Raiders RB Josh Jacobs making his case to be an All-Pro this year

Raiders RB Josh Jacobs making his case to be an All-Pro this year

Josh Jacobs is healthy, but his usage has gone up under Josh McDaniels

Last season, Jacobs battled injuries and missed two games. As a player, he’s the same guy, but all in all, he’s in a better place physically. You can see it on tape in terms of his explosiveness and burst; the way he’s been hitting the holes and getting to the second level of a defense is a sight to behold. You could argue that he’s entering his physical prime right now, and simply put, McDaniels trusts him now.

At the beginning of the season, we all questioned why the head coach wasn’t getting the ball to Jacobs more. He has registered 217 rushing attempts this season as opposed to 216 for the entire 2021 regular season. The Raiders found themselves trailing early in their first few games, and that hindered the running game. However, the tone has changed, and the offense is going through Jacobs a lot of the time now. Also, Jacobs is being utilized more and more in the passing game, making him a true double threat. For example, he was the leading receiver against the Seattle Seahawks, on top of his dominance on the ground.

You can also see him improving in pass-blocking, which again benefits him greatly as McDaniels can rely on him more, especially in third-down situations, which leads to more playing time and equally more opportunities. McDaniels came into the Raiders hoping to form a running back committee, but Jacobs was having none of it. He wanted to be the lead back and has made the most of his chances. Credit does need to be given to McDaniels as well, who has adjusted his play-calling to make the most of JJ28.