Who Was MVP of Packers’ Victory Over Bengals? 

On Monday, coach Matt LaFleur called it Jacobs’ “flu game.” Regardless of whether Jacobs had the flu or just the common cold, he had a great game, running the ball 18 times for 93 yards and two touchdowns. He averaged 5.2 yards per carry, which was a season high, and tallied a season high in yards. He’s up to second in the league in rushing touchdowns and total touchdowns with six.

He also had a great game through the air, bringing in all five of his targets for 57 yards, including a 29-yard catch and run that he brought down to the 6-yard line to set up his first touchdown of the game. 

While Jacobs is a great player, one thing that is of critical importance in creating production in the run game is consistency up front. After dealing with injuries to the offensive line the past few weeks and having three starters questionable for Sunday’s game, the Packers’ offensive line was able to play a full game together. 

“There was some really good runs in there in terms of being able to make people miss and the physicality,” LaFleur said. “I thought our O-line, in some moments, did a really nice job coming off the ball, creating some lanes for him.”

The No. 1 line, which included Jordan Morgan replacing veteran Sean Rhyan at right guard, allowed only one sack and created holes for Jacobs throughout the game. Their best work came on Jacobs’ 14-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter.

“I know on that second touchdown, I could’ve probably fell and got up and still scored,” Jacobs said. “Probably one of the best block plays I’ve ever had in my career, so shoutout to O-line.” 

Finally able to get past the line of scrimmage without being hit by defenders, Jacobs was able to make things happen like he did last season.

“It’s great for us to have such a playmaker behind us that can find holes and not just find holes but he's a back who can break tackles,” said left guard Aaron Banks, who was inactive against Dallas before the bye and had played less than one-and-a-half games before Sunday. “One guy taking him down, it's not easy. Yeah, it's great to have him behind us.” 

Jacobs, who is sixth in rushing yards after contract, has said that it usually takes around three to four weeks for a running game to really get going. That has proven to be the case, as his last two games have been his best of the season. 

“It feels good as a runner to be able to feel like you’re dominating,” Jacobs said, “and that’s always a thing that you can always feel, especially on offense when the defense starts to get tired of you hitting them, starts to get tired of you going right at them.

“That’s something that we definitely felt. There was a lot of guys today, even in the passing game, where we made a lot of guys miss in space, and I think that’s something that we just need to keep improving on each week.” 

After the Bengals pulled within 10-7 to start the third quarter, the Packers responded. On the first play of the fourth quarter, a pair of double-team blocks at the point of attack allowed Jacobs to sprint untouched up the middle and plow through a couple defenders near the goal line for a 14-yard touchdown.