Adoree’ Jackson graded himself a ‘C’ after a rough night vs. the Cowboys. We’ll find out if Vic Fangio agrees.
Jackson, who was consistently torched by CeeDee Lamb, won the outside corner job over Kelee Ringo and Jakorian Bennett. Was his Week 1 performance a mirage or reason to sound the alarm bells?
There is a school of thought that students learn more when utilizing a self-assessment rubric. So, at least keep that in mind when you hear that Adoree’ Jackson awarded himself a “C” when asked how he’d grade his first game as an Eagle.
We can also focus on his successful moments, such as when he did not spit on the opposing quarterback and get kicked out before the first snap. You can argue that Jackson earned his C grade by not being Jalen Carter, whose nationally televised loogying of Dak Prescott earned him an F grade that should stand alone. Of course, that still leaves D.
» READ MORE: Eagles grades: Jalen Hurts carries the Birds past the Cowboys; linebackers and special teams excel
“Room for improvement, things that I can correct and get better at for the next week,” the veteran cornerback said after allowing at least 74 yards on a trio of first-half targets in the Eagles’ 24-20 win. “I’m not going to hang my head. … There’s always things that I can get better at. So, yeah, I give myself a C. C’s get degrees. Because we won.”
Vic Fangio may not be as affirming in the film room. While it is true that the Eagles won, and that Jackson was on the field for most of that win, it is also true that CeeDee Lamb could have and would have crushed the Eagles if not for a couple of blatant drops and a third borderline one. The last two of those should have led to enough points for the Dallas Cowboys to shock Lincoln Financial Field like the lightning storm that disrupted play. But Lamb did not make those plays.
Did we mention the Eagles won?
24-20.
1-0.
Woo-hoo?
- Eagles overcome an ejection, a lightning delay, and shaky early defense to down Cowboys
- Grades: Jalen Hurts carries the Birds; linebackers and special teams excel
- Sparks (and spit) fly, the Tush Push is still a hot topic, and more from the Eagles-Cowboys broadcast
- Jalen Carter spat on Dak Prescott. Selfish. Stupid. The Eagles should suspend him
- Carter reacts to ejection for spitting: ‘It was a mistake that happened’
- Prescott says he told Carter he didn’t spit at him: ‘Then he just spit on me’
Before we bury Jackson, let’s remind ourselves of something that bears repeating every year at this time. The only honest Week 1 analysis is that Week 1 does not matter. It is a mirage just as often as it is an omen. It’s easy to forget that the 2024 Super Bowl champion Eagles started the season looking like they had one of the worst defenses in the NFL. Cooper DeJean arrived. Darius Slay stabilized. Nolan Smith erupted. Bryce Huff. … well, OK, that one was an omen.
While Week 1 doesn’t deliver answers, it does raise questions. Jackson is one of two major ones that emerged from the Eagles’ win over the Cowboys. The other is the edge rush, which sacked Prescott zero times and allowed him enough time to nearly team up with Lamb on the aforementioned couple of deep balls. Together, these emergent plot lines will lend a little early-season dramatic tension to a defense that finished 2024 playing at a historically high level.
The reality is, the Cowboys easily could have and maybe would have beaten the Eagles if Lamb made a couple of catches that he usually makes with regularity.
The first of those plays was the jarring one to watch. Lamb had second-year cornerback Quinyon Mitchell beat to the inside on a vertical route but failed to corral a perfect throw from Prescott. It looked like a potential touchdown that would have given the Cowboys a 27-24 lead with 2:30ish remaining. At worst, it would have set them up near the red zone. It was as glaring a drop as you’ll see from a Pro Bowl wide receiver who has averaged 114 catches over the last three seasons. It also raises some questions for the Eagles.
While Jackson wasn’t a part of that play, he was the most conspicuous underperformer in the 57 minutes leading up to it. On the first drive of the game, he allowed a 32-yard catch by Lamb and then, the next play, committed a pass interference penalty in the end zone. On the second drive, he allowed a 26-yarder to Lamb. On the third drive, he allowed a 16-yarder to KaVontae Turpin.
Jackson disagreed with the pass interference penalty.
“Hell, no,” Jackson said. “He didn’t even think that.”
He was realistic about the rest of the night.
“You can’t be too hard on yourself,” Jackson said. “The Lord gives you grace and you have to give yourself grace when you go out there and play.”
» READ MORE: Cowboys’ Dak Prescott says he told Jalen Carter he didn’t spit at him: ‘Then he just spit on me’
Which is all well and good until the Lord who doles out playing time is a 67-year-old taskmaster attempting to fill the void left by the departure of Slay. How much grace will Fangio have with Jackson, who signed with the Eagles for peanuts after spending the first eight years of his career with the Tennessee Titans and the New York Giants?
“Those first few weeks are a lot of growing,” said DeJean, who offered Jackson a vote of confidence.
The Eagles don’t have much choice but to be patient. That Fangio picked Jackson as his best available option might say more about those other options. Cornerback Jakorian Bennett was acquired late in training camp in a trade with the Las Vegas Raiders. Fellow third-year pro Kelee Ringo has looked more like a liability than an answer over his first two seasons.
How long can the Eagles sustain a winning secondary with Jackson? It isn’t a question we can answer yet. But check back after Week 2.
