The Green Bay Packers got one of the last things they needed Sunday during a 27-20 win over the New York Giants: an injury in their running back room. Star RB Josh Jacobs left the first quarter with an injury and didn't return to the game, leaving his outlook uncertain at the most important time of the regular season.
Green Bay fans were hoping for a positive update after the game, but that wasn't the case. Packers head coach Matt LaFleur had a very concerning response to the injury when asked for an update on Jacobs. Specifically, his verbiage was perhaps overdramatic considering the lack of concrete evidence of what even happened.
"Anytime a player—especially of his magnitude—doesn't finish a game, you're always concerned about the welfare of them," LaFleur said when asked if he's worried about Jacos' injury. Earlier in the press conference, Green Bay's coach emphasized a "next man up" mentality.
- Update (Nov. 16, 6:48 p.m. ET): ESPN's Adam Schefter and Rob Demovsky reported that "
Jacobs’ knee injury is not believed to be season-ending, but more tests will be done on Monday back in Green Bay."
With the Packers sounding uncertain about Jacobs' status, more testing will likely be done in the coming days. Green Bay has a looming rivalry game against the Minnesota Vikings in Week 12, so chances are that LaFleur & Co. will want to figure things out long before then.
Packers Dealing with Big Josh Jacobs Question Mark After Week 11
If Jacobs isn't available against a top Vikings defense, Emmanuel Wilson figures to get an extended look in the backfield. He had 40 rushing yards and a score on 11 carries against the Giants. Jacobs' injury also shines a spotlight on a more pressing issue for Green Bay's running back room, which is MarShawn Lloyd's up-in-the-air return. Lloyd reportedly made some progress towards his return last week, and he'll likely face more pressure if the team's RB1 misses time.
Lloyd's return is a must for the Packers. With their depth badly depleted, they need a body out there. Lloyd was drafted with high hopes, but there are no qualms about him being a star in LaFleur's attack. He just needs to be a decoy with such a bleak outlook as things currently stand.
Especially with quarterback Jordan Love's left shoulder banged up (h/t @ByRyanWood), the Packers' running game needs to be a weapon against the Vikings. Minnesota owns a top-10 pass defense, while its run stoppage work is among the NFL's worst. Green Bay doesn't need Love taking hits to make things worse for his non-throwing shoulder, but he also doesn't need to be airing it out against a defense that will shorten the Packers' time of possession.
In other words, a reliable run game is a must.
Whether it's Lloyd returning or Wilson stepping up again, the Packers' backfield needs help after Jacobs got dinged up this weekend. The playoffs are right around the corner, so the sooner they can get Jacobs back in the lineup, the better. Hopefully, Green Bay has positive news to share once more is known about the three-time Pro Bowler's health.