The Las Vegas Raiders have struggled in 2023, sitting at 5-8 heading into Week 15. Earlier in the year, they fired head coach Josh McDaniels and general manager Dave Ziegler.
Now, in Week 15, they will face the Los Angeles Chargers on Thursday Night Football. However, they will be missing star running back Josh Jacobs. What happened?
Why Is Josh Jacobs Out on Thursday Night?
Jacobs, who led the league in rushing in 2022, will be out on Thursday night due to a quadriceps injury. He was listed as questionable during the week and was given until Thursday afternoon before being ruled out.
Although he struggled with multiple injuries in his career, including playing through many in 2022, missing this game will snap a streak of 44 straight games played.
MORE: Three Critical Stats For Raiders vs. Chargers
2022 hasn’t been the best season for Jacobs, but it has still been more than quality. In 13 games, he has rushed for 805 yards and six touchdowns on 233 attempts. He has also caught 37 passes for 296 yards.
In his career, Jacobs has rushed for 5,545 yards and 46 touchdowns on 1,305 attempts. He also has 197 receptions for 1,448 yards. He is a two-time Pro Bowler and one-time All-Pro.
Jacobs will likely be replaced by a mixture of both Zamir White and Ameer Abdullah. White, a fourth-round pick in 2022, has 20 carries for 54 yards and no touchdowns in 2023. Abdullah, drafted in 2015, has only six carries for 42 yards and no touchdowns. Brandon Bolden is also on the roster but has received zero touches this season.
Considering the lack of ground game success past Jacobs, the Raiders will have to rely heavily upon their passing game. Aidan O’Connell is expected to be the Raiders’ starting quarterback. In seven games, he has passed for 1,365 yards and four touchdowns.
O’Connell will be passing the ball to Davante Adams, Jakobi Meyers, and Hunter Renfrow, among others. Adams leads the way with 76 receptions for 867 yards and four touchdowns. Meyers and Renfrow have combined for 82 receptions, 871 yards, and six touchdowns.
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