Chicago Bears: Eddie Jackson already turning into a star at safety

Jackson’s instincts create big-play chances

Coming into the season, the Chicago Bears secondary was under a lot of pressure to produce interceptions after managing just three last year. The addition of Demps in the offseason was a nod to that need.

But with the veteran Demps out for the season (broken arm), Jackson has been the one making big plays in the deep part of the field. And on Sunday, his instincts and physicality set up the Bears’ first pick of 2017.

Here the Bears are playing a modified Cover-3 against the Ravens’ three-receiver set with Kyle Fuller pressing instead of playing off. Jackson’s responsibility, however, remains the deep-third of the field.

Fuller gets beat off the line by Breshad Perriman, whom Joe Flacco was looking for the entire time.

Unfortunately for both receiver and quarterback, Jackson sees this from the start and sprints to Perriman before Flacco even releases the ball. He crushes the receiver as he tries to control the catch, and it ricochets to an alert Bryce Callahan, who dives to catch it.

Just as Fuller’s later play on the ball that led to Amos’ 90-yard pick-six, this play doesn’t happen without Jackson’s instinctual play. Even if Perriman doesn’t bobble the ball, he’s in position to separate the ball from the receiver. And his showing up at the right time give the Bears’ defense exactly what they wanted all along: a takeaway.