Packers' Josh Jacobs is off to a slow start behind a banged-up offensive line

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GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) — Josh Jacobs believes it’s only a matter of time before the Packers get their running game going.

It certainly would help if Green Bay’s line could get healthier and develop some cohesiveness, but it doesn’t look like that will be happening any time soon.

The Packers are averaging 3.4 yards per carry — down from 4.75 last season — to rank 28th in the NFL.

“When it comes to running the ball and things like that, it always takes like three to four weeks before you really just kind of figure it out as a unit,” said Jacobs, who earned his third Pro Bowl selection last season. “And we’ve been unfortunate to have a lot of guys be up and be down, moving around and having to learn each other and things like that.”

The Packers ran the ball much more effectively during the first few weeks of 2024: 612 yards on 111 attempts for an average of 5.5 yards per carry through three games. They have 194 yards on 86 carries so far this season.

Part of the problem has been injuries on the offensive line. The Packers (2-1) figure to be missing three of their top seven linemen — including two starters — when they visit the Dallas Cowboys (1-2) on Sunday.

The Packers have ruled out tackles Zach Tom (quadriceps) and Anthony Belton (ankle), while guard Aaron Banks (groin) is doubtful.

Tom, the starting right tackle, has been on the field for just one play over the Packers’ last two games. Banks, the starting left guard, didn’t play in a Sept. 11 victory over Washington and was on the field for just under half of the Packers’ snaps Sunday in a 13-10 loss at Cleveland before getting hurt again.

Belton played more than half of the Packers’ offensive snaps in their last two games because of Tom’s injury.

“It is what it is,” coach Matt LaFleur said. “Next man up and you’ve got to adjust and adapt and try to put these guys in the best spot possible.”

All those injuries have put pressure on an offensive line that’s already dealing with defenses loading the box as the Packers play without injured receivers Jayden Reed and Christian Watson.

“We’ve been doing OK,” right guard Sean Rhyan said. “There’s so much room to improve. Obviously last game we didn’t perform to our standard, and we’re taking that on our chest and on our chin because it starts up front with the O- and D-line."

The Packers have been depending on the versatility of their linemen.

Jordan Morgan, a 2024 first-round pick, has filled in at both guard spots as well as right tackle. Elgton Jenkins, a two-time Pro Bowl selection at left guard, moved to center after the Packers signed Banks.

Neither played well against Cleveland as the Packers allowed five sacks and rushed for 81 yards on 31 carries.

“I can play a lot better,” Jenkins said. "A lot of things, a lot of small detail things that I can fix, overall.”

The Packers know they only need to open up a little bit of running room to help out Jacobs, who is coming off a season in which he rushed for 1,329 yards. He has 180 yards on 58 carries this season.

Green Bay's loss at Cleveland ended Jacobs' streak of 12 straight games, including playoffs, with a rushing TD.

“At the end of the day it don’t matter if a team’s going to load the box or not,” Jacobs said. “We've still got to find a way to win. It’s like, fourth-and-1, we go for it and they know it’s a running play, we've still got to get the run, we still got to get the first (down).”

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