The Green Bay Packers may have dodged a huge bullet with star running back Josh Jacobs. Knee injuries are always scary, much more so for one of the best players on the team, and the initial reports weren't that encouraging.
Now, it seems like Jacobs won't be out for the long run. Despite that, Sports Illustrated's Bill Huber is reporting that the Packers' star RB is in danger of missing next week's divisional clash with the Minnesota Vikings, saying "possibly" about a potential Week 12 absence.
While some fans might feel disappointed by Huber's tidbit, not having Jacobs out there against head coach Kevin O'Connell's team might not be the worst thing. If anything, it might even be a positive thing for this team if he can't face the Vikings.
Josh Jacobs' Week 12 Absence Could be a Blessing in Disguise
If Jacobs does miss Week 12, he will most likely be back to face the Detroit Lions on the road in the following week. One can argue that said game is bigger than this week's clash, as the Vikings are at the bottom of the NFC North and pose no real threat to the Packers' outlook.
The Vikings give up the 11th-most rushing yards per game in the league this season (127.0), so the Packers might be able to get by with a combination of Emmanuel Wilson and Chris Brooks in the backfield. On the ground, Minnesota has only given up 36 catches (29th), 210 receiving yards (30th), and zero touchdown passes (T-28th) to running backs this season.
While the goal is getting a healthy Jacobs back in time to face the Lions, the Packers need to focus on the Vikings first. Green Bay needs as much momentum as possible to beat Detroit, and pulverizing Minnesota to avoid a third loss since Week 9 would help a lot with that. A strong ground performance vs. the Vikings would also leave the Packers feeling confident that they can switch things up in the backfield more often, keeping opponents on their toes down the stretch.
The Packers found little success on the ground against the Lions in Week 1. They only rushed the ball for 78 rushing yards and a touchdown on 25 carries, putting up 3.1 yards per attempt.
Things will most likely be much more difficult in the rematch. The Lions are elite at home, so giving Jacobs some more time to rest and restore his body will be crucial to keep him fresh and ready to roll for one of the biggest games of the season. Hopefully, taking the upcoming week off will be good enough to get him back to full health in time for the Packers' pivotal divisional clash in Week 12.