There’s no doubt that Josh Jacobs is proud of his accomplishments thus far. Still, he’s also fully aware of the lack of winning by the Las Vegas Raiders. In fact, during his tenure, in case you’re keeping score, Jacobs has only taken part in one winning campaign.
The 2022 All-Pro was his usual honest self this week. Telling it how he sees it—that’s something Raider Nation is accustomed to. Whether you care for his social media antics or not, Jacobs has always been forthright. On Friday, when speaking about the lack of wins by the Silver and Black, Jacobs acknowledged that individual accolades are nice. However, what truly matters at the end of the day is winning.
“I’ve only had one winning season… all the individual accolades don’t really mean nothing if you don’t win.”
-Josh Jacobs on message to locker room #RaiderNation #Raiders pic.twitter.com/pCFfBgXH0q
— Logan Reever (@loganreever) September 7, 2023
Josh Jacobs, Raiders can get off on the right foot this season on Sunday vs. Broncos
What’s interesting about Jacobs is that any lack of winning by the Raiders has been in spite of the man’s production. As the only first-round draft pick that panned out from the Raiders’ infamous 2019 class, he has done everything humanly possible to carry his squad—his body permitting, of course. Still, when looking at what he accomplished under head coach Josh McDaniels last year, you’d be hard-pressed to find a naysayer who doesn’t think he can’t replicate some of that success.
As far as 2023, Jacobs really should be the “freshest” player on offense. He did, after all, skip the team’s offseason program. Even so, that doesn’t mean the NFL’s 2022 leading rusher hasn’t been preparing. It’s something he’s keenly aware of, as he spoke with the media ahead of the Broncos matchup.
Josh Jacobs on having a normal workload this Sunday: “Yeah, I mean, if anything, I feel fresher than most people in this locker room.” #Raiders
— Vic Tafur (@VicTafur) September 8, 2023
In case you’re wondering, Jacobs has been a juggernaut against Denver in his career. He’s averaged 1.3 touchdowns and 4.7 yards per carry and has a record of seven wins with zero losses versus the Raiders’ AFC West rival (h/t Raiders PR).
Look, the season is a marathon, not a sprint. Keeping Jacobs healthy will surely be one of McDaniels’ top priorities in the early going. But considering how important a good start is with this brutal schedule, all bets should be off. Expect to see Jacobs early and often. The Broncos have never been able to neutralize before; will it change with Sean Payton at the helm?
*Top Photo: Official Raiders YouTube Channel