Raiders Give Josh Jacobs Help: Kenyan Drake
Last season, he again went over 1,000 by 65 yards but averaged only 3.9 yards per carry with a long run of 28 yards, and he missed another game due to an injury.
“Jacobs’ per-carry average wasn’t great in 2020 (3.9), but we can’t overlook the fact that he ranks fifth in rushing yards since the start of the 2019 season (2,215),” wrote Nick Shook of NFL.com. “He’s also forced the third-most missed tackles in the NFL since 2019 with 120, according to Pro Football Focus.”
Despite his production, Jacobs takes more than his share of punishment because he runs hard and breaks so many tackles, so having Drake around to spell him hopefully will keep him fresh and healthy.
And the Raiders also could give defenses a challenge by playing both at the same time.
“They’re gonna complement each other great,” said quarterback Derek Carr, who is happy to have all the weapons the Raiders give him in the backfield. “Kenyan’s not just a route-running kind of running back. I mean he’s had 900-, 1,000-yard seasons. Like, the guy’s a good football player.
“When you have two backs like that, you don’t have to kill Josh, he can be fresh every snap. Could you imagine that, having to tackle that guy fresh every single time? Oh, here comes Drake. Oh, here comes Jalen Richard. Here comes Alec Ingold.
“We have all these guys and then you think about the receivers and the speed now at receiver. You think about (tight ends) Darren (Waller), Foster (Moreau), (Derek) Carrier. Like, that’s a pretty explosive group.
“It’s a team game, right? (But) I have to keep putting (Jacobs) in good run looks. If I stop caring about the running game, that hurts Josh Jacobs.”
The Raiders allowed Jacobs to miss OTAs so he could continue to his vigorous offseason training regimen,
When he returned, he was pleased with what he saw in the revamped offensive line.
“The (coaches) gave me their blessing and allowed me to go and trusted me that when I came back, I would be ready,” said Jacobs, who gave a thumbs-up to the rebuilt offensive line. “This is the first offseason where I put my head down and focused on just one thing. It has been a long journey, but it’s going to pay off.
“I feel like (he can improve in) every area, honestly. Coming in the offseason, the main things I’ve been working on was balance work, core work, burst, and things like that just to try to take my game to the next level. I’m just trying to do everything I can to help this team.
“ … I won’t lie, when (the changes) first happened with (the line), I was like ‘Damn, what are we doing?’ But then I saw who we picked up and watched game film, saw them practice and how they were working, I was like, ‘We’re going to be nice.’”
Among the additions is tackle Alex Leatherwood, the Raiders’ first-round draft choice and a former teammate of Jacobs’ at Alabama.
Guard Richie Incognito and tackle Kolton Miller, the two returning starters, will be the leaders of the rebuilt offensive line, which should help Jacobs become only the third Raiders running back to go over 1,000 yards rushing in three straight seasons—and the first since Marcus Allen in the 1980s.
Fullback Mark van Eeghen was the first man in Silver and Black to accomplish the feat with 1,012 in 1976 on the way to winning Super Bowl XI, before adding 1,273 in 1977, and 1,080 in 1978.
Allen gained 1,014 yards in 1983 in leading the Raiders to a win in Super Bowl XVIII, added 1,168 in 1984, and set the franchise record with a whopping 1,759 yards in 1985. He is the franchise’s all-time leading rusher with 8,545 yards.
Jacobs, who broke Allen’s rookie rushing record, is only 23, so who knows how many more 1,000-yard seasons he might have in him, and if he does Raider Nation could get a few more Super Bowls, too.
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