It was a night of historical feats for Las Vegas Raiders running back Josh Jacobs. His teammates responded in kind afterward.
Coming into Week 12, the Raiders needed to keep their winning ways going. Jacobs did more than his part as he carried the offense on his back and made sure that the Silver and Black left Seattle with a win. No. 28 himself punched into the endzone twice on Sunday, and on both occasions, the former Alabama product carried it for highlight-reel-worthy scores.
His first came in the second quarter on a 30-yard run, and the second came in overtime as he dashed the Seahawks’ hopes with a remarkable 86-yard run to end the day.
Following the win, Jacobs’s teammates expressed their recognition, respect, and admiration. Defensive superstar Maxx Crosby pointed out the running back’s preparation and mindset as a player.
"“The way he practices, the way he prepares, his mind set – he’s a different animal. One of the, if not the, best in the league. The dude can do it all, and he put that on display today.” -Crosby on Jacobs, via Anthony Galaviz of the Fresno Bee"
On the offensive side, Davante Adams talked about his expectation of seeing Jacobs do his thing, almost as if it were customary at this point. It’s more a testament to the type of year the running back is having. As a side note, Jacobs went into Sunday’s action with an ailment (calf), which didn’t appear to hinder him at all.
"“It’s crazy. Certain guys that, once they show you a certain thing, you kind of just expect it. We’re all so happy for him. The way he fought through how he’s feeling; he wasn’t feeling too great earlier – late in the week, actually.”"
Same.
— Las Vegas Raiders (@Raiders) November 28, 2022
(via @tae15adams) pic.twitter.com/5WvDJ3Decw
Raiders RB Josh Jacobs should be a Pro Bowl shoo-in
All praise and acclaim aside, you don’t have to be a teammate to admire what Jacobs is doing right now. Just looking at the numbers, it’s obvious that he’s playing like a man possessed. Yes, the Raiders declined his fifth-year option, but rather than letting that deter him, Jacobs is putting together the best season of not just his career but one of the best in Raiders’ history.
That being said, it shouldn’t come as a surprise that, when compared to all of the Pro Bowl candidates for his position, Jacobs is starting to separate himself from the pack. With 1,159 yards on the ground, second behind him is Derrick Henry with 1,048. At this rate, Jacobs should end the season as the NFL’s leading rusher. Forget the Pro Bowl; he’ll be an All-Pro soon enough.