The Green Bay Packers are 6-3-1 on the season and are preparing to take on the 4-6 Minnesota Vikings for the first time this season. The game will mark the first of three straight matchups with Green Bay’s NFC North rivals, giving the Packers a golden opportunity to take control of the division.
Unfortunately, Green Bay will be taking the field on Sunday without several of their most important players on offense. Starting center Elgton Jenkins is out for the foreseeable future with a broken leg, and tight end Tucker Kraft is out for the rest of the season due to a torn ACL.
Additionally, wide receiver Jayden Reed has not returned to practice yet after early season surgery on his collarbone and foot. To make matters worse, the team is not yet sure if Pro Bowl running back Josh Jacobs will be able to play.
Green Bay Packers running back Josh Jacobs blames the MetLife turf for his injury
Nov 16, 2025; East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA; Green Bay Packers running back Josh Jacobs (8) runs the ball against New York Giants safety Dane Belton (24) during the first quarter at MetLife Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images
Jacobs may be having one of the most underrated seasons by a running back in the NFL this season. While he only ranks 15th in the league with 648 rushing yards, he is second with 11 rushing touchdowns. Only Jonathan Taylor of the Indianapolis Colts has more (15).
As the weather gets colder, the Packers are surely going to be relying on Jacobs even more to punish opposing defenses and wear them down in the frigid temperatures. However, he may not be able to do so in Green Bay’s late-November matchup against the Vikings due to a knee injury he suffered in the Packers’ Week 11 victory over the New York Giants.
Jacobs left that game early with what turned out to be a knee contusion. At first, the worry was that he had suffered a significant injury, but imaging showed that there is no structural damage. He did not practice early in the week, but did do individual drills on Thursday.
He is still listed as day-to-day.
Speaking to reporters on Thursday, Jacobs blamed the infamous MetLife Stadium turf for his injury:
Josh Jacobs hates MetLife Stadium and its hard surface that injured his knee last Sunday:
“Definitely the worst. Always been the worst. I know if I ever play there again I will never talk about it because I talked about it all week, how bad it was, and it bit me in the ass.” pic.twitter.com/NYXc2XGkXD
— Matt Schneidman (@mattschneidman) November 20, 2025
“Definitely the worst. Always been the worst. I know if I ever play there again I will never talk about it because I talked about it all week, how bad it was, and it bit me in the a–.”
Just this season, the Giants themselves lost their star wide receiver, Malik Nabers, to a torn ACL on their home field.
One really has to wonder what it will take for stadiums with dangerous artificial turf to switch to natural grass.
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