The Oakland Raiders were beaten handily by the Tennessee Titans in Week 14, although a big reason for that was some key players missed the game with injuries.
One of those players was running back Josh Jacobs, who missed the first game of his career due to a shoulder injury. He revealed earlier in the week that he has a minor fracture in that shoulder, and despite trying to give it a go, he was ultimately forced to sit out a week to ensure it gets back to 100 percent.
This Sunday, the Raiders welcome the Jacksonville Jaguars to town in what is not only a winnable game, but also the final contest at the Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum. Raiders head coach Jon Gruden said earlier this week that the hope is that both Jacobs and right tackle Trent Brown will be able to return as they are prioritizing winning their last game in Oakland, although they obviously will not rush either player back if they are not ready.
It appears Jacobs is on track to return though as an MRI on his shoulder did not reveal any structural damage, per Ian Rapoport of NFL Network:
#Raiders RB Josh Jacobs underwent an MRI on his ailing shoulder after not playing on Sunday. But the scans checked out very positively, sources say, and Jacobs is expected to return to the field this week. Barring a setback, should be just a one-week absence.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) December 11, 2019
This is obviously great news for the Raiders, who will gladly welcome back their best offensive playmaker for the final three games of the season.
DeAndre Washington and Jalen Richard were serviceable filling in for him against the Titans, but they do not provide the explosive big-play ability that Jacobs does.
Jacobs became the first Raiders rookie to reach the 1,000-yard rushing milestone in the team’s Week 13 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs. He has 218 carries for 1,061 yards and seven touchdowns on the year, also adding 18 receptions for 146 yards. If he can finish the season strong, then he is the leader in the clubhouse to win NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year.