Green Bay Packers running back Josh Jacobs exited Sunday’s 45-27 victory over the New England Patriots with a broken ring finger on his right hand. The injury occurred during a first-quarter rushing attempt when Jacobs’ finger became lodged in the face mask of Patriots safety Craig Woodson. Although Jacobs told reporters he intends to play through the pain, he visibly struggled to secure his grip on the football during his limited four-carry performance, which yielded just five yards.
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The absence of Jacobs exacerbated an already glaring offensive deficiency, as the Packers recorded the fewest rushing yards by a winning team through eight games in NFL history, according to CBS Sports Research. In his place, backup Kaleb Johnson led the ground game with 68 yards and a touchdown on 14 carries, while Pierre Strong Jr. added 22 yards on eight attempts. Despite the win, Green Bay’s rushing attack remains the worst in the league, averaging a dismal 60.6 yards per game over the first three weeks of the season.
With the NFL trade deadline arriving on Tuesday, Jacobs’ injury introduces a critical variable for Green Bay’s front office. The Packers are currently navigating a significant hole at the running back position, with Jacobs averaging just 22.2 yards per game this season. As speculation mounts regarding potential acquisitions like Jonathan Taylor, the broken finger may accelerate the timeline for a blockbuster move to stabilize the offense before the final stretch of the season.
Source: CBS Sports
