It’s not only in the run game that the Green Bay Packers have to worry about Las Vegas Raiders running back Josh Jacobs, but he has been one of the best pass-catching backs in football this season.
Through just four games, Jacobs has caught 18 of his 24 targets at 9.6 yards per catch, with most of his production coming lined up out of the backfield. For some context, those 24 targets are the most in football among running backs. Jacobs’ 173 receiving yards also ranks first, and his 9.6 yards per catch ranks eighth, according to PFF.
Buy Packers Tickets“You saw it last week,” said Matt LaFleur on Wednesday, “he was able to break some tackles. This guy’s got incredible balance. He’s got incredible hands. He can make you miss. There is nothing he can’t do.”
Running backs have not only been able to find success on the ground against the Packers, but they’ve been used often in the passing game as well. Running backs have already been targeted 33 times versus Green Bay and have caught 26 of those attempts at almost seven yards per catch.
While the Chicago and Atlanta backs were fairly efficient in the passing game against the Packers, Green Bay was able to limit New Orleans and Detroit in that regard–although the running backs for both teams were still active parts of the game plan.
The Raiders are going to find ways to get Jacobs the ball in space, where he is very dangerous and has been one of the best ball carriers at forcing missed tackles. Knowing where he is on the field at all times, along with all 11 defenders swarming to him to limit his yards after the catch potential, is going to be crucial to limiting his production as a pass catcher.
The majority of Jacobs’ targets have come in the middle of the field between the hash marks. If the Packers continue with their heavy usage of quarters coverages, they will be susceptible underneath and in the middle part of the field.
After leading the NFL in rushing yards last season, moving the ball on the ground this season for Jacobs and the Raiders offense has not come easy. Currently, the Raiders have the worst rushing offense in football by yards per carry and DVOA.
With that said, we all know the challenges that Jacobs provides as a ball carrier – he has been one of the best in football – and this is a Green Bay defense that has allowed 200-plus rushing yards in two of their first four games. Following the Detroit game, LaFleur mentioned that a philosophical change was needed for this defense from a schematic standpoint, specifically not being so rigid and breaking away from the often utilized shell coverages to provide extra run help in certain situations.
We will see on Monday what those changes actually translate to on the football field, but against a struggling Raiders’ rushing offense, it feels like it’s now or never for the Green Bay run defense. However, even if the Packers are able to contain Jacobs on the ground, they can’t forget about him in the passing game either, with Davante Adams garnering much of the attention in that regard, because he will make the defense pay if that’s the case.
“I think he’s a guy that you have to have a plan for when you’re approaching him in terms of how you want to tackle him,” added LaFleur. “The best way to bring him down is to have multiple hats at the point of attack.”
