Packers Get Murky Josh Jacobs Injury Update Ahead of Cardinals Game

The Green Bay Packers enter Week 7 with a 3-1-1 record with a road game against the Arizona Cardinals.

While the Packers were hoping that wide receiver Christian Watson would make his season debut this weekend, he was ruled out on Friday as he waits at least another week to make his return from a torn ACL.

Entering the weekend, the Packers also had a big injury question about running back Josh Jacobs.

Jacobs was listed as questionable on Friday’s injury report with a calf injury and an illness, and Adam Schefter of ESPN dropped an update late Saturday night.

“Packers RB Josh Jacobs, listed as questionable for Sunday due to illness and a calf injury, is now being considered a “true game-time decision” for Sunday’s matchup vs. the Cardinals, per source. The team says it does not expect to know whether he can play until Sunday. If Jacobs is unable to play, Packers RB Emanuel Wilson would be the expected starter,” Schefter wrote on X.

Ian Rapoport of NFL Network also reported a similar statement shortly after Schefter.

“Packers standout RB Josh Jacobs, dealing with an illness and a calf strain, is up in the air regarding his status on Sunday, per me and @TomPelissero. Whether he plays will be determined pre-game.”

If Jcobs can’t go, it looks to be Emanuel Wilson who will start. Wilson has just 18 carries for 84 yards this season.

Josh Jacobs Played Sick In Week 6

In Week 6, the Packers defeated the Cincinnati Bengals, 27-18. In that game, Jacobs had 18 carries for 93 yards and two touchdowns.

To make it even more impressive, Jacobs admitted he was sick during the game and was throwing up.

“Throwing up during the game, after,” Jacobs said, via Wes Hodkiewicz of Packers.com. “I really don’t know where it came from. I just kind of woke up this morning just not feeling my best. 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.”

Yet, he was able to be efficient despite the illness.

Packers Made a RB Move on Saturday

Jacobs did practice fully on Friday, but the latest reports from Schefter and Rapoport cast some doubt on whether or not he will suit up.

To put that even more into question, the Packers elevated running back Pierre Strong Jr. from the practice squad earlier on Saturday.

While it could be nothing, bringing up another running back one day before the game is an interesting move, especially given Jacobs’ injury and illness.

This season, Jacobs has 359 yards with six touchdowns on 98 carries, and he is the only Packers RB with more than 100 yards, so not having him available would be a tough blow.

Kevin Stefanski storyline debunked ahead of Browns-Dolphins game

One of the biggest storylines heading into Sunday’s matchup between the Cleveland Browns (1-5) and the Miami Dolphins (1-5) centers on speculation that either Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski or Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel could be fired on Monday — unless the game ends in a tie.

For an article published on Friday, Browns reporters Zac Jackson and Jason Lloyd of The Athletic addressed whether or not Stefanski will be coaching for his job on Oct. 19.

Have Browns owners already made Kevin Stefanski decision?

"If the Browns lose Sunday, Stefanski might get fired," Jackson wrote. "I don’t think team owners Jimmy and Dee Haslam will do it." 

The Haslams signed Stefanski and general manager Andrew Berry to contract extensions in June 2024 before the Browns finished last season with a 3-14 record. Nevertheless, Jimmy Haslam seemed to accept blame this past spring for Deshaun Watson's disastrous, fully guaranteed five-year, $230M contract in March 2022. Haslam also indicated at that time that Stefanski and Berry could receive another "year or two" to find a long-term answer at quarterback. 

However, the Browns have gone 1-5 since. ESPN stats show that Cleveland, which benched and traded quarterback Joe Flacco to the Cincinnati Bengals, will enter the weekend ranked last in the league with an average of 13.7 points scored per game this season. Meanwhile, Flacco was sensational as he led Cincinnati to a thrilling 33-31 win over the Pittsburgh Steelers on Thursday night. 

Will Kevin Stefanski receive a pass for Browns' 2025 season?

"Short of another complete collapse, however, it sure seems like the Haslams are giving everyone a pass on this year as they begin to sweep up the debris of the Watson debacle," Lloyd added. "I know nobody wants to hear that, but I’ve seen or heard nothing to the contrary to this point." 

As of Friday morning, ESPN BET had the Browns as 2.5-point favorites over the Dolphins. Perhaps the Haslams will have second thoughts regarding Stefanski's tenure if Cleveland suffers a humiliating home loss to a downright awful Miami team.

Continue reading