Do-it-all Jackson takes one for the team
Defensive back’s versatility allows veteran to fill in wherever needed
Forcing fumbles, intercepting passes and delivering punishing tackles, veteran defensive back Kareem Jackson has made a strong case to be the Texans’ MVP.
Jackson is their Most Versatile Player.
When safety Andre Hal was diagnosed with lymphoma, Jackson moved from cornerback to safety and forced two fumbles against the New England Patriots in his first game starting at a new position.
Moving back to cornerback when Aaron Colvin and Kevin Johnson suffered injuries, Jackson remains adept at his old spot. He has 35 tackles, three for losses, a team-high two interceptions and eight passes defensed.
Through six games, no NFL player since the 2000 season has compiled the kind of statistics that Jackson has.
Longest-tenured Texan
Regardless of where he lines up in the secondary, Jackson has provided a hard-hitting, ball-hawking presence.
“I take a lot of pride in that,” said Jackson, a former first-round draft pick from Alabama. “For me, it’s all about consistency. Obviously, I want to be a piece to the puzzle of what we have here as a team defensively.
“It doesn’t really matter wherever I’m asked to play within that week, wherever I’m needed, whatever the coaches want me to do, whether it’s safety or cornerback.”
Breaking crisply on the football last Sunday, Jackson picked off an errant pass from Buffalo Bills quarterback Nathan Peterman.
The interception sealed the Texans’ 20-13 victory and put an exclamation point on another terrific game from Jackson.
Jackson had a 92.1 grade against the Bills, according to Pro Football Focus, with a 17.1 passer rating against him when targeted. He allowed just four catches on 10 targets for 51 yards with 39 of the yards allowed on one play.
Jackson had three tackles, one for a loss and three passes defended against the Bills. His blitz on Peterman led to cornerback Johnathan Joseph’s game-winning interception return for a touchdown in the final minutes.
“Yeah, he’s having a good year,” Texans coach Bill O’Brien said. “He’s been a very productive player, very versatile player, smart, can do different things.
“He can play safety. He can play nickel, he can play on the outside, has made big plays for us. He’s made plays on the ball, which are important.”
It’s an important year for Jackson, who is in his ninth NFL season. He’s the longest-tenured Texan.
“It means a lot,” Jackson said. “I guess I’m doing what I’m supposed to do. Hopefully, I can stay here a lot longer.”
The Georgia native is in the final year of a four-year, $34 million contract. The 30-year-old looks deserving of a new deal.
“I would definitely love that,” said Jackson, who has become a father and a husband since arriving in Houston. “For me, this is home now. I’ve raised a family here with my wife. I would definitely love to be here.
“There’s always that thought with it being the last year of my deal. At the end of the day, I can only control what I can control and be consistent in how I play.”
The Texans are open to the idea of a contract extension for Jackson. The way he has performed has made him even more valuable to the team. Any contract negotiations wouldn’t take place until the end of the season.
“At the end of the day, we won’t know until that time,” he said. “I’m not thinking about that at all.”
Kudos from teammates
What Jackson has done this year is rare. Few defensive backs can shift back and forth within a game and not miss a beat. Texans safety Tyrann Mathieu has experience playing cornerback, safety and linebacker.
“It’s very difficult,” Mathieu said. “Your role is constantly changing. As defensive backs, we like to get into a rhythm. It’s hard to do that when you’re playing three, four positions. I did it a while, so it’s nice to see Kareem come in every day focused on his job, and he’s always willing to put his hand in the pile and really help out wherever we need it.”
Jackson is listed at 5-10, 183 pounds, but he’s a physical player in run support. He’s the Texans’ all-time leader among defensive backs with 20 career tackles for losses.
Jackson has 507 career tackles, five forced fumbles and 78 passes defended.
“He’s a guy that can, whether it’s corner, whether it’s safety, whether it’s nickel, whatever he needs to play, he can do it and he’s done a great job at it,” defensive end J.J. Watt said. “You could see guys not liking being bounced around like that, but he’s taken the assignments and done it extremely well, and we’re very grateful to have such a good teammate like that.”