It’s becoming increasingly clear that star wide receiver DeSean Jackson and Eagles head coach Andy Reid are not on the same page.
Beat writer Bob Grotz has the details on his blog of an interview Jackson gave to the NFL Network in which Jackson said he could not remember any other player ever being benched for missing a meeting.
Of course Jackson was told to stay home after missing a special teams meeting Saturday morning.
That development turned the Eagles offensive game plan upside down in a game they had to win to save their season.
All of this is rooted in Jackson’s desire for a new contract.
Let’s be honest. Jackson is seriously underpaid, making just $600,000 this year in the final year of the rookie deal he signed as a second-round pick.
He clearly has out-performed that deal. He stayed out of camp for a week back in the summer, but declared he would put the matter out of his mind once he came back in. That doesn’t appear to be the case.
The key now seems to be just how much Jackson should make and whether the Eagles are willing to pony up. More than that, there remains questions as to exactly where Jackson ranks among NFL wide receivers.
He is one of the fastest players in the league, but he’s also small. He has already suffered two concusssions, and he has a nagging tendency to disappear in some big games.
Jackson’s numbers are down this year, although there are those who say defenses paying increased attention to Jackson translate to big numbers for fellow wideout Jeremy Maclin.
One other thing is clear. The Eagles offense was dead in the water without Jackson in the lineup on Sunday. Part of that can be attributed to the fact that the team game-planned all week under the assumption that Jackson was playing, and the fact that starting QB Michael Vick suffered two broken ribs on the second play of the game.
This one does not look like it is going to end well, pretty much like the Eagles season.
Then again, the Birds return to the scene of their latest Miracle in the Meadowlands Sunday night for a prime-time match vs. the Giants.
Last year it was Jackson’s last-minute punt return that catapulted the Eagles to a wild comeback win.
Then again, the Giants just might be looking for revenge.
When it comes to that, they may need to get in line behind Reid and Jackson.
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