To unlock offense's potential, Raiders RB Josh Jacobs needs more carries
In Sunday's 24-19 loss to the Chargers, Las Vegas Raiders running back Josh Jacobs quietly ran for a 57 yards on only 10 carries. In total, he played on 60 percent of the team's offensive snaps, a figure that should increase for the Raiders to unlock the offense's potential.
Jacobs, who missed three games last season with injuries, flashed glimpses of his old self that the team missed last season. In addition to his rushing, the former Alabama star caught a pass from quarterback Derek Carr for a 16-yard-gain.
Las Vegas ran only 13 times versus Los Angeles, and Carr, who threw three interceptions, struggled behind a suspect line ranked third worst in the league in the preseason by Pro Football Focus.
It makes sense for McDaniels to run more in Las Vegas' home opener against Arizona in Week 2. An effective running game could make All-Pro wideout Davante Adams (10 catches for 141 yards) even more effective.
Regarding his use in Week 1, Jacobs said his focus is on "execution, my assignment," per the team's website.
As The Athletic's Tashan Reed writes, "Jacobs running well isn’t surprising — he’s shown he can be one of the better backs in the league when healthy."
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