The Las Vegas Raiders have looked like a much better team in the two weeks since interim head coach Antonio Pierce took over after the franchise fired Josh McDaniels. One of the most noticeable things has been the improvement and spotlighting of running back Josh Jacobs. Jacobs led the NFL in rushing last season and was a First-Team All-Pro selection. However, after a contentious offseason, the running back got off to a slow start this year and eclipsed 25 carries.
This was confirmed during the Raiders’ triumph over the New York Jets on Sunday night. According to NBC Sports reporter Melissa Stark, Jacobs feels more valued today and might see himself continuing with the Raiders beyond this season, according to Austin Boyd of Heavy.com:
“He feels like he’s respected a lot more,” Stark remarked on “Sunday Night Football” on November 12. “He didn’t feel that way at the beginning of the season.” He didn’t feel like they were attempting to highlight him at the time. Pierce told him that he is the team’s heart and soul. He remarked that hearing that made him more focused. Jacobs told me that for the first time, all he could think was, ‘I’ll be back next year.'”
That kind of conviction can mean everything to a player. After failing to sign a long-term contract this summer and struggling to replicate his impact from last season, Jacobs’ tenure with the Raiders appeared to be coming to an end after this season.
Pierce, on the other hand, has made it apparent that he believes in Jacobs and has supported that belief by fully integrating him into the offense. Jacobs has 214 yards on 53 carries in the last two games, and with rookie quarterback Aidan O’Connell at the helm, a solid run game is even more vital.
Pierce hasn’t made major structural changes since taking charge, instead instilling confidence in this Raiders club and emphasizing the importance of his stars. Jacobs and Davante Adams are two of the league’s most skilled players, and merely getting them the ball on a daily basis makes all the difference.
And now it appears that Jacobs is not only committed for this season, but also has a good chance of landing that long-term deal with the silver and black and sticking in Vegas in the future.
