After three straight defeats, the Philadelphia Eagles have given their fans a scare, putting their NFC East lead in jeopardy with four weeks left in the season. With a favorable schedule down the stretch, the Eagles are still favored to make the postseason, but the vibes around the team have completely shifted in recent weeks. Quarterback Jalen Hurts and the offense's struggles have understandably received the bulk of the attention, but defensive coordinator Vic Fangio's unit has not been anywhere near their Super Bowl levels, either.
While there are plenty of concerns surrounding the Eagles on both ends of the floor, cornerback Adoree' Jackson is not one of them. Considering where he was to start the season, this is a surprising development.
Adoree' Jackson Is Rewarding Eagles' Patience
Jackson was considered to be a weak link in the Eagles' defense after stumbling out of the gate to start the season. After signing with Philadelphia in the offseason, Jackson immediately took on a big role as the starting outside corner. In the first couple of weeks of the season, he was the Eagles fans' favorite target of criticism. There were calls about him getting replaced by Kelee Ringo, Jakorian Bennett, and, since his acquisition at the trade deadline, Michael Carter II.
Fangio and the Eagles' coaching staff, however, stuck with the former New York Giant. This patience has finally paid off in recent weeks. After delivering a strong performance against the Bears in Week 13, Jackson had his best game as an Eagle on Sunday. Recording his first interception of the season against the Chargers, Jackson allowed a season-low 30.4 passer rating in coverage, and received a season-high 78.2 defensive grade on Pro Football Focus.
This performance caught the attention of the fanbase, including former Eagles star Darius Slay, who posted, "Adoree been playing damn good lately" on X. Considering the ongoing rumors of a Slay-Eagles reunion, this is certainly noteworthy. Jackson's emergence perhaps makes Slay's return to Philadelphia less likely, but that remains to be seen.
With ballhawks Cooper DeJean and Quinyon Mitchell also continuing to play at a high level, the Eagles' cornerback rotation is looking better than ever. As a result, the passing defense has been excellent, even during the current losing streak. Despite holding the Chicago Bears and the Los Angeles Chargers to less than 150 passing yards in back-to-back weeks, the Eagles couldn't get the job done.
As they try to get back on the W column against the Las Vegas Raiders on Sunday, the Eagles will once again heavily rely on Jackson and the surging defensive backfield.