Josh Jacobs becomes first reigning rushing champion to finish game with negative rushing yards
Sep 18, 2023, 10:13 AM | Updated: Oct 13, 2023, 3:45 pm
ORCHARD PARK, NEW YORK - SEPTEMBER 17: Matt Milano #58 of the Buffalo Bills and Terrel Bernard #43 of the Buffalo Bills tackle Josh Jacobs #8 of the Las Vegas Raiders during the second quarter at Highmark Stadium on September 17, 2023 in Orchard Park, New York. (Photo by Timothy T Ludwig/Getty Images)
(Photo by Timothy T Ludwig/Getty Images)
Josh Jacobs made history Sunday, but probably not the kind of history he hoped to make.
On Sunday, the Buffalo Bills crushed the Las Vegas Raiders 38-10. And Jacobs was non-existent in the rushing game.
The Raiders running attack continues to be grounded with Jacobs finishing with minus two yards on nine carries. According to ESPN’s Stats & Info and the Elias Sports Bureau, this is the first time since 1970 that a reigning rushing champ finished a game with negative rushing yards.
Though Josh Jacobs had five catches for 51 yards, last season’s leading rusher now has combined for 46 yards rushing through two games.
In 2022, the 25-year-old running back recorded 1,653 rushing yards. But he spent the summer holding out for a new contract and did not rejoin the Raiders until Aug. 26.
Josh Jacobs, who is the NFL’s reigning rushing champion, finished with -2 rushing yards on 9 rushes.
According to @EliasSports, this is the first time since the 1970 merger a reigning NFL rushing champion finished a game with negative rushing yardage. pic.twitter.com/AUYUDOUJ8A
— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) September 17, 2023
After the game, Jacobs told the Associated Press he has to do more.
“We need to address where we went wrong and improve from there,” Jacobs told the AP. “I don’t think we just need a next game and flush it. I don’t think that would create a winning culture.”
On Monday, coach Josh McDaniels said he’s got to do a better job of putting Jacobs and his team in the right spots.
“There’s no shortcut. We all have a job to do,” McDaniels said. “We have a job to do as a coaching staff of putting together the right plan so that we have a chance to be successful and we just got to execute better across the board. Like I said, you can have six guys do the right thing and the other four or five don’t, and it’s a problem.
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