Each of the past two Saturdays, the NFL has announced a $21,855 fine for Las Vegas Raiders running back Josh Jacobs. The former Alabama ball-carrier was disciplined for lowering his helmet to initiate contact in a 16-12 victory over the New York Jets on Nov. 12 and a 20-13 loss to the Miami Dolphins on Nov. 19 even though he wasn’t penalized in either game.

“Man, look, the head of the NFLPA hit me up,” Jacobs said. “We had a long conversation about the fines and things like that. I’m not too much worried about it, man. At the end of the day, I play my style of football.

“I don’t know what they want me to do when I’m going against two guys that’s 40 pounds more than me, and I’m trying to get a yard. I don’t know if they expect me to run high or get — I don’t know. But at the end of the day, man, I’m going to play my brand of football.

“Obviously, I don’t intentionally go out there and try to hit with my helmet or hurt anyone. But at the end of the day, if I got to get him, I’m going to get him, so it just is what it is.”

Jacobs is looking for more chances to get fined – that is, he wants more opportunities with the football in his hands.

The Raiders fired coach Josh McDaniels, offensive coordinator Mick Lombardi and general manager Dave Ziegler on Oct. 31. With linebackers coach Antonio Pierce becoming the interim head coach and quarterbacks coach Bo Hardegree taking over the play-calling, Las Vegas won its next two games, with Jacobs running for 214 yards and two touchdowns on 53 carries. Under the previous regime, Jacobs had 408 yards and three touchdowns on 133 rushing attempts in the first eight games of 2023 after leading the NFL in rushing last season.

But in Sunday’s 20-13 loss to the Miami Dolphins, Jacobs had 14 carries for 39 yards and a 12-yard reception.

“I got to touch the ball a minimum of 20 times I just feel like,” Jacobs said on Wednesday, “because of the way I run and the way I inspire the guys, the style of play. I feel like it’s contagious, so for me, I feel like I got to get at least 20 touches some type of way. …

“After a while, I feel like, you tackle somebody 10 times, you’re going to start to feel that, so by the end of the game, it starts to wear on you regardless of whether you want to do it or not. It’s going to get a little bit harder and harder each time. So I think for me, my mentality and the way that I approach the game, I try to attack every time I’m on the field. I think that the coaches know that. We’re starting to get that understanding.”

On Monday after losing to the Dolphins, Pierce had voiced a similar sentiment about Jacobs’ role in the offense.

“Obviously, we don’t want those touches to be at that 14 mark,” Pierce said. “Our magic number’s 20-plus. We got to stay with it. It’s not always pretty. There’s a 1-yard or 2-yard there. But (Sunday) there were some fives and some eight and nines. We just got to remember that as we’re calling it and stick with it. I give Josh a lot of credit. He’s very patient. Frustrated like we all were with the result (Sunday). Obviously, I’ve said since I’ve gotten here: It will run through Josh Jacobs. …

“It just opens up for our entire offense and our O-line. It helps everybody out. That’ll be the plan. Everybody knows it. There’s no hidden agenda. We got the best running back in football, and we’re going to use him. And we need to use him.”

The Raiders will try to narrow the gap between them and the Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC West standing on Sunday, when the teams square off at 3:25 p.m. CST Sunday at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas.

The Chiefs lead the division with a 7-3 record. The Raiders have a 5-6 mark.

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Mark Inabinett is a sports reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter at @AMarkG1.