Raiders RB Josh Jacobs Awaits For NFL Rushing Crown

Las Vegas Raiders running back Josh Jacobs, eyeing NFL rushing title, now waits for the results of Sunday’s games.

Las Vegas Raiders running back Josh Jacobs is looking to become the first Raider to bring the rushing title to the Silver and Black since Marcus Allen in 1985.

After playing with a heavy heart in the team’s Week 18 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs, Jacobs was able to widen his margin as the NFL’s rushing leader.

The 24-year-old running back closed the season on a short note, as the Chiefs defense held him to 45 yards on 17 carries, bringing his total rushing yards to 1,653.

“I wasn’t gonna come back. For me, [it’s] family always before anything,” said Jacobs after the game. “Especially the severity of what was going on, what’s currently going on. But my dad had woke up and he told me he wanted me to play, so that’s why I’m here.”

Jacobs, who was excused from practice this week and questionable to play on Saturday, returned home to attend his father, Marty Jacobs, who suffered a heart attack on Tuesday and underwent an emergency heart surgery on Wednesday.

It was Jacobs’ father who convinced his son to return to Las Vegas, join his team to finish the season so he can watch his son broaden his chances of winning the league’s rushing title.

Playing for something bigger 🖤 pic.twitter.com/4y3WkwMCIT

— Las Vegas Raiders (@Raiders) January 7, 2023

Heading into Saturday’s game, there were two players in the league still in the hunt of topping Jacobs, but that shortlist was cut down to one as Tennessee Titans running back Derrick Henry fell short.

Henry, who entered the final week of the season third on the list with 1,429 rushing yards, would close out the final season game with 30 carries for 109 yards, adding to his season’s numbers of 1,538 rushing yards, and falling 115 yards short of Jacobs.

In doing so, it left the door open for Cleveland Browns running back Nick Chubb as the lone contender to challenge Jacobs chances of winning the rushing crown.

Chubb, who currently has 1,448 rushing yards, will need 206 yards to surpass Jacobs.

The optimism is real as Chubb has never rushed for over 200 yards in a game and is averaging five yards a carry and 90 rushing yards a game.

Jacobs chances of winning out seem to get greater by the day, but he can not start celebrating just yet.

By the end of Sunday’s games, the Raiders, along with Jacobs and his father, will know if his efforts on Saturday were enough to finish as the league's rushing leader.

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