Packers RB Josh Jacobs won't need to go on IR and could be ready Sunday, coach Matt LaFleur says

Green Bay Packers running back Josh Jacobs received some good news on the knee injury that caused the three-time Pro Bowl selection to exit a victory over the New York Giants on Sunday.

Packers coach Matt LaFleur said Monday that Jacobs won't need to go on injured reserve. LaFleur added that Jacobs “potentially” could be available for their game Sunday against the Minnesota Vikings.

“We’ll see where it’s at,” LaFleur said. “It’s a contusion, so it’s just more or less trying to get the swelling down. And unfortunately, that’s a pretty hard surface over there, and sometimes (that's) the byproduct of that.”

Jacobs hurt his left knee when he was knocked out of bounds by Jevon Holland on a first-quarter carry. Jacobs initially stayed in the game before going to the sideline in obvious pain and eventually heading into the locker room.

He had seven carries for 40 yards before exiting a game the Packers eventually won 27-20.

LaFleur praised the way in which running backs Emanuel Wilson and Chris Brooks responded after Jacobs' departure.

Wilson's 11 carries matched his season high, and he rushed for 40 yards and a touchdown. He also caught a 2-point conversion pass after Green Bay scored the go-ahead touchdown with 4:02 remaining.

Brooks had just one carry for eight yards, but LaFleur said his pass protection played a critical role in Jordan Love's 33-yard completion to Savion Williams on a third-and-10 play late in the fourth quarter. That play set up the 17-yard pass from Love to Christian Watson that put Green Bay ahead for good.

“Both those guys, if called upon, I have confidence that they’re going to get the job done,” LaFleur said.

Jacobs, 27, has rushed for 648 yards on 169 carries this season. He has 11 touchdown runs and enters Monday night's action ranked second in the league in that category, behind Indianapolis' Jonathan Taylor (15).

During his first season in Green Bay last year, Jacobs rushed for 1,329 yards and 15 touchdowns to earn his third career Pro Bowl season. He spent his first five seasons with the Oakland/Las Vegas Raiders and had an NFL-leading 1,653 yards rushing to earn All-Pro honors in 2022.

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