As the Green Bay Packers push for a division title and possibly the top seed in the NFC, they’re hoping that they’ll have a somewhat healthy running back in Josh Jacobs, who is still battling a knee injury that he suffered in Week 11 vs. the New York Giants.
Jacobs proceeded to miss Green Bay’s following game against the Minnesota Vikings in Week 12, opening the door for Emanuel Wilson. However, Jacobs quickly made his way back to the starting lineup for Green Bay’s last two games, rushing for a combined 169 yards and a touchdown on 37 carries.
It seemed like business as usual for Jacobs. However, the star running back is still banged up and could be in jeopardy of missing this week’s game against Denver. According to ESPN’s Rob Demovsky, Packers head coach Matt LaFleur told reporters on Thursday that Jacobs will likely miss his second consecutive day of practice, and they’ll see where he’s at as the week continues.
If you’re a Packers fan, this is obviously not ideal, as a healthy Jacobs can make a difference down the stretch to possibly clinch a top seed if the Rams slip up. That said, all hope is not lost for the Packers as they have Wilson waiting in the wings.
Emanuel Wilson Could Be Called Upon Again to Step Up in Week 15
The 26-year-old Wilson showed fans and the Packers’ coaching staff that he can carry a full workload and be effective while doing it a few weeks ago.
Coming off 40 rushing yards and a touchdown in Week 11 against the Giants, Wilson erupted for 107 rushing yards and two touchdowns on 28 carries vs. a so-so Vikings’ run defense. He also added two receptions (two targets) for 18 yards.
If you’re the Packers, you couldn’t ask for much more from Wilson. In fact, he did something that Jacobs hasn’t done this season, which is carrying the ball 25-plus times.
The most carries Jacobs has had in a game this season were 23 in Week 2 vs. the Washington Commanders, where he also ran for 84 yards and a touchdown. While the Packers would love to have Jacobs on the field for this game against the Broncos, Wilson has shown that he can be depended on.
Now, will Wilson have the same success that he had vs. Minnesota against the Broncos? Likely, not. The Broncos are only giving up 89.0 yards per game on the ground (second-fewest in the NFL).
However, the Packers still have two more games against divisional opponents (Chicago and Minnesota) and a matchup vs. the Ravens. They will likely need a combo of Jacobs and Wilson for those pivotal contests, especially if they want to enter the postseason as healthy as possible.
Needless to say, all eyes will be on the Packers’ injury report heading into Friday. If Jacobs does not play, it will be a loss for Green Bay’s offense. But Wilson has shown this season, and last year, that he’s capable of keeping the chains moving.