After finishing last season as the NFL's rushing champion, Las Vegas Raiders running back Josh Jacobs had been far less prolific this season — that is, until a change in coaching philosophy and some words of wisdom from a franchise legend helped revitalize the Raiders rushing attack.
In Las Vegas' second game since firing head coach Josh McDaniels, Jacobs snapped his 100-yard rushing drought against the New York Jets, helping the Raiders snag back-to-back victories under interim coach Antonio Pierce.
After the 16-12 win over the Jets, Jacobs shared a message he received from Bo Jackson prior to Sunday's kickoff.
Warning: profane language
#Raiders RB Josh Jacobs shared what NFL legend Bo Jackson told him prior to the #Jets game:
— Dov Kleiman (@NFL_DovKleiman) November 13, 2023
"Run a motherf***er over."
"You pick him up, and you say ‘alright ima come back 40 seconds later."
(@loganreever)pic.twitter.com/bMCYA89RR2https://t.co/YbHyH6SUYT
Jacobs finished the night with a season-high 116 rushing yards on 27 attempts. Since the coaching change in Las Vegas, Jacobs has totaled an NFL-high 214 rushing yards. Furthermore, his 53 rushing attempts over that span are 10 more than any other player in football.
Las Vegas Raiders Josh Jacobs in the WIN tonight:
— NFL Rumors (@nflrums) November 13, 2023
- 27 Carries
- 116 Yards
Last 2 Games Under Antonio Pierce:
- 53 Carries
- 214 Yards
- 2 TD
- Raiders 2- 0 pic.twitter.com/tQr64YK8hx
The Raiders have new-found life under Pierce, whose 2-0 record at the helm has catapulted Las Vegas squarely into the playoff hunt. Now sitting at 5-5 on the year, the Raiders have jumped the Las Angeles Chargers for second place in the AFC West and currently a half-game back from a wild-card spot.
While the Raiders have taken care of business over the past two weeks, their schedule moving forward will give a better read on whether they are ready to make a legitimate postseason push. After knocking off the 2-8 New York Giants and 4-5 Jets in back-to-back weeks, the Raiders face off against the Miami Dolphins, Kansas City Chiefs and Minnesota Vikings over their next three games, all of whom boast a record of 6-4 or better.
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