Wide receiver DeSean Jackson certainly has a flair for the dramatic. In each of the first three games this season, Jackson has scored a touchdown of 60 yards-or-more. The last person to accomplish that, according to the Elias Sports Bureau, was Kansas City's Dante Hall in 2003.
It's only appropriate that the most recent of the trilogy - a 64-yard touchdown reception - came against the Chiefs. With 12 catches for a team-high 259 receiving yards, Jackson is averaging an outlandish 21.6 yards per catch. He's on pace to smash the 1,000-yard barrier which has only been done twice in the Andy Reid era.
For as much love Jackson is getting for his breathtaking and absolutely fascinating early-season performance, some of the hubbub is focused on Jackson's celebratory manner. I'm sure everyone has seen the highlight by now, but after Jackson crossed the goal line Sunday he did a flip in the air and landed with a slide into a ready-for-a-magazine-cover pose. Jackson has battled a groin injury for the last two weeks and said that he received a shot before the game to help manage the pain. No one wants to see him pull a Martin Gramatica or a Gus Frerotte, celebrate in a way that leads to serious injury.
"There's nothing wrong with a little celebration, but once you put your body at risk, that's when you want to take a step back and look at the big picture," center Jamaal Jackson said. "There's nothing wrong with just handing the ball to the ref."
Fellow teammate Jason Avant wants to see Jackson remain humble so that he can make the most out of his phenomenal talent.
"I tell him I just want him to be humble," Avant said. "Because if he's humble, he'll constantly want to get better. I just want him to keep continuing to cultivate his talent and watch his end zone celebrations so he won't hurt himself."
Jackson said that he doesn't pre-plan any of his celebrations and that he's never going to stop having fun out on the field.
"(I'm) definitely playing the game with a lot of passion and having fun, so I'm never going to take that away from my game," Jackson said. "I played baseball so I know how to slide correctly, so it didn't affect me."
The head coach doesn't mind Jackson "adding a little spice" to the team with his persona.
"I don't mind a little personality. I think that's good for the team," Reid said. "I know with DeSean, when I tell him to act like he's been there, he can tell me he's been there once or twice. Adding a little spice to it doesn't hurt."
There's no question that Jackson is a special talent with a vivacious personality. It didn't take long into his rookie season to notice the effect that he has on the rest of the team. After the win in San Francisco last October, Jackson was leading his teammates in a post-game chant. Jackson brings a, pardon the overused buzzword, "swagger" to the locker room. You can't help but take notice of his presence.
It's great that the biggest debate after a 20-point win is the star receiver's touchdown celebration. We all know how special Jackson can be and we want him to fulfill that promise.
-- Posted by Chris McPherson, 2:06 p.m., September 29
