Oakland Raiders need all hands on deck with Josh Jacobs out

So what does Jacobs absence mean for the Raiders in a game where they must win to keep their playoff hopes alive?

There’s no denying it, when Jacobs is out on the field he’s the Raiders best offensive weapon and a player that opposing defense’s have to account for. With him sidelined, DeAndre Washington and Jalen Richard will take over the rushing duties just as they did in week 16 against the Chargers.

Obviously not having Jacobs active is a huge blow to the Raiders offense, but the level of play that Washington has brought to the table over the last couple weeks has been superb. In many cases Washington and Richard have been labeled as a ‘change of pace back’, whereas Jacobs brings a quality to the team where he can stay on the field for all three downs.

However, Washington is playing with more confidence and acceleration than he’s ever played with since entering the league. Last week he finished the game with 106 all-purpose yards and helped guide the Raiders to their first win in over a month.

Ultimately, the Raiders will be without their primary weapon, but if Washington can get into a rhythm as he did last week and Derek Carr can utilize play action passing to keep the Broncos defense on their toes, the Raiders could put themselves in good position to steal a victory on the last week of the season.