Josh Jacobs Becomes First Raiders Rookie To Reach 1,000-Yard Rushing Milestone In Loss To Chiefs

Daniel Starkand
Daniel Starkand
2 Min Read
Jay Biggerstaff-USA TODAY Sports

The Oakland Raiders went into Week 13 needing a win over the Kansas City Chiefs at Arrowhead Stadium to pull even with them in the AFC West standings. Ultimately, the Raiders didn’t show up for the second straight week though, resulting in a 40-9 loss to drop to 6-6 on the year.

There was one bright spot for the Raiders in the loss as Josh Jacobs reached the 1,000-yard rushing milestone for the season, marking the first rookie in franchise history to do so.

The Raiders went to Jacobs early and often against the Chiefs and he was essentially their only source of offense, finishing with 17 carries for 104 yards. In 13 games this season, Jacobs has 218 carries for 1,061 yards and seven touchdowns, also adding 18 receptions for 146 yards.

When the Raiders traded Khalil Mack to the Bears, head coach Jon Gruden was the subject of a lot of criticism. That has since been silenced though as Oakland used one of the two first-round picks they acquired in the trade to draft Jacobs out of Alabama.

In three seasons as a member of the Crimson Tide, Jacobs never rushed for more than 640 yards as he was typically involved in a timeshare. He has proven in his rookie season that he is a true every-down back, leaving Raider fans optimistic about what is to come in the future.

Jacobs previously broke Marcus Allen’s rookie rushing record of 697 yards, but he has maintained all throughout the season that his main focus is on winning games. The Raiders’ schedule gets easier from here on out, but they will essentially need to win all four of their remaining games to reach the postseason.

With Derek Carr struggling to get going through the air in recent weeks, Oakland will likely rely on Jacobs even more to carry them offensively over the last month of the season.

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Daniel Starkand is a graduate of Chapman University with a degree in journalism and broadcast journalism. He grew up in Burbank, Calif. and played baseball at Burbank High and his first two years at Chapman. Along with serving as a senior writer, editor and social media manager for RaiderssNewswire.com, Daniel also writes for LakersNation.com, DodgerBlue.com, and RamsNewsire.com. Contact: daniel@mediumlargela.com