Josh Jacobs shows he can be a workhorse in the Packers' Week 5 win over the Jaguars

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Before Josh Jacobs reached the limit, he was breaking the rules. The “cardinal sin” of running after a train block. There was Green Bay Packers guard Elgton Jenkins, who moved to the right and had one less blocker on the back left.

The running back must always follow his pull block. Jacobs deviated from the sacred manuscript “Ground and Pound.”

He went to the left.

“I had to score,” Jacobs said. “Or I had to make a big entrance. Otherwise I probably would have been cursed.”

Jacobs immediately began making amends. Jacksonville Jaguars cornerback De'Antre Prince fired up to make a big, open strike 5 yards behind the line of scrimmage. He jumped up right where Jacobs had been, but instead just struggled to breathe. Jacobs had already disappeared and went left.

Linebacker Ventrell Miller was next. He pursued Jacobs, wrapping both arms around the 223-pound wrecking ball, still just short of first down. Jacobs threw him off his hip and continued chugging.

“He's a stud, isn't he?” coach Matt LaFleur said, not exactly insulting his superstar running back. “I mean, the physicality with which he runs.”

At the end of his longest run this season, Jacobs only had Darnell Savage to beat. A mismatch. Jacobs knew it because he raised his left index finger to the sky at the 7-yard line and didn't wait for the end zone to celebrate his 38-yard touchdown.

The Packers were behind when the game began. They never trailed again and secured a 30-27 victory as time expired, powered by Brandon McManus' 24-yard field goal, but were carried by Jacobs.

“He runs so hard,” center Josh Myers said. “He just has that dog in him. I don’t know how else to put it.”

The win moved the Packers to 6-2 on the season. It wasn't lost on anyone in the visitors' locker room at EverBank Stadium that they were 3-5 this time a year ago. Leaving Jacksonville with a win was a sign of how much this young team has grown in a year, but the bigger reminder was what can happen when the Packers treat their workhorse running back like a workhorse. Because at the beginning of the third quarter it looked as if Sunday could turn into a breathtaking surprise instead.

When starting quarterback Jordan Love left with a groin injury and couldn't play in the second half, the Packers had no choice but to put the game in Jacobs' hands. He finished the game with 127 yards and two touchdowns on 25 carries, an average of 5.1 yards per rush. The Packers are relying on backup quarterback Malik Willis at this point, considering they won both starts earlier this season when Love was inactive with a sprained MCL in his left knee. But Willis didn't make a single practice appearance on the starting offensive line during the week, instead leading the scout team.

While Willis made a game-winning completion of 51 yards to receiver Jayden Reed with just over a minute left and converted the play into a pass at the line of scrimmage, his lack of insight into the game plan forced the Packers to adjust.

“My goal before the game was to inspire the player and inspire the team,” Jacobs said. Whatever that looked like, I just wanted to come in, run hard and have people trust me. Unfortunately, it happened when Jordan got injured. I just wanted to send a message that we can still win games when we pass the ball. We can win games however we want if we all focus on the details.”

It's possible that the Packers' second-half offense would have worked with Jacobs even if Love hadn't been injured. With 11 carries in the first half, he was primed for a strong finish and slammed the Jaguars' defense despite gaining only 36 yards. “It felt like we were leaning on them,” Myers said, “and wearing them down.” At halftime, LaFleur visited each position and asked the players what they thought worked well in the first two quarters.

Right guard Sean Rhyan said the response from the offensive line was unanimous. The Packers needed to play more football.

“Let’s run the (swearing) ball,” Rhyan said the offensive line told their play-calling coach. “We move them. We may not get big runs of 7+ yards, but we move the defense enough to just block. I think that’s what we leaned on.”

Jacobs said he kept asking for more broadcasts throughout the game. Even though he averaged less than 4 yards on his other 24 carries, he came close to breaking one of them. “Even when they attacked me,” Jacobs said, “it was like I was going down, but I'm one step away from getting out of there.” The Packers trusted the veteran and continued to call his number. Their faith was finally rewarded.

Willis' dynamic ball transport elevated the running game and forced the Jaguars to account for his legs. On Jacobs' 38-yarder, Jaguars safety Andre Cisco had a clear path into the backfield. Jacobs was able to run past him because Cisco had to take a break and position himself so Willis could keep the ball.

In 13 carries after Willis replaced Love, Jacobs had 88 yards. It was the second time this season that Jacobs surpassed the century mark in a game, the first since he ran 32 times for 151 yards in a Week 2 win over the Indianapolis Colts. These are also the only two games in which Jacobs had 25 runs.

Jacobs won't stop asking for more carries. Occasionally he might break the rules.

“I think we left a lot open,” Jacobs said. “It's like we're happy with what we've done so far. Even for myself, there were a few runs where I wished I could have come back. I wish I could have pressed it a little differently and things like that. So I'm still looking for it, but I'm definitely proud of what we've achieved as a team.

“It’s really about never giving up on the game. Because sometimes you might be lying in a heap and three people are hitting you, but you're still serious. You're not down yet. So it’s about just not giving up on a play, lifting my legs on contact and accelerating my feet.”

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