OAKLAND -- Josh Jacobs has been a warrior all season for the Raiders.
The rookie has battled through injuries, dragging himself onto the field to help his team make a postseason run in the running back's first season in silver and black. Jacobs loves being a Raiders and wants to return the team to the storied status it once occupied in the NFL landscape.
Jacobs' toughness is well-documented, but the Raiders wouldn't let him go Sunday. The rookie star has a fractured shoulder, and despite getting the pain-killing shot he's been receiving for weeks, Jon Gruden put his foot down Sunday and made the back inactive for Oakland's eventual 42-21 loss to the Titans at the Coliseum.
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"I give him a lot of credit," Gruden said of Jacobs after the loss. "He was really in tears today wanting to play. He took a shot to play, like he's been doing, but the injury we just wouldn't let him go out there and play under these circumstances. We don't know what his status for the upcoming ball game will be, but we will keep you posted."
Jacobs is slated to have an MRI this week, but the rest of his season is in doubt.
It no doubt will kill him if the Raiders shut him down now.
"He was hurt, man," running back DeAndre Washington said of Jacobs' reaction that he couldn't play. "He's a competitor man. We took it upon our shoulders to make sure that we had his back. He's been putting in work all year man. Hell of a season.Rookie of the Year for sure."
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Jacobs has had a fantastic season for the Raiders and should be the Offensive Rookie of the Year even if his season is over with. He broke Marcus Allen's Raiders rookie rushing record and became the first Raiders rookie to eclipse 1,000 yards during Oakland's Week 13 loss to the Chiefs.
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Jacobs wouldn't have helped the Raiders much Sunday unless he was playing linebacker. Oakland's defense was shredded early and often, as Ryan Tannehill threw for 391 yards and three touchdowns in the win. The Raiders' offense without Jacobs was serviceable for a half, but he was unable to get in the end zone during the second half to stem the tide and the Titans pulled away in the third quarter.
With the Raiders now at 6-7 and their playoff hopes on life support, it would be prudent to shut Jacobs and down and make sure he is 100 percent heading into next season.