Packers Make Critical Decision on Josh Jacobs’ Status vs. Vikings

GREEN BAY, Wis. – Green Bay Packers running back Josh Jacobs will not play on Sunday against the Minnesota Vikings.

Jacobs suffered a knee contusion during the first series of last week’s victory at the Giants and missed most of the final three quarters of the game. While Jacobs pushed to play – he practiced on Thursday and Friday – Jacobs and the team decided the smart approach was to sit him for this game and take aim at Thursday’s game at the Detroit Lions.

“Oh yeah, worst case,” he said on Thursday is that he would miss only this game. “If I don’t play this week, [then] Thursday I’m definitely playing. It’s not like something that’ll linger over past that. That’s really the worst-case scenario.”

Jacobs hasn’t missed a game since 2023 with the Raiders. He had played in all 27 games, plus one playoff game, since joining the team in free agency last offseason.

“I would say the only reason why I’m thinking about it [not playing], not necessarily the seven games, more necessarily the quick turnaround Thursday. It’s one of those things, it’s like, OK, you play and potentially re-aggravate it and get more swelling and then you miss that next week and maybe even potentially the next week or do you just rest and go Thursday?

“That’s honestly something that I’ve been thinking about, contemplating more and more as we getting closer. But what I can say and what I can guarantee is I’m going to put my best foot forward and if I feel like I can go and it’s not going to hinder the team then I’m going to go. But it’s going to truly be a game-time decision.”

Jacobs is the driving force behind the Green Bay offense. Without him, it will be up to Emanuel Wilson to carry the load in the running game. Both Wilson and Chris Brooks are three-down backs, though Wilson is the better runner and Brooks the better protector.

Wilson is averaging 4.2 yards per carry compared to 3.8 for Jacobs. In terms of yards after contact, Jacobs is averaging 3.08 and Wilson 3.04. However, tackling breaking is where there’s an enormous disparity. Jacobs had broken 32 out of 169 carries and Wilson has two in 53, according to Pro Football Focus.

“I love the guy, man,” Jacobs said. “As much as he works, how hard he works, but not only that, man, he’s very coachable. He comes up to me probably every day and asks me something that I think he should work on or what did I see on this play or how do I view certain plays and things like that. He’s willing to learn and he always tries to implement that into his game.

“I always try to tell him, ‘Man, just be who you are. Keep running how you running. Make sure you’re running hard and just be who you are and have fun. At the end of the day, you wouldn’t be able to be here in this position if you couldn’t ball and if you wasn’t one of those guys.” I think the biggest thing for him is just having that confidence. Making sure he’s 100 percent in the playbook with everything that he needs to do to get his job. He’s going to do his thing. He’s a good back.

Wilson entered the NFL as an undrafted free agent in 2023. He made it through Denver’s rookie camp before he was released and signed with the Packers.

After getting just 14 carries as a rookie, Wilson carried 103 times for 5-2 yards – a robust 4.9-yard average – and four touchdowns last season.

“Tremendously, honestly,” he said of his growth. “I just believe in myself more, so I got more confidence now than like my rookie year. To now, it’s a huge difference. I mean, y’all guys can go watch film to see how I play differently now. I just feel good.”

With Jacobs out of the lineup last week, he had an 11-yard touchdown run.

“It felt wonderful,” he said. “I ain’t been in the end zone since last year, so it felt good to actually get my first one of the season.”

Brooks is a big-time pass protector and a powerful runner. He had a pivotal blitz pickup on Savion Williams’ 33-yard catch to set up the decisive touchdown last week.

He could have a big role against the blitz-happy Vikings.

“Honestly, we get more hyped about those then we do about the runs,” Jacobs said. “Pass pro, I told them today, 65 percent of it is knowing who to block and the rest is wanting to block. Obviously, you can always correct technique and stuff like that, but you got to have the want to to go out there and do that. Especially with guys that’s 30 pounds heavier than you, to be able to just strain and really lock in.

“When we seen that play we always said, if you give Jordan time he going to make plays. That was probably the biggest play for our group in that game. So, shoutout to him, man. Chris is a dawg. I don’t think that he gets enough appreciation and credit of who he is to this team, honestly, whether it’s special teams or whether it’s something in our room. I’m happy for him. Hopefully his role keeps expanding a little bit.”

Elevated from the practice squad was Pierre Strong, who has extensive experience on offense and special teams.

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