Jackson having fun, but is serious about social issues
The memories started coming back for Eagles defensive tackle Malik Jackson around the fourth quarter Sunday.
The big guy who missed all but one game with a broken foot last season was one with football again.
“I was having such a good time,” Jackson said Wednesday. “Just like being a kid again.”
Jackson finished with two tackles, two quarterback hurries and a deflected pass playing 55 snaps, 79 percent of the Eagles defensive total in a 27-17 loss to Washington.
For a chunk of the fourth quarter the 6-5, 290-pound Jackson found himself playing right end, Vinny Curry having exited with a torn hamstring, and veteran end Brandon Graham sidelined with a concussion.
Jackson is fine setting the edge on that side in an emergency. But he sees himself being downright disruptive playing inside at his natural tackle position. He changed some of Dwayne Haskins’ throws just by stretching out his long arms.
The Eagles registered only three sacks of Haskins while Washington dropped Carson Wentz eight times, which helped force three giveaways. Another Eagles sack here and there and the outcome could have been different.
“I think we’re rushing well,” Jackson said. “We just have to be able to get these quarterbacks that hold the ball.”
When Jackson isn’t playing football, the activist in him comes out. During his Zoom conference he wore a cap reading “Make America Great Again – Arrest the Cops who killed Breonna Taylor.” Great Again had a line through it.
When Jackson got together with teammates to plan the Eagles’ social injustice initiative for the first game at FedEx Field, he hoped the teams could present the same show of unity that soccer’s Premier
League orchestrated when the players collectively took a knee before their openers.
“Unfortunately, we couldn’t get the Washington Football Team on board,” Jackson said. “That’s what we wanted to do before the kickoff, is both teams take a knee and then decline the penalty and kick the ball off. But it’s hard logistically. I think a lot of people just want to play football and don’t want to worry about this stuff. Trying to get both teams to do something, it’s hard.”
Instead, Eagles players and coaches interlocked arms with Washington players and coaches and listened to a recording of Alicia Keys singing “Lift Every Voice and Sing.”
The Eagles stayed inside the locker room for the national anthem. Washington players either stood, knelt or raised a fist during the national anthem.
Jackson, who feels players should stand for the national anthem, was hoping for more.
“I respect what the NFL is doing first of all,” Jackson said. “It was cool to hear the African-American anthem (Keys’ song). Now, frankly, I don’t know if they’re playing it just once. I don’t know if you like a song if you only play it once. Hopefully we can get that song played all games. That would be nice. Personally, I feel like it’s nice what they’re doing but until every individual owner starts doing something and not hiding behind the shield, I personally feel like it’s not going to mean anything. And I know Mr. Lurie is doing a good job of working with us.
“If we can get other owners to be like Mr. Lurie, I think it will be a stronger message than just, say, holding hands around the NFL logo while somebody sings a song.”
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Offensive tackle Lane Johnson (ankle), defensive end Derek Barnett (ankle) and running back Miles Sanders (hamstring) all practiced fully Wednesday according to the Eagles.
Offensive tackle Jason Peters (knee) and defensive tackle Javon Hargrave (pectoral muscle, hamstring) were limited participants. Graham (concussion) and receiver Alshon Jeffery (foot) didn’t practice.
Receiver DeSean Jackson and defensive tackle Fletcher Cox were given the day off.
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Eagles cornerback Nickell Robey-Coleman spent three of his eight NFL season with the Rams.
Robey-Coleman spent his first five seasons in Buffalo, where he played in the snow for the Bills. It was a dream come true returning to LA, where Robey-Coleman starred at USC.
Robey-Coleman, 28, was surprised he was part of the housecleaning the Rams did to get under the salary cap.
“I’m excited first of all to play against my old team,” Robey-Coleman said. “It’s all love. It’s big love over there. But I’m just sharing all the information that I could possibly remember from possibly being in L.A.”