Packers-Colts Big Matchup: Josh Jacobs vs. Jonathan Taylor

No, the Packers’ Josh Jacobs and the Colts’ Jonathan Taylor won’t face each other, but they will be focal points for both offenses - and both defenses.

Green Bay Packers running back Josh Jacobs will make his Lambeau Field debut vs. the Colts on Sunday. / Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

GREEN BAY, Wis. – The winner of Sunday’s game between the Green Bay Packers and Indianapolis Colts could be determined by which running back takes the most Lambeau Leaps.

With Jordan Love out for at least this game, the Packers will have to lean on the determined running of Josh Jacobs, who will be making his Lambeau Field debut. The Colts will feature University of Wisconsin legend Jonathan Taylor. They will be focal points for both offenses.

And both defenses. 

The play of the Jacobs-led run game will be absolutely critical with Malik Willis replacing Love.

“I played with Josh Jacobs last year. He’s a great runner, ultimate competitor,” former NFL quarterback Brian Hoyer said for a story about Willis.

Thanks to two big runs last week, Jacobs had a strong debut with 16 carries for 84 yards vs. the Eagles. What was encouraging is Jacobs averaged 3.44 yards after contact and broke four tackles after ranking toward the bottom of the league with 2.35 yards after contact and 28 forced missed tackles last year with the Raiders.

“We were with Josh in Vegas and he's a really, really talented back and runs the outside zone and inside zone very well,” Colts defensive coordinator Gus Bradley said. “They're a committed run team. They want to run the ball and have play-action off of it. We’ve got to be at our best in terms of run game, and we’ve got to get this corrected and we will.”

The Colts were gashed for 213 rushing yards last week and will have something to prove this week. They have a strong defensive line, and linebacker Zaire Franklin ranked among the league leaders in tackles each of the last two seasons.

There’s little doubt that Jacobs will be at the center of their defensive game plan.

“He's a patient runner,” Colts defensive tackle DeForest Buckner told reporters. “He'll wait for the holes to open and he's got good acceleration. Obviously, off of contact, he can get those YAC yards. So, he's a really good back. We're going to have to rally to the ball, fly around to the ball – population on the ball.”

The Colts will feature Taylor, who rushed for a staggering 6,174 yards and 50 touchdowns in just three seasons with the Badgers. He was bottled up last week by the Texans, but Indianapolis has a powerful offensive line and Taylor has a breakaway second gear.

“He’s pretty dynamic,” Packers coach Matt LaFleur said. “He’s got elite speed. He can make you miss. He’s a big guy. He can catch the ball out of the backfield. So, I think he’s the total package.”

Packers defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley has seen Taylor at his dominating best.

In 2019, Hafley was defensive coordinator at Ohio State and Taylor had an All-American final season in leading the Badgers to the Rose Bowl. In an October game in Columbus, the Buckeyes held Taylor to season lows of 52 rushing yards and a 2.6-yard average as the Badgers were rolled 38-7.

In the Big Ten championship game six weeks later, Taylor ran for 148 yards and a 7.4-yard average. The Badgers lost that game, too, but they trailed only 24-21 entering the fourth quarter.

“Really good player,” Hafley said. “He’s strong, he’s fast. He’s very patient. He stays square, and you’ve got to bottle him up because he’ll bounce out and he’ll go and accelerate. He can hit the home run. He’s a physical guy.

“I think he’s a really good player. Really good player. He will be a challenge. We’ve got to wrap up. We’ve got to get multiple people to the ball, we better be where we’re supposed to be and we better be in the gaps we’re supposed to be in, because he’ll jump out and make you look silly if you don’t.”

This will be Taylor’s first game at Lambeau Field.

“I've been waiting for this one,” he told reporters this week. “Definitely hoping I get a Lambeau Leap in. Hopefully, I don't get anything poured on me – I've seen reports of that – but it's really going to be fun. Wisconsin should be one heck of a state to be in right now, especially Saturday – the Badgers have Bama coming into town so it should be pretty lively.”

More Green Bay Packers News

Exactly 20 days ago, the #Packers traded for Malik Willis. He'll start today. Early in his career, longtime NFL QB Brian Hoyer made his first start exactly 20 days after landing with new team.

Thanks to @bhoyer7 for sharing his experience and insight.https://t.co/QvXM0VnfXu

— Bill Huber (@BillHuberNFL) September 15, 2024

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