It is time for this Chicago Bears player to receive an apology from the fans
We have wrapped up Week 3 of the 2022 NFL season and not many people had the Chicago Bears sitting at 2-1 on the year. Well, at least not many national analysts. Quite frankly, I wouldn’t be shocked if most Bears fans had them winning one game at most through three weeks. I will keep tooting my own horn that I have correctly predicted the first three games of the season. We will see if that trend continues when the Bears travel to New Jersey to play the New York Giants.
It is still early in the year, but I think it’s about time for Chicago Bears fans — you know who you all are — to start apologizing to Eddie Jackson. I have seen numerous people talk about how Jackson is washed and a shell of himself. I was laughed at when I named him my most-underrated player on the team this offseason. Now, it’s time for a particular part of the Bears fanbase to stop being keyboard warriors and instead, get out there and apologize to Jackson.
Too many times I have heard fans talk about how poorly Eddie Jackson tackles. How Jackson cannot create turnovers any longer. Jackson is a bum and not worth the contract once he got paid. It’s all a bunch of nonsense, and we see it now in Matt Eberflus and Alan Williams’ new defensive scheme. The Bears won both games Jackson grabbed an interception and they are now 12-0 throughout Jackson’s career when that happens.
Eddie Jackson deserves an apology from many Chicago Bears fans
I am so tired of hearing fans hate on Jackson — especially the “Eddie Jackson cannot tackle” talk that started in late 2019 is utter nonsense. No one was calling for Jackson’s head in 2018 when he grabbed six interceptions and ran back two for touchdowns. It wasn’t until late in 2019 that fans started to gripe and it became an incorrect trend on social media that Jackson cannot tackle over the last two years.
The funny thing is how fans don’t realize or choose to ignore the fact that Jackson had a higher missed tackle rate in 2018 and 2019 than he did in 2020 and 2021. In fact, last year was his best year with a missed tackle rate of 9.5% compared to his 2018 season when it was 17.7%. What’s funny is how fans are saying Jackson is back because he has two interceptions and has been flying around on the field causing havoc. No one is talking about him missing tackles again despite his missed tackle rate jumping back up to 16.0% — currently his second-worst season in that regard.
With Jaquan Brisker’s skill set, the defense can allow Jackson to finally play more freely. You can see his instincts at going after the football are back and he’s making an impact with two interceptions, two passes defended, and a forced fumble through three games. He came close to ending the game before Roquan Smith sealed the Texans’ fate late in the fourth quarter last week. He’s also on pace for 119 combined tackles — his career-best is currently 82.
It was recently brought to Jeff Joniak’s attention in an interview that Jackson has also been dealing with the unexpected loss of his best friend, while also losing two babies — a miscarriage and a failed pregnancy after six months. These things can easily weigh on a person but I again need to point out that the hatred toward Jackson just was not warranted based on what he was tasked to do on the field. I will continue to praise the safety and I hope that those who have been undeservedly bashing him are now apologizing for their trolling behavior.