How Do the Packers Survive Josh Jacobs’ Absence?

A Sunday afternoon game in the Meadowlands brought some good news for Green Bay Packers fans – a win. And it was a much-needed win, even if it was against a bad New York Giants team featuring a backup quarterback and an interim head coach.

Unfortunately, in what seems to be a trend, the Packers lost one of their key offensive pieces to injury when star running back Josh Jacobs left the game in the second quarter with a knee injury. They quickly ruled him out for the rest of the afternoon.

After back-to-back weeks of season-ending injuries to Tucker Kraft and Elgton Jenkins, Packers fans were instantly fearing the worst about Jacobs’ knee. Fortunately, word came out after the game that the injury wasn't season-ending, and a Monday report confirmed he is being considered day-to-day. However, he might miss the Week 12 game against the Minnesota Vikings at Lambeau.

During his Monday press conference, LaFleur said Jacobs had been diagnosed with a contusion after slamming his knee into the hard MetLife turf. “We’ll see where it’s at,” he said. “It’s a contusion, so it’s just more or less trying to get the swelling down.”

It’s good news that Jacobs won’t miss an extended period of time. Still, his absence of any length could meaningfully impact the Packers as they prepare for the toughest stretch of their schedule – three straight divisional matchups, starting Sunday.

If Jacobs doesn’t suit up against the Vikings, the easiest solution is to rely on backups Emanuel Wilson and Chris Brooks to carry the load.

Wilson has been unspectacular but serviceable when spelling Jacobs this season. In 2025, he has 53 carries for 220 yards and a touchdown – his first of the season coming Sunday against the Giants. A shifty runner and a decent option catching the ball out of the backfield, he just isn’t nearly as dynamic as Jacobs.

Before Jacobs left in the second quarter, he had 40 yards on 7 carries. Once Wilson took over, he finished the game with 40 yards on 11 carries – an additional four carries to get the same amount of production. Wilson isn’t the worst option as the lead back if it’s just a single-game replacement.

Chris Brooks is the other active running back on the roster. A stellar pass blocker, he was responsible for the block that allowed Jordan Love the extra second needed to get the deep pass off to Savion Williams on what became Green Bay’s eventual game-winning touchdown drive.

Brooks is a better runner than he gets credit for; he had an eight-yard run against the Giants once Malik Willis entered the game. However, he hasn’t gotten many opportunities while sitting behind a healthy Jacobs.

Suppose the Packers decide to let Love’s arm carry them against the Vikings. Then, we might see Brooks out-snap Wilson due to his pass-blocking abilities and the fact that he isn’t a complete liability as a runner. Minnesota leads the NFL in blitz percentage, sending a fifth rusher around 43% of the time. Brooks will be a crucial part of Green Bay’s game plan on Sunday without Jacobs.

It’s unlikely that a potentially returning MarShawn Lloyd or a practice-squad elevation like Pierre Strong Jr. is going to move the needle for this offense.

Lloyd has played in only one game since the Packers drafted him in the third round out of USC last season. He has been on IR since the preseason with a hamstring injury, and he will need all 21 days of his activation window to be ready to see the field.

Strong would be the most likely candidate to be called up from the practice squad. Still, it wouldn’t be surprising if he didn’t take a single snap on offense behind Wilson and Brooks.

The Packers cannot fully replace Josh Jacobs. I’ve written before about his impact on this offense as its catalyst in reaching its full potential. But if he is going to miss time, then they need to put the game entirely in Jordan Love’s hands.

Matt LaFleur’s weekly commitment to keeping the offense as balanced as possible and establishing the run is commendable. A good running attack can open up the passing game, allowing the Packers to use play-action as effectively as any team in football. But if Jacobs isn’t playing, then they need to let Love cook. This is Love’s team, and it’s time for LaFleur to hand him the keys.

Look no further for a blueprint of how good this offense can be when they put the game in Love’s hands than a few weeks ago against the Pittsburgh Steelers. In the second half, the Packers scored three touchdowns in a row, followed by back-to-back field goals. During that stretch, Love completed 20 consecutive passes, spreading the ball among numerous receivers.

That offense also had the luxury of a Tucker Kraft breakout game, but this version has a healthy Christian Watson coming off his best game of the season, a two-touchdown performance. The run game in that Steelers matchup was terrible because Jacobs was still nursing a calf injury and managed just 33 yards. Replacing the production they usually get from Jacobs with increased usage of Love and Watson can help keep the passing attack rolling.

We likely won’t know Jacobs’ status for Sunday until right before the game when the inactive list comes out. The Packers typically give players right up until game time to decide if they’re good to go. With a player as important as Jacobs, that will surely be the case again this week.

Suppose he isn’t able to play. Then, LaFleur needs to finally trust his franchise quarterback, Love, and his best receiver, Watson, and let them dictate the game. Every game down the stretch is crucial for Green Bay’s playoff hopes. If Jacobs is dealing with a knee issue, now’s the time to get this passing attack on the right track.

If they can do that and get Jacobs back, then this offense can finally reach its full potential.