With Las Vegas Raiders first-string running back Josh Jacobs, who suffered an ankle injury, noted as questionable to play today and a game-time decision, second-string running back Peyton Barber needs to continue being reliable.
It essentially doesn’t matter whether Jacobs plays or not tonight.
Either way, Jacobs will not be 100%.
But Barber did prove that he can handle the ground game by himself if needed.
Last week, Barber rushed for 111 yards against the Miami Dolphins including a one rushing touchdown. Barber averaged just under five yards per carry on 23 carries.
Barber’s longest rush last week was a 27-yarder.
The Raiders are more effective when the ground game is present. It gives the offense twice as many options and keeps their opponent constantly on their toes.
The issue up until now was that the Silver and Black didn’t have a reliable running back behind Jacobs when he went down.
While Barber still must prove himself that he can do it on a consistent basis, his performance last week suggests that Barber could be the second reliable running back the Raiders have been looking for.
If Jacobs is indeed active at game-time, he won’t have the burden of holding the running game entirely on his shoulders.
More must-reads: