Just one year ago, the Green Bay Packers were 2-5, Jordan Love was struggling in his first year as starting quarterback, running back Aaron Jones was injured, Joe Barry commanded the defence, and the team had just lost its fourth consecutive game.
Fast forward to now, the Packers are 5-2, Love is second in the NFL in touchdown passes, Josh Jacobs has replaced Jones (who signed with the Minnesota Vikings), and the defence is generating the most turnovers in the league under Jeff Hafley’s direction.
What a difference a year makes!
Green Bay Packers Running Back Declared “Below Average”
Of course, there have been numerous changes to the Packers’ roster and coaching staff that have contributed to this development. One of the adjustments included signing 2022 NFL rushing champion Josh Jacobs and releasing fan favourite running back Aaron Jones.
Jones appeared in only 11 games last season due to a series of ailments. While he finished the year with three consecutive 100-yard games (and two more in the NFL Playoffs), the Packers felt he was not worth the money they were about to pay him and turned to Jacobs.
This season, Jones has 501 running yards, an average of 4.8 yards per carry, and two rushing touchdowns for the Minnesota Vikings.
Jacobs, on the other hand, has done reasonably well. The new Packers running back is fourth in the NFL in rushing yards (540), tenth in rushing yards per game (77.1), and seventh in rushes of 20 yards or more (four).
Nonetheless, one ESPN expert rated Jacobs “below average” in Green Bay.
ESPN’s Bill Barnwell says Josh Jacobs has been below average for the Green Bay Packers.
In a piece published Thursday, Bill Barnwell of ESPN said on Jacobs, “While his 4.5-yards per carry average is decent, it pales in comparison to the other backs we’ve evaluated. Jacobs has also fumbled twice, with Barkley, Henry, and Mixon accounting for only one.
“The biggest issue for Jacobs is that he hasn’t been able to keep the offence on schedule. I remarked that Mixon’s first-down success rate is below league average. Jacobs’ performance is even worse; he keeps the offence on track with only 28.2% of his first-down carries and 33.3% of his total carries.”
He goes on to argue Jacobs is “not much better” than Green Bay’s other two running backs, Emanuel Wilson and Chris Brooks.
As one might have expected, Packers fans did not have any Jacobs criticism:
Most importantly, the Packers are 5-2 this season (as already indicated). They average 155.0 rushing yards per game, which is the seventh highest in the league.
What’s most impressive about the Packers’ fifth-best rushing offence is Jordan Love’s 270 throwing yards per game, which ranks second in the NFL.
In other words, they’re really well balanced.
Jacobs, as previously said, stands fourth in the NFL in rushing yards. If one looks at data for long enough, they can convey whatever tale one wants.
Barnwell chose to describe Jacobs as “below average.”
It’s quite clear he isn’t.
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