Las Vegas Raiders star running back Josh Jacobs has been getting into midseason form the last couple of weeks. He’s knocked off any of the so-called rust that had some in Raider Nation worried.
Prior to head coach Josh McDaniels being jettisoned, Jacobs had arguably his best game against the Detroit Lions on Monday Night Football. All evening long, Jacobs displayed the quickness, patience, and field vision that we witnessed last season. The 2022 league-leading rusher seems to be hitting his stride, and at the most needed time, no less. Given the recent developments within the Raiders, you knew that interim coach Antonio Pierce would be relying on his stars to step up—No. 8 did just that on Sunday.
Josh Jacobs, better than ever, and not a moment too soon…
En route to a win against the New York Giants, Jacobs racked up five forced missed tackles—good for the second-most of any player this past week (h/t Raider Ramble’s Alex Monfreda). On top of that, he tallied the second-most rushing first downs with five. Along with those notable numbers, Jacobs also amassed 98 yards on the ground and reached the end zone twice. Not bad for an offense that desperately needed a breakout game. With rookie Aidan O’Connell taking the reins in Week 8, Jacobs will be relied on more than ever moving forward.
In terms of health, there’s no worries from the All-Pro running back.
“I mean, I’ve felt good all year honestly. Even now, I don’t really get hit that much hard or anything like that. My body feels good.”
The Raiders have something special brewing…
It should also be mentioned that Jacobs is keeping pace with his fellow University of Alabama brethren, Derrick Henry. According to Raiders PR, Jacobs has become one of only 22 backs in NFL history—the first since Derrick Henry in 2020—to reach 12 multiple touchdown games in their first five NFL seasons.
When you saw Jacobs on Sunday, you felt it. You felt the power—that extra “umph” that just wasn’t there with McDaniels calling the plays. Let’s be frank: would you run hard for that man?
“They let me get involved more in the run game this week. I just called a lot of runs that I like, runs that I thought worked well throughout the week at practice.”
Regardless, Vic Tafur of The Athletic reported that Jacobs had some say in the game plan this past weekend. It’s an interesting approach by the Raiders coaching staff, but what do they have to lose? Go reach for the brass ring; you have arguably the best running back and wideout (Davante Adams) in the game, and some player input might pay dividends.
*Top Photo: Official Raiders YouTube Channel