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As the precious seconds whittled distant successful the 4th fourth of the Raiders’ 35-32 triumph implicit the rival Chargers connected Sunday astatine Allegiant Stadium, moving backmost Josh Jacobs delivered a connection to the players and coaches connected his sideline: “I’m the closer. That’s what ya’ll brought maine present for. Let maine close.”
And erstwhile Los Angeles tied the crippled successful overtime, helium had different connection — this 1 for violative coordinator Greg Olson.
It’s time.
“We collectively came together,” Jacobs said.” And we conscionable made it happen.”
Jacobs so served arsenic the person Sunday, rushing 4 times for 23 yards connected the game-winning drive. His 10-yard tally connected the penultimate play preceded Daniel Carlson’s game-winning 47-yard tract — and capped a 132-yard effort, his champion of the season.
The third-year bruiser from Alabama was constricted successful signifier past week with a rib injury, but helium said helium knew helium would play due to the fact that the Raiders “knew what was astatine stake” Sunday night.
“I told them ‘There’s nary mode I’m not going to play successful this game.’ Hurt oregon not, they (were) going to get everything retired of me,” said Jacobs, who acknowledged that helium felt the effects of the rib wounded passim the people of the game.
“How it played out, it’s conscionable amazing. For real,” helium said.
Jacobs had been stymied by injuries this play and hadn’t rather regained the signifier helium displayed arsenic a rookie successful 2019 erstwhile helium averaged 4.8 yards per transportation and rushed for 1,150 yards. He’d averaged 3.7 yards per transportation done Week 15 and did not eclipse the period people successful his archetypal 12 games this season.
But helium broke escaped connected Dec. 26 successful a 17-14 triumph implicit the Broncos, rushing for 129 yards connected 27 carries. He injured his ribs past week successful a 23-20 roadworthy triumph implicit the Indianapolis Colts, managing 63 yards connected 16 carries.
Interim manager Rich Bisaccia cautiously managed Jacobs’ workload astatine practice, knowing helium would request him Sunday successful the finale.
Jacobs rushed for 20 yards and a touchdown successful the archetypal half, but powered his mode to 112 successful the 2nd fractional against a defence ranked 30th against the run. He gained a career-high 130 yards aft contact, according to the NFL’s Next Gen Stats.
He’s rushed for 2,364 yards aft interaction the past 3 years — sixth astir successful the NFL.
“We consciousness similar we’ve been getting a small spot amended each week astatine moving the football,” Bisaccia said. “There’s a definite spot origin successful determination betwixt Josh and the violative line. A batch of recognition to those guys covering guys up and moving the shot for america erstwhile we request to.”
Jacobs concludes the regular play with 217 carries for 872 yards, some vocation lows. But the restitution of qualifying for the postseason transcends immoderate benignant of statistical restitution for Jacobs.
For the closer.
“With maine saying that, it’s benignant of similar I’ve got to backmost up my words. I’ve got to bash what I asked and gain that respect,” Jacobs said. “It’s decidedly an grant and blessing to beryllium successful this situation. … I would person felt similar I fto my squad down if I fto the symptom get to maine and gave up.
“We did it.”
Contact newsman Sam Gordon astatine sgordon@reviewjournal.com. Follow @BySamGordon connected Twitter.
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