The Oakland Raiders are hoping that running back Josh Jacobs will be available to help them potentially keep their playoff hopes alive in the 2019 NFL season finale against the Denver Broncos this Sunday.
Jacobs has been trying to work his way back after missing two of the last three games with a fractured shoulder. Unfortunately, it appears that is not the only ailment he is dealing with after revealing on social media that he had underwent a successful surgery late Wednesday night.
Raiders head coach Jon Gruden has since acknowledged that Jacobs suffered a skin infection that required the procedure. Fortunately, it is not deemed to be too severe heading into Week 17.
Gruden says Jacobs status will be decided on how his shoulder feels and not the infection, via Vic Tafur of The Athletic:
Gruden said Jacobs’ procedure has “nothing to do with his playing status Sunday.” Will see how his shoulder feels tomorrow
— Vic Tafur (@VicTafur) December 26, 2019
This is certainly an encouraging update for Oakland considering all that Jacobs has had to deal with as of late. Although the timing of the infection is hardly ideal, it is not enough for Gruden to officially rule the rookie out of action if his shoulder is feeling better.
While Jacobs has had to watch from the sidelines as of late, he remains the frontrunner for NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year honors. After all, he still ranks eighth in the NFL with 1,150 rushing yards despite playing in just 13 games due to the shoulder issue.
The Raiders were happy to find out that they have not been officially eliminated from the playoffs heading into Week 17, however, the prospect of them making is still a bit far-fetched. They will first need to take care of business on the road against the Broncos and hope that the Indianapolis Colts, Houston Texans, and Baltimore Ravens all emerge victorious.
Even though Oakland still has a chance, Gruden will need to decide whether or not it is worth having Jacobs potentially risk further aggravating his injury going into the offseason. It will be interesting to see if the former first-round pick ultimately feels he is healthy enough to play.
If not, the Raiders will be forced to once again look to running back DeAndre Washington as the starter against the Broncos. He is coming off a stellar performance in the win over the Los Angeles Chargers with over 100 yards from scrimmage and a touchdown on a career-high 23 carries.
