GREEN BAY – Maybe Josh Jacobs should play sick more often.
Because for whatever reason, illness sure seems to bring out the best in the Packers running back.
Despite waking up Sunday with a stomach bug that never voluntarily left his abdomen, the three-time Pro Bowler powered his way to 150 yards and two TDs in Green Bay’s 27-18 win over the Cincinnati Bengals in front of 78,277 at Lambeau Field.
“I really don’t know where it came from. I just kind of woke up this morning just not feeling my best,” Jacobs said. “But I told ’em, the last time that I felt that way, I had 130 (yards) and two touchdowns. So it is what it is.”
Jacobs led the Packers in both rushing (18 carries for 93 yards and two touchdowns) and receiving (five catches for 57 yards) to post 150-plus yards from scrimmage for the second straight game, becoming the first Packers player to do so in a single season since RB Ahman Green in 2003 (Weeks 9-10).
It’s almost fitting the most challenging physical day of Jacobs’ season came on the same afternoon Green Bay’s ground game gained some serious traction.
After committing to the run in the first half with 21 carries for 82 yards, the Packers knocked down the door on the Bengals in the final two quarters.
Jacobs, who first scored on a 3-yard TD in the second quarter, added 60 rushing yards on eight carries in the second half. That included a 14-yard touchdown on the first play of the fourth quarter that gave Green Bay a 17-7 lead.
“On that second touchdown, I could’ve probably fell and got up and still scored,” Jacobs said. “Probably one of the best blocked plays I’ve ever had in my career, so shout-out to O-line.”
Helping matters was Green Bay having all its offensive linemen available for the first time since last month’s opener vs. Detroit.
Both right tackle Zach Tom (oblique/back) and left guard Aaron Banks (groin/knee) returned to the lineup, allowing the Packers to settle on a preferred starting five on the offensive line.
Former first-round pick Jordan Morgan played primarily at right guard, helping seal the gap with center Elgton Jenkins on Jacobs’ 14-yard score.
“This week we just harped on practicing how you’re trying to play,” Jenkins said. “We definitely were clicking on all cylinders. It does help to get A.B. and Zach back as well. Probably the first or second game we played and we had the starting five.”
With his two TDs, Jacobs has now posted a rushing TD in seven consecutive home games, the longest streak by a Packer in team history (since 1933), per Elias. Jacobs has posted 10 rushing TDs in his last seven games at Lambeau Field.
There was no doubt in Jacobs’ mind that he would play, though he never felt very well physically. Asked if he threw up at all, Jacobs replied in the affirmative.
“I did a couple times,” Jacobs said. “I was mic’d up, so I don’t know if they’re going to put that in there or not.”
Golden’s career day: Rookie receiver Matthew Golden established new career highs in both receiving yards (86) and yards from scrimmage (102) in the win over the Bengals.
And the Packers needed every yard.
All five of Golden’s touches produced first downs while both of his explosive plays came on third down – a 35-yard catch over Cam Taylor-Britt in the second quarter and a key 31-yard reception on a deep crosser in the fourth.
The latter came on a pivotal third-and-8 from Green Bay’s 40-yard line and helped position the Packers for a 39-yard Lucas Havrisik field goal that gave Green Bay a two-score lead with less than two minutes left.
“We actually worked that the last practice we had (on Saturday), just a scramble drill,” Golden said. “Things do go off schedule and you gotta be ready. You gotta make a move fast and Jordan had a big emphasis on that and we worked it in practice. For it to come live in the game, I feel like it all came out of us putting that work in and it came alive today.”
Golden’s 35-yard reception in the second quarter keyed Green Bay’s first touchdown-producing drive, culminating in a 3-yard Jacobs score that gave the Packers a 10-0 halftime lead.
After Golden made a 40-plus-yard catch in Dallas before the bye, the only thing missing from the rookie’s resume is a TD of his own and Jacobs can feel it coming.
“He’s just got to touch the end zone, man. I think it’s time,” Jacobs said. “Everybody is waiting for him to score. But you see improvement from him every week. Every week, you see his role getting a little bit bigger, and it’s not even necessarily that his role is getting bigger in the offense. He’s just getting open and making plays.”
Showing glimpses: Green Bay’s defense got out to another strong start but is still looking for a complete, four-quarter performance.
The Packers held Cincinnati to just a single yard in the first quarter while the Bengals punted on each of their first four possessions.
Much like last month when Joe Flacco played the Packers in Cleveland, the veteran quarterback got into a rhythm in the second half and established a connection with wideouts Ja’Marr Chase (10 catches for 94 and a TD) and Tee Higgins (5-62).
“The first half, it just shows who we are,” defensive lineman Micah Parsons said. “We’ve been showing glimpses, but how can we just do it for a complete four quarters? We held up our end of the bargain, we held ’em to under 20, so I’m just happy we got a win. But we want to get to that point where we get teams under 14, 10, hold ’em to that range all game.”
Kraft finds paydirt: With his catch-and-run for a 19-yard TD in the fourth quarter, Tucker Kraft actually produced the longest receiving score of the year for the Packers’ offense.
After coming up a yard short of two scores in Dallas, Green Bay’s tight end wasn’t going to be denied this time around.
“I just don’t think people can tackle me – I catch the ball, I see run lanes,” said Kraft, who’s caught a TD in all three wins at Lambeau this year. “I’ve worked a lot on my ball security. The way the league has transformed into a ball aware defensive league, it’s just a mentality and it’s the way I carry myself.”
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