The Green Bay Packers got Josh Jacobs back from the Commissioner’s Exempt List. While the Packers lost in his first game back and the run game still had plenty of issues, head coach Matt LaFleur noted that he thought Jacobs brought some good things to the Packers’ offense.
“I thought there were a lot of good things he did,” stated LaFleur after the game.
Jacobs had just 11 rushes for 36 yards on the ground, but added five receptions for 55 yards and a touchdown. The touchdown was a 25-yard reception. He had a long of ten yards on the ground.
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“Obviously, a spectacular play on the touchdown reception on the choice route,” said LaFleur. “He sparked some good runs, but ultimately we are still not running the ball consistently enough.”
Jacobs still averaged just 3.3 yards per rushing attempt in his return.
Green Bay Packers Head Coach Says Josh Jacobs Did Good Things in Return
Jacobs averaged 3.3 yards per attempt on the ground. His backup, MarShawn Lloyd, had six rushes for 20 yards. So, while it was limited work, he also averaged 3.3 yards per attempt.
Savion Williams had two rushes for four yards as a receiver, but those were the only two backs who got carries.
Jacobs had 35 snaps while Lloyd had 24. Then, Pierre Strong came in as the third running back and had just eight snaps. As the passing-down back, seven were in passing scenarios.
The team also made second-year running back Kaleb Johnson inactive. After they traded for him from the Pittsburgh Steelers, he started to earn more work. However, he fumbled in the Packers’ Week 4 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and has hardly seen the field since then. He played nine snaps in Week 5 and just four snaps in Week 6.
Now, he is a healthy inactive. The team chose Lloyd over him as the backup, which makes sense because of the fumble issue. Then, with Strong as the passing-down back, he had no role in the offense. Without much special teams value, he was not useful as an active player.
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Jacobs did not provide much value in the running game, but did flash as a pass catcher. This could be a further indication that the offensive line is the bigger problem than the running back talent.
Jacobs was not coming back from injury and looked to be at his best physically. It might take him a week or to acclimate to the scheme, but if holes were there for Jacobs, he likely would have been able to hit them.
Now, the question is how much more they will play as he adjusts. The Packers gave Jacobs the edge in the split, but he will likely be able to take on a bigger share of the backfield in the next week or two.
Packers HC Makes Feelings Clear on Josh Jacobs Return