Honestly, for me I’ve loved it. Just because the type of person I am. I don’t really like to do too much, kind of just put my head down and work. I feel like with Covid going on it’s the way people do. So, really, it just made me enhance my game.
This doesn’t mean Jacobs is reckless. Rather, it speaks about how focused he is and goes on to show he’s not the kind that goes out a lot.
Regarding those things Jacobs needs to work on, he’s already doing it.
I’ve worked on a lot of things that receivers do, not necessarily just running back routes. Rather, is getting off the line or how to stack on top once you get vertical. I’ve just been working on all the little technical things that receivers do, just trying to implement that into my own style and bring what I can to the table.
At times last season, it felt as if Jacobs was the Raiders sole offensive weapon. That won’t longer be the case. With the additions of Henry Ruggs III, Bryan Edwards and Nelson Agholor, the Silver and Black’s passing game should open up things for the running back in 2020.
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Top Photo: Heidi Fang/Las Vegas Review-Journal