Coming off the Week 10 bye, Philadelphia Eagles fans wondered what the team would do at the CB2 spot heading into Monday night’s game against the Green Bay Packers.
Would the Eagles switch up the cornerback room by putting new trade acquisitions Michael Carter II or Jaire Alexander in the starting lineup? Or would the Eagles try one more time with Adoree’ Jackson, Kelee Ringo, or Jakorian Bennnett?
On Monday night, we found out the answer to both questions, as the Eagles decided to roll with Jackson at the CB2. Jackson played 56 defensive snaps, while Ringo only got 4 snaps on that side of the ball. The Eagles also kept Alexander at home, and Carter only played seven total snaps (one on defense).
When fans saw Jackson getting the start against Green Bay, they were understandably nervous, as it's been a roller coaster ride for the veteran cornerback thus far. However, we didn’t hear Jackson’s name called a lot on Monday night, thanks to the Eagles’ pass rush, which got after Packers QB Jordan Love.
And at the same time, when Jackson was targeted, he did not give up the big play. He proved not only to the fans but also to defensive coordinator Vic Fangio that he shouldn’t be counted out for the CB2 role. The veteran cornerback gave up four receptions on six targets for 23 yards, according to Pro Football Focus (h/t Anthony DiBona of The Philly Special Show).
Adoree Jackson Making it Hard for Eagles to Replace Him Despite Trades
Quietly, as it has been kept, when healthy, Jackson has performed statistically well on the outside this season. That is hard to fathom, given how inconsistent the CB2 spot has been, which led to the bye week trades of Carter and Alexander.
Before Monday night’s game, the 30-year-old cornerback had a 65.5 completion percentage allowed and an 87.4 pass rating when targeted, which is pretty good. And when looking at his game-by-game breakdown, you can see that Jackson has shown improvement from his Week 1 outing against the Dallas Cowboys.
Week/Opponent | Completion % Allowed | Receiving Yards Allowed | Passer Rating Allowed |
|---|---|---|---|
Week 1 vs. Cowboys | 75% (6-of-8) | 106 | 116.7 |
Week 2 vs. Chiefs | 50% (3-of-6) | 26 | 61.8 |
Week 3 vs. Rams | 75% (3-of-4) | 23 | 88.5 |
Week 6 vs. Giants | 55.6% (5-of-9) | 38 | 66.0 |
Week 7 vs. Vikings | 100% (2-of-2) | 21 | 110.4 |
If you’re Nick Sirianni or Fangio, this is a positive sign with the second half of the regular season underway. The Eagles likely thought that they would have to make an immediate change in the CB room with Carter II or Alexander, but Jackson’s play in Week 10 might keep those guys at bay.
That said, Jackson is not out of the woods yet, as he needs to do it again, this time against a much more potent offensive attack in the Detroit Lions.
It won’t be easy, as Amon-Ra St. Brown and Jameson Williams are way better WRs than what Jackson saw in Green Bay on Monday. However, if he can manage not to give up the big play against two dynamic WRs, then that will only further the Eagles’ confidence in him.
On the other hand, though, if Jackson gets shredded like we saw in Week 1 against CeeDee Lamb, Philadelphia will be back at square one, which opens the door for Bennett or even Alexander to get on the field.