Chicago Bears: 3 players whose reputation is on the line vs. Texans
By Ryan Heckman
2. Safety Eddie Jackson
This has been such a weird season for former All Pro Eddie Jackson. As one of the league’s elite safeties in 2018 and still a Pro Bowl player last year, the 2020 season has made him look pedestrian at times.
You could look at the fact that he’s on pace for a career high in tackles and think he’s had a decent year, but when you look at the things which matter most, your opinion will change. Jackson has been bad in coverage in 2020 — not even simply average, but very, very bad.
Not enough is being talked about Eddie Jackson’s down year. He has dropped off quite a bit in coverage for the #Bears:
— Jacob Infante (@jacobinfante24) December 9, 2020
2019: 53.5 comp. % allowed, 57.6 pass rating allowed, 5 PBUs, 2 INTs
2020 (through 12 games): 71.9 comp. % allowed, 113.5 pass rating allowed, 4 PBUs, 0 INTs
We’re not seeing the same aggressor at the position like we did his first two years, or even last year. It’s been a tough season to watch, because Jackson almost looks a step or two behind on a lot of pass plays.
The most startling thing about Jackson, right now, is the fact that it’s been nearly 365 days since his last interception — pretty hard to believe, but it’s true.
Now, the pass rush hasn’t been what it was in 2018. You can go ahead and put some of the blame on Chuck Pagano, but the fact is, the Bears have the talent on defense to be an elite group. Jackson hasn’t been cutting it.
With Deshaun Watson and his passing offense heating up since firing Bill O’Brien, Jackson has a chance on Sunday to right the ship. He can change the narrative of his season with a strong game. So far this year, his reputation has taken a huge hit. Now, it’s time for that to change.