One of the big question marks for the Packers heading into Week 12, when they will square off against the Vikings for just their second divisional game this season is whether running back Josh Jacobs will be cleared to play. Jacobs injured his knee in Week 11 against the Giants, and has battled through practice this week–though in limited participation–in hopes of being able to play on Sunday.
Jacobs injured the knee in a hard fall on the stiff MetLife turf in the first quarter at the Meadowlands, but attempted to play through the pain. He left early in the second quarter, though. He carried seven times for 40 yards in the game.
The Packers have vowed to be cautious with Jacobs even as he has vowed to play even if there is swelling on the knee. It looks as though the team might win the argument though: On Saturday, the Packers brought up veteran practice-squadder Pierre Strong and activated him for Sunday’s game.
Packers Will See a Lot of Emanuel Wilson
That’s likely an indication that the Packers are not planning to play Jacobs on Sunday. The Packers also elevated linebacker Jamon Johnson, according to the team website, an indication that Quay Walker is not going to play, either. Walker has been dealing with a neck injury.
Though Strong and Johnson will be on the 53-man, they’re not expected to contribute much. Strong has 99 carries over three years with the Browns and Patriots, totaling 499 yards. He has yet to play this season–the Packers only added him to the practice squad in September.
In place of Jacobs, the Packers are expected to go with backup Emanuel Wilson, who had 11 carries for 40 yards in place of Jacobs last week, as the top running back, with RB3 Chris Brooks moving up a spot.
Expect Isaiah McDuffie to get a boost in playing time with Walker out.
Packers Said It Was Day-to-Day
Throughout the week, Packers coach Matt LaFleur has said it was truly even odds as to whether Jacobs would go on Sunday. But with the Packers slated to play again on Thanksgiving, the chances were likely always less than that–though, again, he has not been ruled out completely.
“The plan is to try to get him healthy enough to go,” LaFleur said. “It’s just going to be a day-by-day thing. He is truly day to day, and we’ll see how he progresses as the week unfolds.”
Josh Jacobs Certain for Thanksgiving
Jacobs made clear that if he sat out on Sunday, it would not go beyond that, and would be playing when the Packers and Lions face off on Thursday.
“Worst case if I don’t play this week, Thursday I’m definitely playing. It’s not like something that’ll linger over past that. That’s really the worst-case scenario, yeah,” Jacobs said
Jacobs also made clear he is no fan of the field at MetLife, which has been a source of Packers complaints for years.
“Definitely the worst, it’s always been the worst,” Jacobs said of the field. “I know if I ever play there again I will never talk about it because I talked about it all week, how bad it was, and it bit me in the ass.”
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