Embarrassed Jacobs looking to get back on his 2019 track
At this point a year ago, Josh Jacobs had established himself as one of the NFL’s breakout stars.
His emotions are different through six games in 2020, especially after gaining 17 yards on 10 carries in a 45-20 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
“It was very embarrassing for me,” Jacobs said Wednesday during a video teleconference. “I went and watched film. I watched practice. I watched previous games. I was trying to see where I could improve my game, what I could bring to this team to be where we want to be.”
There were extenuating circumstances, which Jacobs acknowledged. His entire offensive line practiced only on Monday because of a positive COVID-19 test by Trent Brown, with four starters cleared on game day. Plus, the Raiders were coming off a bye and facing the NFL’s top-rated run defense.
“We weren’t all on the same page at the same time. We were slow getting to certain reads,” Jacobs said.
Jacobs is averaging 3.4 yards per carry heading into Sunday’s
road game against the Cleveland Browns, ranking him 44th out of 46 backs with enough carries to qualify among the leaders. But even before the Bucs game, Jacobs was averaging 3.6 yards per attempt, well off the 4.8 average posted as a rookie over 13 games before missing the last three with a fractured shoulder.
His numbers are down in pretty much every analytic, including yards after contact and rushing averages in different formations and against different fronts.
Jacobs may be embarrassed but said he’s not worried. He’s relatively healthy — no running back is ever completely healthy six games into a season — and believes things will get better.
“I come out every day looking for things I can get better at,” Jacobs said. “Try to be more patient, not to think so much and go out and run. Every day we’re at the 20-yard line and I’m running 80 yards to score in practice. It’s just a matter of time before it starts finally clicking.”
Stats be damned, Jacobs was a primary mover in the Raiders’ three wins over Carolina, New Orleans and Kansas City, picking up tough yards. It’s worth keeping in mind that a 2-yard run for a first down, while it doesn’t do anything for the rushing average, is better for an offense than an 8-yard run on thirdand-10.
Jacobs, 5- foot-10, 220 pounds, is still getting those yards. The biggest difference has been the lack of explosive runs. Jacobs’ longest run is 16 yards, where at this point last season he had runs of 51 yards and 42 yards — both in games the Raiders lost.
“I like what we’re doing,” Raiders coach Jon Gruden said. “I know our rushing average is not what we’d like it to be. The one thing we’re lacking is the long run. We haven’t had that yet. But we’re making positive yards, we’re moving the ball and we’re doing some good things. I think we’re a better offense than we were last year.”
Quarterback Derek Carr said some opponents have “sold out” to stop the run but “even at that, we’re a step or two away, an inch here or an inch there, from some really big runs . . . I know it hasn’t been statwise exactly what he’s wanted, but he knows and I know these runs are so close to just popping and being some explosive gains.”
It hasn’t helped that the Raiders have played exactly three snaps with their starting offensive line. They’re hopeful of getting Brown back at right tackle this week, although it appears left guard Richie Incognito (Achilles) is another week away. Jacobs has been tackled 13 times for losses through six games as opposed to five a year ago.
Josh Jacobs has found running room tougher to come by in 2020.
Cleveland, the Raiders’ next opponent, is ranked fifth against the run (92.9 yards per game) and sixth in yards per carry, giving up just 3.8.
For all the talk about Jacobs being a bigger part of the passing game, they’ve got plenty of targets. Any hope of being even a fringe playoff contender is going to require Jacobs doing a lot of damage on the ground regardless of the strength of the opponent. “Everybody knows what I bring to the table, but it comes down to us,” Jacobs said. “Certain plays, teams know you’re going to run the ball. But I’ve got to be better than the guy in front of me. That’s the mentality that we need to have as a team. When we get that mindset, I think we’ll be good.”
TRADES NOT LIKELY >> The Seattle Seahawks dealt a seventh-round draft pick and reserve offensive lineman B. J. Finney to Cincinnati in exchange for disgruntled defensive end Carlos Dunlap, who leads the Bengals with 821/2 career sacks.
Could the Raiders have gotten a similar deal for a seventh- round pick, and say, Brandon Parker? Gruden wouldn’t say of course, but he did sound skeptical of making any kind of deal.
“We have to look at it realistically,” Gruden said. “I’m not going to get into our position, that’s for Mike Mayock and I. There’s a lot of speculation out there, but reality and speculation are two different things. I’m not saying a trade is out of the question but some of the trades I’ve seen thrown out there are unrealistic.” REINFORCEMENTS >> Gruden said he hoped to get Brown back in the building this week once he’s cleared following last week’s positive COVID-19 test, and wouldn’t rule out having him play against Cleveland. Wide receiver Bryan Edwards practiced and was limited, but Gruden termed him as “doubtful.”
Safety Joh n at ha n Abram, who sat out against Tampa Bay because of COVID contact tracing ( he’s never tested positive) is back and practice.