The Green Bay Packers didn’t lose on Sunday night, but they did come out of their 40-40 tie with the Dallas Cowboys with several concerns. A special teams unit that has played a negative role in each of the past two games is toward the top of the list, and an offensive line that has been decimated by injuries to Aaron Banks and Zach Tom has the Packers thinking a week off is coming at the perfect time.
Unfortunately, the Packers may have gained another concern when Josh Jacobs left Sunday’s game due to a knee injury. While Jacobs finished with 22 carries for 86 yards and a pair of touchdowns, he told Packers team writer Weston Hodkiewicz that he got cleated and had “a big-ass hole in my knee” that required stitches. Even then, any potential time Jacobs might miss because of his knee has been a muted storyline thanks to the emergence of backup Emanuel Wilson.
Emanuel Wilson Seizes Packers RB2 Role Behind Josh Jacobs
While Jacobs led the team in rushing on Sunday night, Wilson proved to be a capable replacement when needed. He carried the ball eight times for 44 yards on Sunday night and also showed his worth in the passing game, catching three balls for 37 yards — including a 25-yard screen pass in the first quarter. This also isn’t a surprise among Packers fans, who watched Wilson shine in the preseason, including a play where he trucked Indianapolis Colts cornerback Micah Abraham into Kentucky (h/t @CarsonFowlerTV).
Still, Wilson was on the brink of fighting for his job coming into the season. MarShawn Lloyd was entering his second season and looking to rebound from an injury-plagued rookie campaign, and Chris Brooks began to cut into Wilson’s snaps.
But things began to carry toward Wilson’s favor. Lloyd suffered a hamstring injury during the preseason that forced him to injured reserve, and while he is eligible to return after the bye, Wilson has shown enough to be trusted in the No. 2 role. Brooks is also a threat, but Wilson’s performance may have forced him to the bench for now, giving him the biggest opportunity if Jacobs misses time.
As of now, it seems like Jacobs just has to heal from a few stitches before returning to the field. The good news is that the Packers don’t have to worry too much if something goes wrong over the bye week, as they have a capable backup RB in Wilson behind him.