Bill Belichick sums up J.C. Jackson’s success with a great quote originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston
Mr. INT was at it again Sunday.
Patriots cornerback J.C. Jackson recorded his team-leading seventh interception of the season in the fourth quarter of New England’s 36-13 blowout win over the Titans.
Jackson got a little help from veteran safety Devin McCourty, who tipped quarterback Ryan Tannehill‘s pass in the end zone before Jackson snagged it.
Jackson continues to be the Patriots’ most opportunistic defender, combining great hands with a knack for being in the right place at the right time. The result is a whopping 24 career interceptions for Jackson in 57 games, which puts him in rare NFL company.
From @ESPNStatsInfo: J.C. Jackson’s 24 career interceptions are tied for 3rd most by a player in his first 4 seasons since the 1970 merger.
— Mike Reiss (@MikeReiss) November 28, 2021
Patriots head coach Bill Belichick summed up Jackson’s abilities with a spot-on quote while describing McCourty’s tipped pass.
“It was a great play,” Belichick said in his postgame press conference. “Very similar to the play he had in the Cleveland game where he had tipped it and almost got it on the over-route.
” … Really kept it alive, and J.C., you leave any trash laying around, he’s going to pick it up.”
J.C. Jackson would ‘love’ to play with Patriots for ‘a long time’
Jackson is more than just a garbage collector, though. The 26-year-old has been thrown at 12 times in the last four games and has allowed just two complete passes with four interceptions.
New England’s resident ballhawk also forced a fumble Sunday, stripping Titans running back D’Onta Foreman to set up Jalen Mills’ recovery.
“See ball, get ball,” Jackson said in his postgame press conference. “He didn’t have good ball security, and as a defense we talk about creating turnovers every day.
“Every day we’re punching at the ball and catching picks, and what you do in practice is going to carry over in the game.”
Jackson is due for a steep raise after his one-year, $3.4 million contract expires at the end of the year, and if he keeps playing like this, that price tag will keep rising.