Raiders Josh Jacobs nominated for FedEx Ground Player of the Week
By Daniel Davis
Las Vegas Raiders running back Josh Jacobs made a statement in Week 1, and just may come away with the FedEx Ground POW.
It did not take Raiders star running back Josh Jacobs long to pick up where he left off as a rookie last season, dominating a bad Carolina Panthers run defense in Week 1. The second-year back was nominated for FedEx’s Ground Player of the Week due to his effort, as he continues to garner national attention.
Jacobs led the team in rushing yards with 93, and was able to find the end zone three times in the team’s 34-30 win over the Panthers. With the win, the Silver and Black moved to 1-0 on the young season, keeping pace with the Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC West.
Jacobs found the open holes that opened up by the offensive line that hasn’t changed from last season leading the team to a victory.
Picking up where he left off in 2019
Last season, Jacobs made his case for being Offensive Rookie of the Year, but was laughably snubbed in favor of Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray. He rushed 242 times for 1,150 yards and seven touchdowns, dominating from Week 1 on.
His best game last year came during a loss to the Green Bay Packers where he rushed for 124 yards on 21 carries and had a 5.9 yards per carry average with a long 42-yard run.
Jacobs is the key to this Raiders offense, and will benefit from all of the additions around him this offseason. With additions of Henry Ruggs III and Bryan Edwards, Derek Carr has more than a few options to play with in the passing game, but it is Jacobs that opens everything up for everyone around him on that side of the ball.
On Sunday, the Raiders showed what they can do with the new weapons, and got the rookies involved in the passing game, as well as handing the ball off to Jacobs to get him involved early and often. With the offensive line at full strength, the sky is the limit for this offense, and even Devontae Booker got into the mix in his few carries.
Las Vegas Raiders need to give Safety Earl Thomas a call. dark. Next
The other players nominated are Christian McCaffrey from the Panthers, who scored two times on 23 rushes for 92 yards, and Chiefs rookie running back Clyde Edwards-Helaire, who rushed 25 times for 138 yards and 2 touchdowns in the season opener against the Texans. Jacobs has been snubbed before, but in terms of what he meant to his team on Sunday, this one should easily go to him.