Green Bay Packers running back Josh Jacobs suffered a broken ring finger on his right hand during a 45-27 win over the New England Patriots. Jacobs disclosed the injury to reporters, according to The Athletic, after leaving the game in the first quarter with what had initially been described as a hand injury.
Jacobs appeared to catch a finger on his right hand in the face mask of Patriots safety Craig Woodson on a rushing attempt. He managed four carries for five yards before exiting. Although he struggled to grip the football, Jacobs said he would try to find a way to continue playing through the injury.
Kaleb Johnson finished as Green Bay's leading rusher against New England, gaining 68 yards and scoring a touchdown on 14 attempts. Pierre Strong Jr. added 22 yards on eight carries. Their contributions came after Jacobs' early departure left the Packers to turn to other options in the backfield.
The injury adds to the problems facing a running attack that has struggled to produce this season. Across three appearances, Jacobs has carried the ball 36 times for 80 yards and one touchdown. Green Bay entered Sunday's matchup averaging 60.6 rushing yards per game, the lowest figure in the NFL.
The Packers' difficulties on the ground also stand out historically. According to CBS Sports Research, their 485 rushing yards through eight games were the fewest ever recorded by a winning NFL team at that point. With Tuesday's trade deadline approaching, CBS Sports raised Indianapolis Colts running back Jonathan Taylor and Tennessee Titans running back Tony Pollard as possible acquisition targets, without reporting interest from Green Bay in either player.
Green Bay's passing offense delivered a much stronger performance against the Patriots. Jordan Love threw for 373 yards and three touchdowns. Christian Watson accounted for 171 receiving yards and a touchdown on seven catches, while Matthew Golden made 10 receptions for 164 yards and another score.
Watson and Golden became the fourth receiving pair since 2000 to each reach 160 yards and catch a touchdown pass in the same game. They were the first duo to accomplish that since Miami Dolphins receivers Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle in 2022.
