After weeks of struggling, could the Las Vegas Raiders and running back Josh Jacobs finally get the running game going in Cleveland?
It has been a frustrating few weeks in the early going for the Raiders in regards to their running game. Overall, the team is now 4-3 thanks to a grueling game against the Cleveland Browns in Week 8. The question was whether Jacobs could get it going in bad weather conditions after averaging 3.4 yards per carry this season. Well, the short answer is that yes, he did just that and was able to break through the 100-yard mark on the ground.
Quarterback Derek Carr is having an excellent season but the team needs to sustain the momentum that Jacobs established today. Sooner or later, opposing defenses will shut down the Silver and Black’s passing attack and when that happens, Jacobs can’t be a in a rut like he was these past few weeks.
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By The Numbers For Jacobs and The Raiders
Jacobs averaged 4.1 yards per carry against the Browns on 31 carries, while he didn’t score any touchdowns, he broke off a 16-yard run. Behind Jacobs, it was Carr who came in second with 41 rushing yards and had an 18-yard run himself. Funny enough, Jacobs did express concern post-game for his quarterback, stating that he had hoped Carr would slide more on his runs.
#Raiders RB Josh Jacobs says he feels good about today’s win and his performance after feeling embarrassed in last week’s loss.
— Carlos Sánchez (@HaeruHariken) November 1, 2020
Looking ahead, it seems Jacobs can finally put his early season’s struggles behind him after this win. The team’s inability to get Jacobs going earlier was due to a few reasons, most notably the offensive line’s health. As we saw today against the elements, Jacobs was able to put the offense on his back, and let’s not forget, 31 carries in a game is no easy task. The question will be if the Raiders can sustain this as they enter a more ‘favorable’ stretch games looking to build on their 4-3 record.
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*Top Photo: Associated Press/Ron Schwane