All-Pro in 2018. More touchdowns scored by a defensive player (5) than any other in the past two years. Eddie Jackson has accomplished a lot already in his young career. He played on the best defense in the NFL last season for the Chicago Bears. One would think this would garner him some much-deserved respect from the wider national media. To be fair there are plenty of people out there who view him as one of the best in the business.
Sports Illustrated doesn't seem to be one of those outlets among them. A collection of their experts decided to forge their own list of the top 10 safeties in the league going into this season. Andy Benoit, who is a noted critic of the Bears, went so far as to say that Jackson is the 12th-best safety in his mind. This naturally messed with the overall rankings, landing the Bears star 8th overall on the list.
That's bad enough. Where it gets really disrespectful is who they have ahead of him. Most notably Devin McCourty at #6 and Quandre Diggs (!) at #7. McCourty had one interception in 2017 and only four passes defended. No doubt Benoit, who is a major league Patriots lover, had a lot to do with that. As for Diggs? He had three interceptions and eight passes defended.
So Jackson outperforms both of them in each category, plays on the best defense in the league and had way more meaningful game-changing moments and he can't beat them out? Wow.
1. Kevin Byard, Tennessee, 78 points (1 first-place vote)
2. Earl Thomas, Baltimore, 76 (1 first-place vote)
3. Harrison Smith, Minnesota, 74 (1 first-place vote)
4. Derwin James, L.A. Chargers, 65
5. Jamal Adams, N.Y. Jets, 62
6. Devin McCourty, New England, 53
7. Quandre Diggs, Detroit, 51
(tie)8. Eddie Jackson, Chicago, 50
(tie)8. Malcolm Jenkins, Philadelphia, 50
10. Landon Collins, Washington, 47
Eddie Jackson didn't need more fuel, but now he's got it
If anything, the situation couldn't be much better for the Bears. Under normal circumstances, they'd be widely viewed as a heavy favorite to compete for the Super Bowl. Instead, a lot of outlets see them as a prime choice to regress this season. That amount of dismissal can allow a team to navigate the media hype with ease. Let others like the Rams, Eagles, Patriots, and Chiefs hog the spotlight.
Jackson has already made his intentions clear. He plans to do even more damage this season and to ensure his team gets past the hurdle they couldn't last year. He's already proven he can alter games with his mere presence. Given him added motivation? Jackson playing with a chip on his shoulder will only benefit the defense further. Nevermind the fact he's also playing for his big contract extension next year.
This season could be a bad time for opposing QBs.
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