When the Green Bay Packers signed running back Josh Jacobs in free agency, many fans weren’t sure what to expect of the position. Within 24 hours of Jacobs agreeing to terms with the Packers, longtime running back Aaron Jones was both released and then signed by the rival Minnesota Vikings. The moves marked a change in direction for the Packers with their running back position.

In two of the three games when the Packers did not have starting quarterback Jordan Love, they were able to rely on Jacobs, a workhorse-type running back. Jacobs had his two lone 100-yard games in the two wins over Indianapolis and Jacksonville. He also had his first multi-touchdown game in the green and gold, highlighted by his 38-yard run to daylight in the third quarter.

JOSH JACOBS SECOND TOUCHDOWN OF THE DAY! WATCH HIM GO!! pic.twitter.com/ROXmD3jFAD

— NFL Fantasy Football (@NFLFantasy) October 27, 2024

It was the kind of run, Packers fans had been accustomed to seeing in the previous running back, the guy who wears No. 33 in Minnesota now.

Josh Jacobs sent this man into the shadow realm 🥶 pic.twitter.com/1f6hE9RAyG

— Eli Berkovits (@BookOfEli_NFL) October 28, 2024

Heading into this Sunday’s division clash with the Detroit Lions, Jacobs is tied for the league lead in carries with 145 and also ranks 4th in the league in rushing yards with 667. The current leader in both categories is Baltimore’s Derrick Henry with 145 carries for 946 yards.

Currently, Jacobs is on pace for 308 carries, 1,417 yards and seven rushing touchdowns. How would those numbers stack up to previous lead running backs for the Packers?

Going back to 1997, the Packers have had four different running backs finish with more than 270 rushes in a season. Jacobs is on pace to be the 5th.

With the Raiders, Jacobs has done it twice with a 2020 season of 273 rushes for 1,065 yards and 12 touchdowns; and in 2022 he led the league with 340 rushes and 1,653 yards to go with 12 more touchdowns.

Packers running back Josh Jacobs currently leads the league in carries and is on pace for his 3rd season of more than 270 carries. pic.twitter.com/lmE3GUjHRR

— MMcLaugh (@McLaughlinMitch) October 29, 2024

The previous Packers running backs to break the 270 carry mark are: Dorsey Levens in 1997 and 1999; Ahman Green in 2001, 2002 and 2003; Ryan Grant in 2008 and 2009; and Eddie Lacy in 2013.

Aaron Jones led the league in rushing touchdowns in 2019 on just 236 carries, still a career high for Jones.

Throwback to when Aaron Jones called the division against the Vikings in 2019 🤩 pic.twitter.com/XaNqRBP8EN

— Packers_Network (@PackersNetwork_) August 13, 2023

Since 1960, the Packers have only had three players lead the league in rushes, rushing yards or rushing touchdowns in a season; Paul Hornung, Jim Taylor and Jones.

Currently the Packers are 4th in the NFL in rushing yards with 1,255 yards, which would be the team’s highest finish since 2003. In that 2003 season Ahman Green ran over 100 yards a whopping 11 times in 18 games, and had a franchise-record 218 yard performance in a Week 17 win over the Denver Broncos. In 2003, the Packers finished third in the NFL in rushing yards with 2,558 yards.

With 98 days left until The Green Bay Packers kickoff.

Who remembers arguably the Best RB in Packers history?

If not here’s a 98 yard Ahman Green 🏠 ☎️ …pic.twitter.com/4LRkKtMFG1

— RELAX (@itssRELAX) June 4, 2023

Having a question mark at quarterback going into this weekend’s game against the Lions, it might be wise for the Packers to once again lean on Jacobs and the rest of the Packers running game to give it its best chance in this critical NFC North showdown.