There was no question the Raiders needed to get things going on the ground against the Broncos and stick with it if they hoped to get their first win of the season. The Broncos defense has few weaknesses, and the ground game is pretty much it.
Buy Raiders TicketsLast time these two teams met late last season, Josh Jacobs tied a career-high with 129 yards on the ground. So, it only makes sense to go back to him and let him carry them.
He did just that.
With just over two minutes left in the fourth quarter, the Raiders set up in first and goal at the seven, looking to put the game out of reach. Just as they had much of the game, they went to Jacobs and their Mr Dependable took it up the middle for the touchdown.
THAT'S ✌️ FOR @iAM_JoshJacobs!
BACK to a two-score lead.
📺: CBS pic.twitter.com/Gs0Nohk7Fi
— Las Vegas Raiders (@Raiders) October 2, 2022
That seven-yard run gave Jacobs his second TD of the game and put him at 134 yards rushing — a new career-high. He also had 175 yards from scrimmage.
“He’s one of the best runners that I’ve ever been around,” said Josh McDaniels. “Take that for what it’s worth. And I’ve been around some good ones. He has a great ability to make yards after contact and the ability to make yards even if there’s not a whole lot there right away.”
The best example of Jacobs making something out of nothing was his huge 43-yard run in the third quarter on a play that initially looked like it would be stopped at the line. The move he put on is worth a watch.
“Some of the cuts that Josh made today,” Derek Carr said of that 43-yard run. “I think there was one on the little zone run to the left and he stopped and he spun and he went back up through. That’s different. He didn’t even know there was a hole there until he spun back into it. He got a huge run out of it . . . which was special.”
That second Jacobs TD put the Raiders up by nine, essentially putting the game out of reach for the Broncos.
Jacobs would get ten more yards in the game to bring his new career-high to 144 yards.
He could celebrate his career day the right way as well, with the Raiders notching their first win of the season. And doing it against a division rival.
