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Eagles need Jackson as a deep threat

"Wide receiver DeSean Jackson on Tuesday told reporters that he and Andy Reid are fine despite the head coach's post-game blowup Sunday and that his only concern is getting the Eagles back into the win column.

Jackson and Reid reportedly met Monday to hash out differences that might have contributed to the coach's locker-room tirade after Sunday's 31-26 loss to the Bears, but the Pro Bowl wideout stutter-stepped around direct inquiries about the incident.

"I'm not here to talk about any of that," he said. "What we talk about in the locker room is between the team."

Asked whether his contract status or production decline since the Nov. 11 rout of the Redskins had any bearing on his demeanor before, during or after the Bears game, Jackson dismissed all conspiracy theories and said he "couldn't care less" about the media firestorm that ensued.

"People could say what they want, talk about what they want," he said. "I'm here to play football and go out there and win football games."

More central to the Eagles' concern is getting their top playmaker back to being on the NFL's premier deep threats in a short time before Thursday night's showdown against the Texans at Lincoln Financial Field.

In the 11 quarters since his 88-yard bomb from Michael Vick on the first play from scrimmage against the Redskins, Jackson only has eight receptions for 86 yards and no touchdown catches.

He's faced the NFL's best two defenses in that span -- the Giants and Bears -- and hasn't had a reception longer than 23 yards.

The problem, Reid noted, are the deep coverages the Eagles' offense has seen more often since Jackson's breakout 2009, when he scored nine touchdowns of at least 50 yards and averaged just under 19 yards per reception.

The Bears practically backed their safeties up to Wisconsin in their Cover 2 scheme, a coverage so deep and conservative that Jackson couldn't beat it, even with his top-end speed.

"One of the things with DeSean is that, listen, people know how good he is. This is no secret," Reid said. "Teams, obviously, calculate for that and scheme for that and with that. I thought Michael did a good job of, if (Jackson is) doubled, then either going to LeSean or to (Brent) Celek or back out to Jeremy (Maclin).""


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