DeSean Jackson Doesn't Fit Washington Redskins' New Team-First Mentality

DeSean Jackson will get more of the ball. The Washington Redskins wide receiver just needs to keep his mouth shut while he's waiting.

He needs to keep it zipped because the 2015 season isn't simply yet another rebuilding year for the Burgundy and Gold. It's also supposed to be the first chapter in a necessary culture change for a franchise too often defined by a me-first mentality in recent years.

Unfortunately, Jackson sounded an awful lot like a me-first guy after his long-awaited return from injury proved to be a damp squib.

Speaking after catching just three passes for 15 yards during Week 9's loss to the New England Patriots, Jackson pointed the finger of blame at his quarterback and coaches, as noted by NBC4 reporter Jason Pugh:

Rather than offer support to his fellow receivers after a day littered with costly drops, Jackson made sure to absolve himself of any culpability for Washington's dire showing on offense at Gillette Stadium:

Talk about me, myself and I.

Perception is reality, never more so than in NFL circles. All Jackson did during his interview with Pugh is show he's far from the ideal fit for Washington's new team-first approach.

Jackson may not have meant his comments to sound so selfish. But that's how they play.

This isn't what the new-look Redskins are supposed to sound like. Things are supposed to be changing.

At times this season, it's been easy to wonder if those changes matter more than results on the field. New general manager Scot McCloughan hinted as much during the offseason, according to Todd Dybas of The Washington Times: "Like I said, we’re not going to win every game this year, but when you play us, you’re going to know you played us. You’re going to see energy. You’re going to see toughness, competitiveness."

McCloughan was talking specifically about an attitude on the gridiron. Every team wants to be tough between the hash marks. But off the field, true teams are defined by accountability and unity.

The latter is a quality the Redskins have tried to be all about this season. Earlier in the campaign, CSNMid-Atlantic.com reporter Tarik El-Bashir noted how failing players were being held to account for poor performances: "Do your job and do it well. Or ride the bench. Or worse."

Now consider Jackson's words alongside the mantra McCloughan has laid out for this franchise.

By that mantra, it shouldn't matter who gets the ball more. Reputation alone is no longer merit at Redskins Park. Performance and consistency count, as McCloughan noted back in March, per El-Bashir:

"

The one thing I want to preach and preach and preach, it’s all about competition. It doesn’t matter who’s making the big money, any of that. From my standpoint, from the outside, I want to see guys show up and consistently compete and the best man is going to win.

"

Where was Jackson's accountability for so often failing to win his one-on-one duel with second-year cornerback Malcolm Butler against the Patriots?

Charles Krupa/Associated Press

Sure, Butler has made significant strides since his Super Bowl heroics. Sure, Jackson is far from 100 percent after his lengthy injury layoff. But still, the Redskins have the right to expect more from one of football's premier receiving threats.

That's why D-Jax's words to Pugh were so ill-chosen. Not because he's wrong to want the ball more. Not because he can't help this team win.

There's no question about the former Philadelphia Eagles star's skills. They are elite. As a big-play machine who can stretch the field against any defense, Jackson knows few equals at his position in the entire league.

He's also far from the only wideout to demand more of the ball. It's just what receivers do. It even worked a treat for Buffalo Bills' ace Sammy Watkins in Week 10, according to CBS Sports' John Breech: "Three weeks ago, the wide receiver was complaining that he wasn't getting 10 targets a game. Taylor must have listened because he was looking for Watkins all day on Sunday."

Expect Jackson's words to have a similar effect when the Redskins suit up to face the New Orleans Saints in Week 10. Head coach Jay Gruden is already talking about getting No. 11 more involved, according to 247Sports.com's Jamie Oakes: “We do have high expectations for DeSean when he’s rolling and we’ll get him rolling again."

Timothy T. Ludwig-USA TODAY Sports

Gruden certainly knows how to make use of a deep threat as prolific as Jackson. He proved that last season when the vertical-thinking receiver topped 1,000 yards. The same thing worked wonders for A.J. Green and Gruden's Bengals offense in Cincinnati.

The long-ball element Jackson offers will be vital in expanding Washington's so-called "dink-and-dunk" passing game. He'll also play a key role in creating more room for a dormant rushing attack to spark back into life.

Yet, even when's he's more involved, Jackson's words should still leave a bitter taste.

After all, he isn't the only one who needs more of the ball. What about running back Alfred Morris? He's been persona non grata for most of this season.

While it's easy to critique Morris' performances, it would be unfair to ignore the circumstances working against him. Circumstances such as generally pass-heavy play-calling, dire run blocking and the coaching staff's desire to see what they have in rookie Matt Jones.

Despite those things, Morris has stayed silent. He's kept quiet even though he's being denied the means to play his way into a new deal during his contract year.

If Morris can remain quiet through eight games, why shouldn't Jackson be expected to keep his opinions to himself, at least until he's back to his best?

Let's face it though, this is hardly the first time D-Jax hasn't been shy about criticizing the state of this team. Who can forget his curse-laden Instagram tirade last season, per Scott Allen of The Washington Post.

Once again, his criticism was aimed at others after excluding himself from blame. Why should Jackson be offered excuses not available to others?

Jason Hirschfeld/Associated Press

Think about how Robert Griffin III's name dropping of Aaron Rodgers and Peyton Manning played last season, as noted by the Post's Isabelle Khurshudyan:

"

If you want to look at the good teams in this league and the great quarterbacks, the Peytons and the Aaron Rodgers, those guys don’t play well if their guys don’t play well. They don’t. We need everybody. I need every one of those guys in that locker room, and I know they’re looking at me saying the same thing.

"

It's easy to see the similarities between the Griff's attempts to foist blame elsewhere and Jackson's blunt appraisal of events in New England.

Griffin was rightly pilloried for his public foot-in-mouth moment. But if RG3 paid the price for appearing to put himself before the team, Jackson shouldn't be excused simply because he's a more talented player.

At the very least, No. 11 needs to be made to understand things are changing for Washington this season. This is now a team that doesn't put high-priced, big-name free agents or high-round draft picks above the collective good, no matter what those players are capable of producing on the field.

This isn't just about getting one man the ball more. It's about buying into and showing a united front. That's the vision McCloughan has been selling since he arrived at Redskins Park.

Jackson already seems out of touch.

All statistics and player information via NFL.com.

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