Bucs’ Jackson isn’t giving up on playoff hopes

TAMPA, FLA. — DeSean Jackson’s frustration grows by the loss.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have dropped five of six games following a 2-0 start, and the veteran receiver doesn’t want anyone to buy the notion that all it’ll take to make him happy is to catch more passes today against the Washington Redskins.

The Bucs (3-5) haven’t made the playoffs since 2007, and the only way to change that trend is to start winning.

Jackson, who signed with Tampa Bay as a free agent in 2017 after spending the previous three seasons with the Redskins, thinks he can make a difference. He fielded questions this week for the first time since he reportedly asked to be traded last month.

“Whatever them conversations were, they were between us,” Jackson, when asked if he approached general manager Jason Licht before the Oct. 30 NFL trade deadline.

“It’s over and done with now, and I’m looking forward,” the five-time 1,000-yard receiver added. “We’ve got eight games left to continue to try our best to get in the playoffs and win here.”

The 11th-year pro has rebounded from a subpar debut with Tampa Bay a year ago to average 22.4 yards per reception in 2018.

But since beginning the season with consecutive 100-yard performances, that included TD catches of 58 and 75 yards in victories over New Orleans and Philadelphia, the 31-year-old’s production has curtailed.

Through eight games, Jackson has 28 catches for 626 yards and four touchdowns, including a 60-yard scoring reception against Cincinnati that gave him the most TDs of 60-plus yards (24) in NFL history.

At the risk of sounding selfish, Jackson concedes he would like to be more involved in the offense. He began his career in Philadelphia, where he had three 1,000yard seasons in six years. He had two in three seasons with the Redskins.

“It’s just knowing what’s in this locker room, knowing the players we have all across the board. That’s been more of the frustration for me,” Jackson said. “It’s not individual. It’s more (about) accomplishing what we all want to accomplish.”

The NFC East-leading Redskins (5-3) are coming off a lopsided loss to Atlanta that snapped a three-game winning streak.

Bouncing back on the road doesn’t figure to be easy after losing three starters — receiver Paul Richardson and guards Brandon Scherff and Shawn Lauvao — to season-ending injuries against the Falcons.

Alex Smith is coming off throwing for a season-best 306 yards last week.