The last time DeSean Jackson was on the field in the playoffs, he had three catches for a paltry 14 yards and his team was eliminated by the Dallas Cowboys, 34-14. While Jackson, named to his second straight Pro Bowl at wide receiver, is looking to have a better individual performance this Sunday against the Green Bay Packers, it's the ultimate result that he's most worried about.
"It's really not about me," Jackson said. "It's great to score all the touchdowns and get all the catches and things like that, but as a team, we just have to play together and protect (Michael) Vick any way possible and not let people get in his face and let him be comfortable so he can sit back and read the defense and throw it to the right guys.
"We just have to play team ball, it can't be individual ball. Everybody has to play as a whole. We need all 11 guys out there playing as one and as long as we do that, as you've seen in the past, it's really hard for us to be stopped. As long as everybody's on the same path to go out and do what we want to do I think we'll be alright."
Jackson is part of an explosive offense that led the league with 80 plays of 20 yards or more, but they'll be put to the test against the second best scoring defense in football. The Packers have allowed only 15.0 points per game to the opposition. Meanwhile, the Eagles have scored 27.4 points per game, third in the league. Clearly, something will have to give.
"As far as putting the game plan together, that's what the coaches are for," Jackson said. "We're just here to go out there and practice and do what we need to do to get our game plan to perfection.
"It's huge for us. We know what's out there on the line for us. It's kind of been our goal all season to make it through the regular season and put us in the best position to get to the playoffs. Now we're finally here so we just have to pull it together and make some things happen."
With a league-best 22.5 yards-per-catch mark, Jackson is as well-suited as anyone in the league to make things happen.
-- Posted by Bo Wulf, 1:50 p.m., January 5
