To say that this season has been disappointing for Josh Jacobs would be a massive understatement. The Green Bay Packers' inability to block for him in the rushing game hurt his productivity earlier in the season, with Jacobs constantly getting hit at or behind the line of scrimmage.
Then, a nagging knee injury only further complicated things. Fortunately, the team chose to err on the side of caution with him, and while that approach may have been frustrating at times, it might prove to be the right one when it matters the most.
Jacobs is now back to full strength. And, with a crucial divisional matchup with the Chicago Bears on Saturday, that's probably the best piece of news the banged-up Green Bay Packers could get right now.
Josh Jacobs Says He's Back to Full Strength
“My body coming into this game is the best I've felt probably in the last six weeks,” Jacobs said at his locker on Wednesday, per Packers beat writer Paul Bretl of the Wisconsin State Journal. “So it's pretty good situation to be in.”
Even when the offensive line was struggling to get anything going, Matt LaFleur insisted on establishing the run and taking the ball out of Jordan Love's hands. That wasn't always the best approach, but we're all aware of what a player of Jacobs' caliber can do when healthy.
Jacobs had just four carries in Week 17 vs. the Baltimore Ravens and didn't even play in the regular-season finale, so it's been a while since he was heavily involved in a game. Still, when asked what he could bring to the table, the running back sounded ready to roll for Saturday:
“I don't know. We gonna have to see,” Jacobs admitted. “It's gonna be fun, though. Like I said, it feels good to be able to just hit the ground running, be able to actually get up to my speeds and make my cuts the way that I normally make 'em and things like that. Feels good to be able to do that."
Jacobs is still one of the best every-down running backs in the game, and he can be the team's most crucial factor. Jordan Love is still banged up, and with a Bears defense that gives up 134.5 rushing yards per game -- the fifth-most in the league -- the table is set for him to finally break out when it matters most after a frustrating second season in Wisconsin.