{"id":135884,"date":"2022-10-10T12:00:47","date_gmt":"2022-10-10T16:00:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/?p=135884"},"modified":"2022-11-21T13:08:53","modified_gmt":"2022-11-21T18:08:53","slug":"bears-eddie-jackson-jaylon-johnson-return","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/nfl\/2022\/10\/10\/bears-eddie-jackson-jaylon-johnson-return\/","title":{"rendered":"Eddie Jackson Says Reinforcements Coming for Bears’ Beleaguered Defense"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Chicago Bears fought valiantly against the Minnesota Vikings in Week 5. They rallied from a 21-3 deficit to take a 22-21 lead in the fourth quarter. Unfortunately, their efforts fell short. A late touchdown drive by Minnesota was met with an untimely mental error from wide receiver Ihmir Smith-Marsette<\/a>, who was claimed off waivers from Minnesota in early September.<\/p>\n

But even before that, the Bears were only able to get back into the game after solving the riddle to Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson. The third-year man out of LSU racked up 12 catches on 13 targets for 154 yards.<\/p>\n

He was held scoreless on the day. But the Bears’ defense was cut up in the first half. It then allowed Kirk Cousins to throw for 57 of his 79 second-half passing yards on that touchdown drive.<\/p>\n

The Bears came into the game short-handed in the secondary again. Cornerback Jaylon Johnson<\/a> remained out with a quad injury suffered in Week 2. After Sunday\u2019s loss, Bears safety Eddie Jackson<\/a> \u2013 who finished with eight solo tackles \u2013 spoke with the media in the locker room. He said Johnson\u2019s return is imminent.<\/p>\n

Bears S Eddie Jackson Says Jaylon Johnson Will Return vs WAS<\/h2>\n

Eddie Jackson Breaks News<\/h3>\n

\u201cWhen you have a guy like that out you miss him every game \u2013 week in, week out. You know what Jaylon can do. He shut down any No. 1 receiver, easy. So, just trying to get him healthy, get him back, it\u2019s going to help us out. But it\u2019s always that \u2018next man up\u2019 mentality. We got a lot of young guys that got to step up and continue to learn. When a guy like Jaylon is out, it\u2019s always tough but happy to get him back next week, for sure.\u201d<\/p>\n

It\u2019s hard to quantify how strong Johnson is in coverage this season. The two games he\u2019s played have come in a deluge at Soldier Field against the San Francisco 49ers in the opener and then against Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers who avoided him most of Week 2.<\/p>\n

On the season, he has been targeted just four times allowing two receptions for 28 yards and a 72.8 quarterback rating. But last season, as the defense was collapsing around him, Johnson allowed 59.7% completion in his coverage. He was one of 14 corners<\/a> to hold opposing passers below 60% and just 0.5% worse than Los Angeles Rams corner Jalen Ramsey.<\/p>\n

\n

I thought Jaylon Johnson looked good in pregame yesterday, but, I was told later that he was never going to play in the Minnesota game. (quad injury). We\u2019ll see about Thursday against Washington. Bears will barely practice this week.<\/p>\n

— Mark Grote (@markgrotesports) October 10, 2022<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n