DeSean Jackson Remains Matchup-Proof Playmaker with Big Performance on MNF

The Washington Redskins held their own against the defending Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks for the better part of four quarters on Monday night.

While Washington ultimately lost 27-17, the team had plenty of opportunities and kept the pressure on Seattle all game long.

Washington did it with starting quarterback Robert Griffin III sidelined with an ankle injury, cornerback DeAngelo Hall on injured reserve and tight end Jordan Reed out and still nursing a hamstring injury. Had a couple of pivotal plays gone the other way, the Redskins could have easily stolen a victory.

However, there is virtually no chance that Washington could have put forth such a competitive performance without the presence of veteran receiver DeSean Jackson. The crafty speedster gashed the vaunted Seahawks defense for 157 yards and a touchdown on five receptions. 

His biggest play of the night came on a 60-yard scoring strike during which he blew past the Seattle secondary and used his speed to race to the end zone with ease. 

“He has caught a lot of long touchdown passes,” Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll said of Jackson last week, according to Liz Clarke of The Washington Post. “We pay good attention to his ability to get you.”

That attention couldn't prevent a long touchdown on Monday. Jackson handily beat Seattle's best cover man, All-Pro cornerback Richard Sherman, on the play. 

The play proved a couple of things. For one, it showed that the physical secondary of Seattle can be beaten with top-end speed and quickness. If the likes of Richard Sherman and Kam Chancellor can't get up close and physical with opposing receivers, one of Seattle's greatest assets is nullified.

The other thing Jackson's long touchdown proved is that the seventh-year wideout still has that elite downfield quickness needed to win even the most daunting matchups.

According to Pro Football Focus (subscription required), the Seahawks entered Monday's matchup with the 11th-best pass-coverage unit in the league. Seattle's defense was rated seventh in pass-rush ability.

Yet, the Seahawks couldn't prevent Jackson from having a major impact on Monday.

Jackson's intermediate quickness and explosiveness off the line allowed him to get open quickly at times, providing quarterback Kirk Cousins with a consistent target even under duress.

Jackson's breakaway speed also meant that the Seattle secondary had to respect the deep-passing game, which opened up underneath routes for guys like Roy Helu and Andre Roberts (five receptions apiece). It also, as previously mentioned, provided Washington's offense with quick-strike capability.

This is the type of impact the Redskins were hoping to see Jackson have when the team first acquired him as a free agent during the offseason. To this point he has flashed his impact potential (127 total yards and an 81-yard touchdown against the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 3) but has also been inconsistent (held to just one reception in Week 2 and again in Week 4).

On Monday, Jackson showed both impact potential and consistency, while appearing to establish himself as Washington's go-to receiver of the foreseeable future. 

As he continues to grow and learn to operate in the Redskins offense, Jackson should start having these types of games with more frequency.

Hopefully this happens sooner rather than later, because the 1-4 Redskins face a critical upcoming stretch. Washington faces three NFC opponents (Arizona Cardinals in Week 6 and Minnesota Vikings in Week 9) in the four weeks leading up to its bye, including the division-rival Dallas Cowboys in Week 8.

The good news is that both the Cowboys (ranked 18th, allowing 247.8 passing yards per game) and Cardinals (ranked 31st, 302.5 yards per game) reside in the bottom half of the league in pass defense. This means that Jackson, and Washington, should have at at least a couple of favorable matchups.

Of course, Jackson proved on Monday night that even the toughest matchups can't keep a capable receiver down for long.