Jackson emerges as a playmaker

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Wednesday, Jan 16, 2008
By Tom Shanahan, Chargers.com

In his 23 seasons as a head coach or assistant with seven teams, Chargers Head Coach Norv Turner has coached some of the best wide receivers in the NFL, including Hall-of-Famer Michael Irvin and the great Henry Ellard.

So consider for a moment the magnitude of praise he heaped on the Chargers' Vincent Jackson when he referred to the third-year wide receiver's game Sunday against the Indianapolis Colts. Jackson caught seven passes for 93 yards and a touchdown, including three third-down receptions for first downs of 21, 9 and 14 yards.

"Vincent Jackson is playing as good as any guy I've been around through the last six or seven weeks, and obviously the last two games," Turner said. "You talk about stepping up in big games, he was unbelievable (Sunday)."

The last two games were playoffs victories, including the Chargers' 17-6 win over the Tennessee Titans when Jackson caught five passes for 114 yards and a touchdown.

He was a playmaker, to borrow from the brash Irvin's moniker during the Dallas Cowboys' Super Bowl years.

"That's a great compliment from a coach like that who has been around of a lot of great guys," Jackson said. "I'm just excited to get the opportunity to contribute more."

Jackson leads the Chargers in receptions and yards in two playoff games with 12 catches for 207 yards and two touchdowns entering Sunday's AFC Championship Game at the New England Patriots.

But "contribute" doesn't do justice to describe the catches Jackson, a 6-foot-5, 241-pounder, made while playing the Indianapolis game a head and shoulder above cornerbacks Keith Hayden (6-0, 195) and Marlin Jackson (6-0, 196).

Hayden and Jackson have good size for an NFL corners, but Jackson's big body is unique at the wide receiver position, especially when quarterback Philip Rivers places the ball high where only Jackson can get it.

On the Chargers' first possession against the Colts, he caught a third-and-6 pass for 21 yards, although the drive ended two plays later with an interception.

On the Bolts' second possession, he caught at third-and-5 pass for 9 yards and a third-and-8 pass for a 14-yard touchdown to tie the game at 7-7 early in the second quarter.

Jackson helped set up the Chargers' next scoring opportunity with a 13-yard catch on a first down, but the drive ended with a missed 48-yard field goal that bounced off the upright.

To open the second half, Jackson caught a second down pass for 17 yards and a first down pass for 13 yards to set up Chris Chambers' 30-yard touchdown catch.

In the fourth quarter, he caught a first down pass for 6 yards from backup quarterback Billy Volek that was part of the game-winning drive that ended with Volek's 1-yard sneak.

In all, six of Jackson's seven catches were part of a scoring drive or a scoring opportunity.

"I know my role is big in the running game," Jackson said. "But it's nice to be doing more lately as a receiver."

Actually, it's not new territory for a Chargers coach to rank Jackson among the best receivers in the game.

If you watch replays of running back LaDainian Tomlinson's long runs, look in the corner of the frame and you'll likely see No. 83, Jackson, blocking the final defensive back between Tomlinson and the end zone.

"He does everything we ask in the run game," said James Lofton, the Chargers' wide receivers coach and a Pro Football Hall-of-Famer. "I've said time and time again, he's the best blocking receiver in the NFL. And now he's showing his receiving ability."

The Chargers' eight-game winning streak -- six to finish the regular season and two in the playoffs -- began with a win over the Baltimore Ravens when Jackson caught six balls for 65 yards.

In the final six regular-season games, he caught 17 passes for 239 yards and one touchdown. He was fourth on the team in receptions with 41 for 623 yards and three touchdowns.

His yards-per-catch average, a healthy 15.2 in the regular season, is up to 17.3 in the playoffs.

Part of it the increased production is the presence of Chambers, acquired at mid-season in a trade with the Miami Dolphins, forcing the defense between leaving Chambers or Jackson in single-coverage. The two of them can't be left in single-coverage too long.

In the playoff win over the Titans, Chambers (121) and Jackson (114) both topped 100-yards receiving, marking the first time in franchise history in a playoff game since the 1981 season when Wes Chandler (106), Charlie Joiner (108) and Kellen Winslow (166) did it in a high-scoring overtime playoff win against the Miami Dolphins on Jan. 2, 1982.

"I think Chris Chambers has helped Vincent, to be honest with you," Turner said after the Tennessee game. "When Chris first got here, it was hard on Vincent. He kind of saw himself as the guy and it took a couple of weeks, two to three, to realize this thing is big enough for everybody. He's stepped up his play. His playing at a real, real high level."

Jackson, though, didn't want to say his improved play is about him and Chambers fitting together. He said he continued to work the same throughout the ups and downs of the season and feels his game came together when the rest of the team's did.

The Chargers were only 5-5 when they started their winning streak with the Baltimore victory.

"I think Vincent has done real well at staying focused," Lofton said. "The season didn't start the way we planned, but he's been real consistent with his work habits and effort level. The thing I've been impressed with is he's one of the smartest guys around. What he's lacked in big-time experience, he's made up for with intelligence. He learns well and adapts well."

The real turning point for Jackson' emergence from young wide receiver to NFL veteran might have been in the season's third game when the Chargers lost at Green Bay.

Jackson, being covered by Al Harris, one of the NFL's top cornerbacks, caught six balls for 98 yards and one touchdown. But the production went largely overlooked because of lapses on defense that cost the game.

"I had Al Harris following me around, so I was thinking I had earned some respect," Jackson said. "A couple of weeks later I noticed Harris was following around (Dallas Cowboys wide receiver) Terrell Owens, and it was talked about as a big matchup. That gave me a lot of confidence."

And it provided the Chargers have another big-play receiver.

Darron Cummings, AP

Vincent Jackson has been huge for the Chargers this postseason.

	Wednesday: Norv Turner Following Wednesdays' practice Head Coach Norv Turner addresses the media leading upto Sunday's the AFC Championship game at New England. Play
	Wednesday: LaDainian Tomlinson After taking the day off from practice Wednesday, RB LaDainian Tomlinson tells the media that he will practice on Thursday and that he plans on playing in Sundays AFC Championship game against the New England Patriots. Play
	Wednesday: Clinton Hart SS Clinton Hart on Wednesday answers questions leading upto Sundays AFC Championship game vs. the New England Patriots. Play
	Wednesday: Philip Rivers QB Philip Rivers on Wednesday mentions that he hopes to get some practice time on Friday. Play