That first three-and-out put a bit of pressure, literally and figuratively, on the Packers offense and energized the entire home sideline. The Bears followed with a scoring drive on their next series, which was capped off by Cairo Santos’ 34-yard field goal.
“We knew that we needed to get the ball back in the offense’s hands, and we knew they were gonna make plays and get points on the board,” Jackson said. “But also with our supporters in the stands, when you get that three-and-out, and you hear the crowd ramping up, it just kind of feeds you. It feeds me as a player.
“I love when it gets loud, they’re trying to check, so it makes it more visible to us what they’re trying to do. So it’s a real thing with that crowd effect.”
That first three-and-out itself was huge, but the nature of that possession — with different players making an impact on each of the three plays — enhanced the group’s belief in one another.
“When I had that TFL, it created a spark in me personally,” Jackson said. “And when other guys make big plays, I get ramped up for them, like, let’s go. Then for me, when I make a play, it’s that same thing throughout the defense. But it was really just getting pressure on the QB and not let him sit back there and have all the time in the world to throw the ball.”
Jackson, who played an integral role in the defense’s second-half success, came into the game not having taken middle linebacker reps in practice the week prior. But when T.J. Edwards suffered an injury early in the second quarter, Jackson took over as the defensive play caller.
Assuming play-calling responsibilities on short notice has been Jackson’s calling card since Week 11, when the linebacking corps was riddled with injuries and the third-year pro stepped up in his first career start, recording a career-high 15 tackles in a 31-28 win over Pittsburgh.
On the biggest stage of his career to date, Jackson — who was drafted by Allen and the Saints in 2023 — once again showed up prepared for the moment.
“He’s been a part of the system for a long time,” Allen said. “And I think he’s done a great job taking advantage of the opportunities that he’s been given. We’ve used him in multiple different roles, as a Mike linebacker, as a Sam linebacker, and he just goes in there and does a really good job of executing his responsibility.
“But I do think the fact that he’s been in the system and understands what we’re trying to get accomplished is beneficial for our whole team, just in terms of the communication.”
