The Green Bay Packers can't take their foot off the gas in the final stretch of the regular season. That's why they can't afford to be without No. 1 running back Josh Jacobs for the long run. Unfortunately, that might not be in their control right now.
According to Packers insider Rob Demovsky, the star RB won't practice on Thursday, leaving his Week 15 availability uncertain. Head coach Matt LaFleur confirmed that his status for Sunday's road matchup with the Denver Broncos is still up in the air, adding that Jacobs has been "battling through it" and that the team needsmore time before making a decision.
While it's too early to hit the panic button, there's no doubt about it: Jacobs' potential absence could have ripple effects across the Packers' roster this weekend, especially for Emmanuel Wilson.
Josh Jacobs' Potential Week 15 Absence Could Hurt Packers' Special Teams
The Packers are in control of their own destiny, and they're favored on the road against the Denver Broncos (minus-2.5 on FanDuel Sportsbook). That being said, they need to make sure that Jacobs is back to full strength for the playoffs, even if that means having him sit against one of the league's most physical defenses.
Assuming that he misses Sunday's action, Jacobs' RB1 role will be passed down to Wilson, who previously ran for 107 rushing yards and two touchdowns when he started for Green Bay in Week 12. He's been dealing with this ailment since the win over the New York Giants when he hit his knee on MetLife Stadium's infamous turf.
With that in mind, a potential start would likely knock Wilson out of special teams duties. He played a big role for Rich Bisaccia's unit last week, turning two kick returns into 55 yards. He's unlikely to field kickoffs if Jacobs is out, and there's no doubt that the Packers' special team potential would take a hit if that's the case.
Even if another Wilson start is bad news for the kick return unit, given the context, it might be better to err on the side of caution on Sunday. If feeding Wilson one more time means a healthy Jacobs come the postseason, it's a risk worth taking.
The Broncos are giving up just 89.0 rushing yards per game, which is the second-lowest mark in the league, making it a grueling matchup for Jacobs if he's healthy. The last thing the Packers would need is for a less-than-100% version of him to take the field, only to suffer a setback against a pulverizing Denver defense.
Even with a loss, the Packers can still finish the season atop the NFC North, although they will obviously aim for the No. 1 seed in the NFC. Whatever the case, this team has to think about the big picture, and that means that they need to give their ailing star as much time as he needs to get closer to full strength.
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