Here’s why Josh Jacobs played in Raiders’ exhibition opener, even as other stars sat out
NFL preseason games typically are an opportunity for players looking to grab one of the few contested spots on a team’s 53-man roster.
The stars and other known starters? They’re usually out of the game almost as quickly as they enter, if they even play at all, particularly in the first and last exhibition contests.
But as the preseason got under way Thursday night, Raiders running back Josh Jacobs saw first-half action, a surprising move considering he has been locked in as a starter almost from the time he was selected in the 2019 NFL draft.
No, that doesn’t mean Jacobs’ job is in danger. He’s too valuable and is locked into the lineup for 2022.
Raiders coach Josh McDaniels, after a 27-11 win over the Jacksonville Jaguars at Tom Benson Stadium in Canton, Ohio, said it’s simply part of the plan to get Jacobs ready for the regular-season grind. For each player and every position group, it can be a little different.
“We made the decisions we thought were the right decisions for our team,” McDaniels said. “Some based on depth and some just wanting to get guys opportunities to get in there. I always think it’s good for backs to carry the ball in the preseason. There is a lot of things that happen when you get tackled and hit that you can’t simulate in practice.
“I think all of our guys had the ball tonight. All of our guys either caught it or were handed the ball and had to get tackled.”
Jacobs ran five times for 30 yards and forced three missed tackles, according to Pro Football Focus. He didn’t see action in the second half, as the Raiders balance preparedness against the risk of injury to one of their key offensive weapons.
Jacobs will provide a big punch for the Raiders, but still it wouldn’t be surprising if McDaniels goes by a running back by committee approach during the 2022 season to keep the fourth-year pro fresh.
It was only the first preseason game, but overall it was a good sign how the Raiders’ running backs carried the ball against the Jaguars — minus Brandon Bolden, who sat out.
Other observations in exhibition Week 1
▪ Raiders rookie running back Zamir White looked good in his preseason debut. He trucked one defender who was trying to make a tackle. White, who had 11 carries for 52 yards, was drafted in the fourth round. He had three forced missed tackles. PFF said 82.5% of his rushing yards came after contact.
“He did that in Georgia,” McDaniels said. “He ran hard with the ball in his hands. He’s tough to tackle. He finishes runs the right way. Brings the physical element to the game and to the team.”
White shows a lot of promise, and that’s good news for the Raiders.
▪ Jarrett Stidham had a decent start in his bid for the backup role behind starting quarterback Derek Carr. Stidham completed 8 of 15 for 96 yards, including a 12-yard touchdown run. Nick Mullens also will continue to battle for the No. 2 job in the next three exhibition games, but so far Stidham has the early lead.
▪ Left tackle Kolton Miller did not play, but Brandon Parker did in that spot and struggled in the first half when he got beat by rookie Travon Walker en route to a sack. Former Raider Arden Key even had success against Parker, picking up a sack, too. Parker will have to get it going if he wants to be on the 53-man roster. It got off to a bad start for him.
Parker started 13 games last season at right tackle and allowed eight sacks.
McDaniels elaborated on Parker in Friday’s press conference.
“There were a few things Brandon could do better,” he said. “There were also some things where we were trying to do offensively we didn’t execute very well that didn’t have to do with Brandon. A lot of things go into pass protection as I said before. If you want to be good in pass protection, you have to do a lot of things right. It’s just not one man’s responsibility. The timing of the play, where the quarterback is stepping up in the pocket, if the back is supposed to be chipping on the edge. There are a lot of things that coordinate that go into a good pass protection unit. We’ll work hard on the field to correct that.”
▪ The Raiders’ defensive front did well, led by defensive end Malcolm Koonce, who had three pressures, including a pass deflection.
What about Derek Carr and Davante Adams?
As expected, Carr and wide receiver Davante Adams did not play.
Raider Nation could see Adams make his preseason debut as a Raider against the Minnesota Vikings in an exhibition Week 2 game Aug. 14 in Las Vegas, but it won’t be much playing time. Carr, too, could also see limited duty.
The game will kick off at 1:30 p.m. from Allegiant Stadium on the NFL Network.
The Raiders acquired Adams from the Green Bay Packers in March, reuniting him with Carr, his former Fresno State teammate
This story was originally published August 5, 2022 at 11:22 AM.
