In the NFL’s AFC/NFC era, nine players have posted a rushing touchdown in 10 consecutive games, with Green Bay Packers running back Josh Jacobs joining the list on Sunday.
The former Alabama ball-carrier extended his streak with a 3-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter of the Packers’ 27-13 victory over the Detroit Lions in an NFC North rivalry game. Jacobs’ streak covers the final eight games of the 2024 regular season, a 22-10 playoff loss to the Philadelphia Eagles and Sunday’s season-opening contest.
The NFL record for consecutive games (including the postseason) with a rushing touchdown is 15, set by Washington Redskins running back John Riggins in 1983. Riggins and Emmitt Smith have two streaks of at least 10 games. The other players on the streak list are Terry Allen, Terrell Davis, Priest Holmes, George Rogers, Jonathan Taylor and LaDainian Tomlinson.
“I would have kept that ball,” Jacobs said about his streak after the game. “You know, celebrated a little bit more. But I didn’t know about it.”
Jacobs credited the Green Bay offensive line with his string of success.
“I think it’s more of a testament to O-line, man,” Jacobs said. “They put me in positions to be able to be who I am and create plays and things like that. Obviously, coach calls my number when we get down there, so that’s really more of a statement to them and really what them believing in me to be able to go out there and do it.”
Jacobs did credit himself in one area – his pass blocking as Packers quarterback Jordan Love did not get sacked during the game.
“For me personally, this might have been the best game I ever had, like, protection-wise,” Jacobs said. “I think I was like six-for-six, like stones protection, not even kind of like in between. And I told (Love), I’m like, ‘Man, if the run ain’t working,’ I said, ‘if the run’s not working, throw the ball.’ Like, I want to win. I care about winning more than anything, and that was my way of still having an impact on the game. And I told Jordan, I’m like, ‘I got you.’ So I just try to come in and lock in on that aspect.”
Jacobs ran for 66 yards on 19 carries against the Lions as he played 42 of the 48 offensive snaps. The rest of the Packers had six carries for 12 yards. Love completed 16-of-22 passes for 188 yards with two touchdowns and no interceptions.
“They said all week, ‘Stop Eight,’” Jacobs said, referencing his jersey number. “That’s their goal: Stop Eight. They had eight, nine in the box the whole game, so we came out swinging. I told the receivers, ‘Take it personal. Take it personal. They basically saying, you know, we stop me, then we win the game.’ So they all came out ready and made a lot of big plays early, and that ended up opening up the run later in the game.”
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In 2024, Green Bay qualified for the playoffs with an 11-6 record. But the Packers went 1-5 in NFC North games, with one loss by 10 points, one by three points and three by two points.
“I’m not going to say some wins feel bigger than others,” Jacobs said after the victory over the Lions. “But the divisional ones is definitely ones that you want to have. Obviously, they have a really good team over there. And that’s all you heard about in the offseason -- you know, us winning one game in our division. That’s all we heard, so we got tired of hearing it.”
The Packers return to the field in Week 2 against the Washington Commanders at 7:15 p.m. CDT Thursday at Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wisconsin. Prime Video will televise the game.
“The biggest thing for me against (Detroit) was I didn’t want to cut on the tape and feel like they out-physicaled us,” Jacobs said. “And that was something that was big for me personally just coming in and talking to the team, so to see the way that we played -- we had a lot of energy, we had a lot of juice. We came out there and we was physical. I liked how we played. If we keep doing that week to week, we’re going to be well off.”
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