Titans' rookie Adoree Jackson has become a big asset for Tennessee this season for his speed and agility. Autumn Allison|USA TODAY NETWORK-Tennessee
Adoree’ Jackson heard plenty about the “rookie wall,” the idea that first-year NFL players, faced with a longer season than they’ve ever experienced, eventually will reach the point of exhaustion.
He just didn’t buy it.
“I’ve heard about it from a lot of different people, even when I got here,” Jackson said. “And I always say it’s like a myth. There’s no such thing as a rookie wall. I’ve seen something like 1,260 snaps, or whatever it was. It was a lot. And I feel fine, I guess.”
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The Titans’ rookie cornerback, the 18th overall pick in the draft, indeed played 1,260 snaps during the regular season, more than every other NFL player except Cardinals safety Tyrann Mathieu, who had just one more. Jackson played 1,017 defensive snaps, serves as the team’s primary returner on kicks and punts and occasionally lines up on offense. He was the only rookie corner in the league to start all 16 games.
Jackson’s NFL education continues with a master’s level class, when the Titans (10-7) face Tom Brady and the top-seeded Patriots (13-3) in an AFC divisional playoff game Saturday night (7:15 p.m. CT, CBS) in Foxborough, Mass. The Patriots' offense is No. 1 in total yards and No. 2 in points scored and passing yards.
“It’s a great experience,” Titans defensive coordinator Dick LeBeau said. “The further you go, the bigger the games are, and the more stout the competition is. In the National Football League, you’ve got to be good every week, and I think the more you see, the more you experience, pressure games ramp up a little bit toward the end of the year. It’ll help us all, because we have some young guys, and they’re growing.”
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Titans cornerback Logan Ryan, who won two Super Bowls with the Patriots, lauded Jackson’s versatility and development.
“There’s no other rookie in the league starting punt returner, kick returner, corner, been able to cover top guys in and out during the year, and play inside and outside,” Ryan said. “Nobody else has been asked to do that, so obviously he’s been under-recognized for all that, but that’s OK. There’s been a bunch of guys like that this year. He’s a huge part of what we do, and we need him to play well, and he knows that. But he’s got a good demeanor about him, and he’ll go about it with a good attitude.”
The Titans might play a decent amount of man coverage against Brady, who can pick apart a zone defense, and use a safety and linebacker to bracket tight end Rob Gronkowski, which could leave Jackson alone on the outside against wide receiver Brandin Cooks.
Cooks, a tremendous deep threat, finished the regular season with 65 catches for 1,082 yards and seven touchdowns.
Jackson will be prepared for the challenge.
“Adoree’ has not been – I don’t think he’s thought this game has been too big for him from the very beginning,” Titans coach Mike Mularkey said. “He’s gotten better. He’s gained a lot of confidence. Obviously he’s played a lot of plays, played the second-most plays in the NFL. I don’t think this is going to intimidate him, I really don’t. I haven’t seen anything that has yet.”
Reach Jason Wolf at jwolf@tennessean.com and follow him on Twitter @JasonWolf and on Instagram and Snapchat at TitansBeat.
DIVISIONAL PLAYOFFS
TITANS (10-7) at PATRIOTS (13-3)
When: 7:15 p.m. CT Saturday
TV/radio: CBS / 104.5-FM
Titans' rookie Adoree Jackson has become a big asset for Tennessee this season for his speed and agility. Autumn Allison|USA TODAY NETWORK-Tennessee
Titans quarterback Marcus Mariota said that as a young quarterback, Tom Brady is someone who he aspires to emulate. Autumn Allison|USA TODAY NETWORK-Tennessee
Titans coach Mike Mularkey and quarterback Marcus Mariota aren't in awe of New England's many Super Bowl titles as they prepare to head to the next round of the NFL playoffs at Foxborough. Autumn Allison / USA TODAY NETWORK-Tennessee
The Tennessee Titans will face the New England Patriots for the first time in the AFC playoffs since 2004. Wochit
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