The Green Bay Packers entered Thursday's Thanksgiving showdown against the Detroit Lions with plenty of questions surrounding the backfield. With starting running back Josh Jacobs set to return from his one-week absence caused by a knee injury, Packers fans wondered if head coach Matt LaFleur would dump a full workload on Jacobs or split duties with Emmanuel Wilson, who had a career performance in Week 12.
Well, it didn't take long for the Packers' backfield situation to be cleared up. In the 31-24 win over the Lions, Jacobs paced Green Bay's run game with 17 of the team's 30 carries (56.7%). In fact, here's how the touch share shook out by the time all was said and done:
- Josh Jacobs: 17
- Jordan Love: 5
- Emmanuel Wilson: 4
- Bo Melton: 2
- Dontayvion Wicks: 1
- Christian Watson 1
Judging by those numbers, it's pretty clear who the big cheese is in the Packers' RB room moving forward.
Josh Jacobs Is Packers' RB1 Moving Forward
If Jacobs struggled in his return, no one would blame the Packers if they turned back to Wilson as a result. Instead, the three-time Pro Bowler made the most of his opportunities, averaging 4.9 yards per carry en route to 83 rushing yards — the fifth time that he's hit the 80-yard mark this season. For reference, that's one shy of last year's total.
Meanwhile, Wilson failed to capitalize on any moment stemming from last week's 102-yard, two-touchdown performance. The 26-year-old runner turned his four opportunities into 14 rushing yards across 12 offensive snaps, which is actually his lowest total since facing the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 6 (11).
Clearly, the Packers have no intention of a RB-by-committee approach down the stretch. That seemed like a possibility if Green Bay didn't want to risk Jacobs' health, but he showed on Thursday that all he needed was a week off to get everything straightened out. Assuming that he doesn't experience any setbacks moving forward, there's no reason not to have Jacobs in the RB1 role.
Having said that, his performance against the Lions shouldn't stop the Packers from changing things up every now and then. Giving Wilson four to seven carries each game might not be a bad idea if it means keeping Jacobs' legs fresh, and Green Bay can also continue to involve Chris Brooks, who caught both of his targets for nine receiving yards. Brooks is also arguably the best blocker in the RB room, proven by his 75.9 PFF pass protection grade being the third-best on the team this season.
Things could always change before the regular season ends, but it's obvious that Jacobs is manning the driver's seat in the Packers' RB room. It's safe to say that Green Bay's run game will continue to operate through him until he gives LaFleur & Co. a reason to change things up.