Josh Jacobs eager to play ‘in the games that really matter’

GREEN BAY – It’s an impressive ledger.

Second in the Offensive Rookie of the Year voting, two Pro Bowls, three 1,000-yard seasons, a first-team All-Pro selection and an NFL rushing title.

Those are running back Josh Jacobs‘ accomplishments over five seasons with the Raiders. But now that he’s in Green Bay as a prized free agent stepping in for departed star and fan favorite Aaron Jones, Jacobs is eyeing different sorts of goals.

“I’ve never really played playoff football,” he said last week following an OTA practice. “For me, especially as the (feature) back, I feel like you prove yourself in the games that really matter.

“In the biggest moments, in the biggest games, that’s where you leave your mark.”

For the record, Jacobs did get one playoff shot with the Raiders, but it ended as soon as it started, in the 2021 AFC Wild Card game at eventual Super Bowl participant Cincinnati. He racked up 127 yards from scrimmage (13 carries, 83 yards; four receptions, 44 yards), but the Raiders’ potential game-tying drive died near the goal line in the final minute.

So he was attracted to joining forces with a Packers team that made a surprise postseason run last season and is viewed as up-and-coming. A lucrative contract offer didn’t hurt, either, after playing on the franchise tag his final year with the Raiders. But he feels he’s gone from a franchise with so much “uncertainty” via constant coaching changes to one that’s “stable” and on the rise.

He sees Jordan Love as “legit the next superstar quarterback in this league” surrounded by a combination of proven veterans, like himself, and hungry youth, especially at receiver and tight end. All in a football-only locale like Green Bay, which he calls “peaceful” and reminds him of his roots in Oklahoma and college days at Alabama, representing the farthest of NFL cries from the glitz, glamor and distractions of Las Vegas.

“When you’ve got a young group that wants to make a name for themselves, you’ve got a group of guys that’s got a little edge, and they’re willing to listen and willing to do a little bit more, a little bit extra than normal,” he said. “I think that’s just the special thing about this place.”

He also feels he could do something special in Head Coach Matt LaFleur’s offense, which emphasizes diverse concepts for running backs – lining up wide, shifting to two-back sets, and scheming to get matchups in space.