Abruptly, this sport feels a lot extra vital. After their season doubtlessly being on the brink, the Dolphins have rattled off three straight wins and are proper again within the thick of the AFC Wild Card race. They go as much as Inexperienced Bay to face a Packers crew that I got here into the season actually excessive on, they usually’ve given me no motive to really feel worse about them. The largest motive is as a result of they’ve discovered one thing of their run sport and RB Josh Jacobs. Jacobs came to visit as a free agent from the Las Vegas Raiders, and he’s been every little thing that they’ve been searching for. He’s third within the NFL in speeding yards, third in whole Yards after Contact and has run for seven touchdowns. Nevertheless it’s once we get to video games in November and December the place I actually assume we really feel Jacobs’ impression on the Packers.
Josh Jacobs is a superb again to observe as a result of he initiates a lot contact. He doesn’t simply need to hit— he invitations you to attempt to hit him. Amongst all RBs with a minimum of 100 carries this season, Jacobs is fourth in Yards After Contact per try and third in damaged tackles compelled. His damaged deal with and missed deal with fee of 19.8% is eighth in the identical metric. He’s the human snowplow, and his sport towards the San Francisco 49ers was the right instance of that.
Jacobs has such good contact stability and runs low to the bottom, forcing his middle of gravity decrease. He’s a load to attempt to get to the bottom, and in these components of the season the Packers might use his capacity to interrupt tackles. It is a diabolical run idea by Matt LaFleur. Carry TE Tucker Kraft in blast return movement, and principally run break up zone with the spinner as eye sweet. The opening opens up for Jacobs, and he hits a clear spin transfer to begin the sport.
This run doesn’t go for a lot, however take a look at what Jacobs does to maintain this ball forward of the sticks. His onerous working is what separates good groups from nice ones, good backs from nice ones and retains that offense afloat.
Once more, what I like about Jacobs a lot is that he simply runs ANGRY. Like there’s no different option to describe it, man. He simply grinds out so many good yards for this crew, and it issues a lot. Not even Captain of the All-Habooga crew Malik Mustapha can cease Jacobs. This collision needed to have gave the impression of when Kratos’ axe and Thor’s Mjolnir collided, it ripped a gap in time.
Why is Jacobs so vital to this offense? As a result of his deal with breaking capacity will get them the simple yards whereas QB Jordan Love and the passing sport go house run searching. Love has an Common Depth of Goal (aDOT) of 9.4 yards this season, second within the NFL. They don’t throw checkdowns, like in any respect. Due to this feast-or-famine model of play within the passing sport, having the run sport simply be capable to maintain you on monitor and hit singles and doubles is so essential. Jacobs, without having an elite breakaway gear, is likely one of the finest singles and doubles hitters within the league attributable to his power and tackle-breaking capacity. With the dearth of a lot fast sport within the Packers’ eating regimen, the necessity for the run sport simply to get these simple yards is big so Love can attain deep within the bag of trickshots.
I believe Josh Jacobs’ 12 months, together with fellow RBs Derrick Henry and Saquon Barkley, are proving the worth of an excellent RB. I believe we overcorrected on the worth of an excellent again, particularly inside the offense. Operating the ball won’t ever exit of favor, and a robust run sport is a essential level of an uber efficient offense. Whereas Jacobs’ working model isn’t attractive, it’s efficient, and it’s serving to maintain the Packers environment friendly.
