Paul Bretl | 9/5/2024
GREEN BAY, Wis. — A bounce back season from new Packers’ running back Josh Jacobs feels like a near-must for a team with Super Bowl aspirations in 2024.
With Jordan Love at quarterback, two dynamic tight ends, and six receivers that at any point could be called upon to come up with a big play, the Packers’ offense is going to be good this season. How good, however, I believe will be determined by the play of Jacobs this season.
While Love and the passing game stole the show during the second half of the season, particularly during the Packers’ playoff push and into the playoffs, an elevated running game over those five five games played a key contributor to the overall offense’s success.
From Week 16 through the NFC Divisional round, Aaron Jones rushed for over 100 yards in each of those five games, which included three touchdowns and an impressive 5.7 yards per attempt.
When an offense has a strong run game to lean–even an offense with an explosive passing game–those two elements together can really put opposing defenses in a bind. It sets up short down-and-distance situations, opening up the playbook for Matt LaFleur, and it forces the defense to either defend the entire field or commit to stopping the run, both of which can open up opportunities in the passing game to be exploited.
“I think it just helps open up more things downfield,” said Jordan Love of the run game last season. “Just being able to lean on that run game and just know that we are going to pound out those yards, just keep pushing the ball downfield and I think it’s demoralizing for the defense being able to run the ball.”
Conversely, struggling to pick up yards in the run game puts the offense behind the sticks and in predictable passing situations where the defensive front can pin its ears back the secondary has the advantage in coverage.
Again, if there is a week where picking up yards on the ground isn’t coming easily, the Packers certainly have the talent elsewhere on offense to overcome that. But for the long-term success of this team, including into the playoffs, a steady and reliable run game led by Jacobs will be crucial.
Just one season after being the NFL’s rushing leader in 2022 when Jacobs totaled 1,653 yards on the ground, his production dipped last season. Jacobs finished 2023 with 805 yards at only 3.5 yards per attempt.
As is often the case, there were several factors in play that contributed to his down year. One of which was that Jacobs dealt with injuries, appearing in only 13 games. Jacobs’ offseason last year was also outside of the norm, as he held out during training camp after being franchise-tagged, with a reworked deal not getting done until August 26th. In addition to all of that, the Raiders’ offense could never gain consistent traction either.
Fully healthy this offseason, along with having his contract situation in order, gives Jacobs a leg up compared to this time last year. But the added help around him in the Packers’ offense also contributes to what hopefully becomes a bounce-back season.
Behind the Packers’ offensive line, Green Bay ranked top-10 in yards per carry as a team last season. On top of that, the potential that this Packers’ passing game has with Jordan Love under center and the playmakers at receiver and tight end around him could result in fewer eight-man boxes that Jacobs will have to contend with.
“It helps me a lot,” said Jacobs of the playmakers around him. “Being a running back, obviously (having) guys you have to respect on the outside, it makes my job easier because I’m not facing heavier boxes all the time.
“It also makes my job easier because any given play these guys can create a big play. It makes a lot harder to defend. When you have a special quarterback like Jordan and the way that he plays and the throws that he’s able to make, I think it all goes hand-in-hand with everything. I’m just excited.”
There is also something to be said for playing in Matt LaFleur’s offense, which keeps defenses off-balanced through a variety of looks and provides the running back position with one-on-one opportunities.
“The thing that I like the most is how diverse it is—especially for me,” said Jacobs of LaFleur’s offense. “Like, we can line up wide, we can do dual backs, they have certain packages of personnel that allow me to win, put me in space and be able to win in space. And as a running back that’s all you ask for, get your 1-on-1 matchups and that’s where you can show how special you are.”
At least for the time being, uncertainty at the backup running back role is going to put more on Jacobs’ plate as well. MarShawn Lloyd is still working his way back from a hamstring injury and his status for Friday’s game is up in the air. Emanuel Wilson, meanwhile, also popped up on the injury report this week with a hip injury.
Even if both are available, there are still some unknowns. As an incoming rookie, Lloyd has missed a lot of practice time this summer, and while he is comfortable with the playbook, there’s a big difference between learning it in the class room and applying it on the football field. With Wilson, he’s “still got a ways to go,” as Adam Stenavich put it, in regards to his ability in pass protection.
So for Jacobs, this potentially means handling a heavy workload as the team’s lead back, but that is a role he has previously filled and is very comfortable doing.
“That’s the one thing about Josh, like you just said, what’s nice is he’s been in those roles where you can really lean on him in the run game and everything else,” said Stenavich. “He’s used to that.”