The Packers will have a lot more balance with Jacobs off the commissioner’s exempt list. Jacobs wasn’t efficient in his return against Detroit in Week 7 with just 36 rushing yards on 11 attempts, but he added 55 yards and a touchdown on five catches. The Packers’ running game was going nowhere without him in the lineup.
While offensive line issues will continue to keep Green Bay from having a great rushing attack, at least it should keep defenses honest. There should be concern over how Jacobs plays on a short week, after not playing for the first six weeks. But he’s facing a Panthers defense that gave up 258 rushing yards last weekend against the Buccaneers. Carolina gave up 291 rushing yards in Week 1 to Chicago and while the run defense had improved after that, Sunday’s performance against Tampa Bay was troubling. Jacobs and the Packers will be testing that run defense early on.
