GREEN BAY – As he makes his debut for the Packers on Friday night in Brazil, running back Josh Jacobs tries, well, not to get too excited.

So he wants to focus on the basics and fundamentals, rather than worrying about what he needs or wants to demonstrate as the new leader in Green Bay’s offense.

“I just try to make sure it’s not my fault, the one who screws up,” said Jacobs, who downplayed the energy and emotion of this season opener against the Eagles.

“That’s the most important thing for me about Game 1: I try to be very disciplined in my game and put my own spin on it when I get the chance.”

Part of that spin could be Jacobs’ involvement in the passing game, which has been a topic of discussion since he signed as a free agent in March. He averaged about 40 receptions per year over five seasons with the Raiders but could easily surpass that in Green Bay.

For comparison, Jacobs’ predecessor Aaron Jones averaged just over 50 receptions in head coach Matt LaFleur’s offense from 2019-22 (before missing six games last season). But LaFleur isn’t giving away any details about his plans.

“Some guys are check-down guys, some guys are creative route-runners, and I think you just have to go through the process and throw some stuff at him and see how he does,” LaFleur said. “It’s going to be an interesting year to see what he can do.”

His teammates are curious, too. Quarterback Jordan Love described Jacobs, the NFL’s 2022 rushing champion, as “hungry to get out there and get his first action in a Packers uniform,” while center Josh Myers described Jacobs as someone who has that “it” factor.

“He’s one of those guys that you trust to get the ball when you give him the ball on third-and-1,” Myers said. “He just has that dawg mentality about him, for lack of a better word. He does, you can see it.”

That also goes for his Eagles colleague, Saquon Barkley, another star running back with a new team in 2024. Like Jacobs, Barkley is a two-time Pro Bowl selection and has changed locations to join a playoff contender.

In six seasons with the Giants, Barkley faced the Packers three times, rushing for more than 100 yards from scrimmage in each game. The last two were particularly tough for Green Bay, as his stunning second half in London in ’22 included the go-ahead touchdown that sparked New York’s comeback win, and last year he rushed for 86 yards and two TDs in a Monday night triumph in December.

“He’s just dynamic with the ball,” said former Giants teammate and new Packers safety Xavier McKinney. “He’s pretty much everything you want a back to be. He can just do it all. He’s a special back, one of a kind.”

Perhaps the biggest challenge against Barkley will be taking him down on first contact. He can break tackles with the best of them, so it’s not just about figuring out how to slow him down, but also about finishing the play.

“He can easily be the best rushing running back in this league, and we know we have to contain him,” defensive end Preston Smith said. “We can’t let him warm up, can’t let him relax, can’t let him go.”

Observers around the league are eager to see how Barkley fits into Philly’s offense with QB Jalen Hurts at the helm, just as they do with Jacobs behind Love. There’s a good chance that Week 1 won’t tell the whole story for either back, but rather the beginning of new stories.

Be that as it may, they have to start somewhere.

“I’m just excited,” Jacobs said. “Honestly, I’m excited to see these guys work. I’m excited to see the dawg. I’m excited to see the intensity when the game comes. When we get hit, how do we respond? That’s what I’m excited to see.”