Will Josh Jacobs play in Week 1?
Josh Jacobs is the beating heart of the Raiders' ground game. Without Jacobs, the Raiders' backfield would be akin to their legs being cut from underneath them.
So when news about Jacobs' injury status updated to anything other than 'full go', Raiders fans got anxious. What is the status of the Raiders' starting running back heading into Week 1? Should Raiders fans be getting alarmed?
What is Josh Jacobs' status for Week 1?
Josh Jacobs popped up on ESPN's injury report list as 'questionable'. The running back has been mysteriously missing from practice for the second practice in a row. Beyond that, little information is known. Jacobs is expected to return by Thursday, Vincent Bonsignore of the Las Vegas Review Journal reports.
What does that mean for Week 1?
Jacobs' absence has created many questions. Why was he gone? Did he suffer an injury, or did he have an emergency to take care of? Either way, missing time just days before the first game of the season is not good news for the Las Vegas Raiders. The Raiders can only hope the absence will not create any issues on gameday.
By missing two practices before Week One, Jacobs missed valuable reps, and has built up some rust to work through before the game. If the absence was due to personal reasons, Jacobs would only have to worry about catching up on what was missed.
However, if the miss was due to injury, that could be a red flag for the Raiders in Week 1. They will be playing the Ravens, and will need every player to be firing on all cylinders to pull off an upset. If Jacobs is nursing something, it could get aggravated in the game, or it could lead to a slight hesitation leading to a missed touchdown or first-down conversion.
Additionally, by missing practice, it is impossible to fully make up for missed time, which could lead to Jacobs messing up a play that could win the day. One ace in the hole for Jacobs is that he's been healthy throughout the preseason. He has also been with the Raiders for two full years already. He should be able to work through this momentary setback, hopefully.
Without Jacobs, the Raiders stand little chance against Lamar Jackson and the Ravens. The Raiders know that, and will take every step possible to get Jacobs into the game at 100% efficiency. Will that work, though?