Oakland Raiders at Indianapolis Colts: 3 things to watch

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OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA – SEPTEMBER 15: Josh Jacobs #28 of the Oakland Raiders warms up prior to the game against the Kansas City Chiefs at RingCentral Coliseum on September 15, 2019 in Oakland, California. (Photo by Daniel Shirey/Getty Images) /

Leverage Josh Jacobs as a Receiver

There are plenty of reasons which warranted Josh Jacobs being the first running back taken in the NFL Draft. Among them was the belief that he could be a true three-down back, and that his skills were not solely limited to the ground game. At Alabama, Jacobs caught 48 receptions for 571 yards and five touchdowns with the Crimson Tide.

But through three weeks of his short NFL career, Jacobs has just three targets and one reception for 28 yards (which came in Week 1). The Raiders know this, the fans know this, and apparently, Jon Gruden knows this: the Raiders need to get Jacobs going in the passing game.

Jacobs has been far from healthy as of late, but Week 4 is a vital opportunity to turn this season around. Look for Gruden to leverage Jacobs as more of a receiver in the situations where the Colts look to stack the box.

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