TAMPA, Fla. – When DeSean Jackson went up against Darrelle Revis, then of the Jets, for the first time in 2011, the All-Pro cornerback shut Jackson down and allowed just two catches for 28 yards. The battle between the two this time around started well before the opening kickoff of Sunday's Eagles-Buccaneers game, when Jackson asserted during a press conference earlier in the week that he was faster than Revis, and that he did not think the latter could "run with me." Jackson saw a healthy dose of Revis in what was one of the game's most fascinating matchups.
"Throughout the whole game, pretty much, he was guarding me," Jackson said. "It was a good matchup, a good battle. Like I said, I felt confident in myself to be able to go out there and make some big plays, which was able to happen a couple times."
For the balance of the first half, Revis did his job and kept Jackson quiet – except for one play, which turned into a touchdown for the Eagles. Up to that point, the Eagles had tried to get Jackson involved with a few screens, but his longest gain was a six-yard reception for a first down near the goal line on the first scoring drive.
On the touchdown, Jackson started split out right, and Revis gave him a cushion. Jackson started running at Revis and got the cornerback to back up, before planting his right foot in the ground and shooting over the middle. Revis, perhaps expecting safety help, was slow to react as Jackson crossed his face and left him in the dust. Jackson streaked across the back of the end zone, wide open, and Nick Foles tossed an easy pitch-and-catch 12-yard touchdown to put the Eagles ahead 14-10.
At the end of the first half, Jackson had only 28 yards on five catches (and five targets), but the all important touchdown on Revis' one big mistake. Jackson was then held without a catch for the entire third quarter, before coming alive in the fourth.
After the Buccaneers cut the Eagles' lead to a single point, wide receiver Riley Cooper made a huge 44-yard catch-and-run on the second play of the ensuing drive to get to the Buccaneers' 36-yard line. Kelly then dialed up a brilliant play action pass that was able to get Jackson away from Revis and uncovered down the field. Jackson lined up in the slot to the right, as Revis played the outside in zone coverage and did not follow him. Jackson was able to get a free release and run a deep cross right into the soft spot of the zone. Foles unfurled a gorgeous deep ball right before getting hit and dropped it into Jackson's hands between two defenders for the touchdown.
"We didn't know if he would follow me inside or not," Jackson said. "He's more of an outside corner, so I don't really think he likes to cover inside. Just to get a mismatch of me on the safety, that was a great play call by Chip at the right time to put us up eight points."
It was Jackson's second touchdown reception, the first time he has recorded two touchdown catches in a game in his career, and put the Eagles ahead 28-20.
Jackson now has 25 touchdowns of 25 yards or longer, third in Eagles history behind only Mike Quick (26) and Tommy McDonald (37).
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