ChargersBrandon Staley, head coach, was thrilled when his team signed a cornerback J.C. JacksonTo a five-year contract in March
Staley believed that bringing in a coverage player of Jackson’s caliber would allow his defense to take a crucial step forward and develop into something resembling the elite unit he groomed in his one season as Rams defensive coordinator in 2020.
“The more coverage players you have,” Staley said in March, “the more variety of coverages that you can play.”
Six games into the season, that vision has failed to materialize. Jackson is having trouble. He was benched for the second half of the Chargers’ overtime win over the BroncosMonday night. He is not transitioning well into Staley’s scheme. And that is largely because Jackson is making mistakes when Staley is varying up his coverages — particularly when Jackson is being asked to play off coverage or in zone coverages.
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Staley believed Jackson was the key to unlocking his playbook. In reality, however, things have been quite the opposite.
Jackson excels in a press-man corner. This means that he can be close to the line where he has to align with a receiver. Jackson is able to play with physicality and grab the receiver at the snap. His task is simple: stop the man in front from getting open to catch the ball.
Jackson played for Bill Belichick during his first four seasons in the league. PatriotsThis is one of the strongest teams in the league. The Patriots played man coverage on 53.4 percent of their defensive plays during Jackson’s four seasons in New England, the third-highest rate in the league, according to TruMedia. TruMedia reports that the Chargers have had man coverage on 31.6% of their defensive snaps, compared to 53.4 percent for the Patriots.
Jackson has done a fine job as a coverage defender in press-man coverage thus far this season. But Jackson’s limitations as a zone coverage defender were laid bare on Monday night against the Broncos. This is why Jackson was benched.
One of Jackson’s big mistakes in zone coverage came on tight end Greg Dulcich’s 39-yard touchdown late in the first quarter.
The Chargers were presented in the nickel package that included two interior defensive linesmen, two edge rushers and two inside linebackers. It also included five defensive backs (two corners, one slot/nickel corner, and two safeties).
Jackson was aligned at the left-hand side, shown in yellow.
As Broncos quarterback Russell WilsonAfter taking the shotgun snap, Chargers moved into a Cover 3 defense zone. Chargers fans should be very familiar with this defense because it was former defensive coordinator Gus Bradley’s bread-and-butter coverage during his four seasons with the team.
Cover 3 splits of the deep field into thirds. One player is responsible for the middle three, which is typically a single high safety. The left outside three is usually occupied by an outside corner player. Another player, often an outside corner player, is responsible to the right outside third.
This is exactly the way that the coverage shell was constructed in this play. Cornerback Asante Samuel Jr.The left was third. Safety Nasir AdderleyThe middle third was his. Jackson was the right third.
Wilson made it to the bottom of his drop. You can see that Cover 3 shell starting to form. Safety Derwin James, who was located at the 35-yard mark, was responsible to the right flat. This is where running back can be seen. Mike BooneWas releasing on a swing path.
Jackson also made this mistake. Broncos receiver K.J. HamlerDulcich, who was aligned on the right side to start the play, entered the play via a post route. Dulcich was inline to the right side of the play and ran a wheel route up its right side.
Hamler ran across Jackson’s face, and Jackson bit. James passed Dulcich over to Boone, in order to protect the flat.
Jackson was responsible for filling the gap in the third field.
Jackson ran with Hamler while he should’ve passed the route to Adderley in central field. Wilson hit Dulcich with an easy touchdown.
Jackson was penalized for another major play during zone coverage late in the first period. With 53 seconds remaining, the Broncos seized control at their 25. Denver was faced with a second-and-10.
The Chargers were again seen in their usual nickel personnel grouping. This time, they had a two-high safety shell, meaning two safeties aligned deep — James and Adderley, circled here in yellow. Jackson was aligned with the outside left in coverage, circled pink.
The Chargers had quarters coverage or Cover 4 at the snap. Jackson was responsible to cover the outside left quarter.
Wilson reached the bottom of his drop when Hamler, who began the play on the right side, ran a go route to Jackson. Dulcich, who positioned himself in the right slot of the field, ran an out route alongside linebacker Drue TranquillCoverage
Jackson allowed Hamler to overcome his leverage and pass him to the outside.
Wilson was able, despite his pocket collapse, to hit the wide-open Hamler for an completion that set up a Broncos field goal just before halftime.
Perhaps the most puzzling part of Jackson’s start to the season is that he was playing well in the scheme during training camp. The transition went smoothly at that point. Jackson was then able to have minor ankle surgery, which was performed on Aug. 23. He was unable to attend three weeks of practice, and he missed the season-opening win against the Steelers. RaidersTwo days before making his season debut on Thursday against the Steelers, he had returned to limited practice on September 13. Chiefs.
Jackson was absent from all three practices during the week that followed the Chargers’ loss at home to the Chargers. Jaguars. Jackson did not take part in that game. He returned to practice in Week 4, participating in a limited capacity on Wednesday and Thursday before practicing fully on Friday — his first full practice since the surgery.
This was the fourth week of practice that was completely missed. Then there was Week 2, which saw a brief return to practice before the Chiefs game.
When asked what changed between training camp and the regular season, defensive coordinator Renaldo Hill said, “It’s that: the time away.”
“When you can get on the grass — see it on the grass and feel it on the grass — then take it into the meetings and be able to explain it, those are the combinations that you want to continue to bring together,” Hill added. “That was, probably, the missing point right there. It’s just us getting him fine-tuned again. We’re really taking all of the fundamentals and techniques that we talked about in training camp and we’re starting over. We’re hoping that those things that we saw in training camp will show up again here.”
Context is vital. Jackson might not fit in the scheme. This is part of the problem. As Hill said this week, “For four years, he’s been doing one thing and one thing alone, they asked him to play man. We’re going to try to do as much as we can to simplify and do the things that made him successful over there.”
Jackson’s confidence has decreased as he works to make up for the lost time. He is too focused on the field and this is making it difficult to see what has made him a great athlete: his physicality and instincts.
“We’re going to make sure that we stay patient with him because he has all of the tools that we’re looking for,” Staley said. “I have to do a better job of coaching him, getting him in a comfort zone.”
Michael DavisJackson was replaced by Davis for Monday’s second half. He played well. He was able to make several plays using an off-coverage position, and Davis played an assigned half. He was at the right place at the right moments, which allowed the Chargers more connectivity in the back end. They gave up 9 yards passing to Wilson in overtime and the second half.
Staley stated Wednesday that Jackson would start Sunday against the Seahawks. He is essential to their success. They need him to correct these mental mistakes.
If he does not, Jackson likely won’t remain a starter for much longer.
(Top image: Harry How/Getty Images)
