Chicago Bears cornerback Jaylon Johnson took a minute to contemplate the query: Does he consider he has had a Pro Bowl-level season in 2022?
As a beginning cornerback with zero interceptions on a 3-10 workforce with a protection that ranks thirty first in passing yards allowed per play, twentieth in complete yards and tied for twelfth in takeaways, Johnson doesn’t have a momentum-surging marketing campaign sturdy sufficient to solicit an invitation to Las Vegas for the newfangled Pro Bowl week in February.
But the question wasn’t with out advantage. On Sunday, after the Green Bay Packers beat the Bears 28-19 at Soldier Field, Aaron Rodgers labeled Johnson “a premier player,” echoing reward he had given to the third-year cornerback within the week main as much as the sport. That’s a major and honest endorsement from a four-time MVP who now has confronted Johnson six instances.
“I would just say it’s confirmation of what I believe in myself,” Johnson stated. “(Having) somebody else being a believer in that, I feel like that’s not something gets thrown around lightly from him.”
Johnson believes he has earned Rodgers’ respect ever since he was a rookie, willingly attacking his battles in 2020 and 2021 towards All-Pro receiver Davante Adams and taking part in with the form of consistency and aggressiveness in protection that has compelled the Packers offense to regulate to him.
But what in regards to the Pro Bowl? Does Johnson consider he delivered that form of efficiency?
“No,” he stated, “just in the fact that I feel like the Pro Bowl comes from popularity. And I feel like popularity comes from making highlight plays. I wouldn’t feel like I have had enough highlight plays to be able to say, ‘I’m a Pro Bowl-caliber player’ or ‘I deserve (to be in) the Pro Bowl.’ Do I think I’m a Pro Bowl-caliber player? Hell, yeah. But I feel like that comes with the picks.”
In three seasons, Johnson solely has one interception, in Week 2 of final season when he stole a Joe Burrow go to Tee Higginsin the fourth quarter of a 20-17 victory towards the Cincinnati Bengals.
This season he has been credited with 4 passes defensed in 10 begins.
While opposing quarterbacks have been much more keen to problem the Bears’ others cornerbacks, Johnson nonetheless should climb a staircase to raise from stable to stud.
Of the Pro Bowl-caliber cornerbacks within the NFC, the Seattle Seahawks’ Tariq Woolen is tied for the NFL lead with six interceptions. The Packers’ Jaire Alexander has 5. And Dallas Cowboys star Trevon Diggs, taken one choose after Johnson within the 2020 draft, stays one of many league’s most harmful defensive backs, now as much as 17 interceptions in three seasons.
Others who determine to advantage consideration for a Pro Bowl invitation are the Philadelphia Eagles’ Darius Slay and James Bradberry, San Francisco’s 49ers’ Charvarius Ward and Minnesota’s Vikings’ Patrick Peterson.
Other than Alexander, all these gamers are on groups presently within the NFC playoff image.
Bears coach Matt Eberflus emphasised that extra statistical manufacturing — interceptions, deflections, tackles — is required from Johnson to fortify any Pro Bowl candidacy. Plus, the Bears’ ongoing struggles and 10 losses don’t assist.
“If you have a top unit, then your name starts to get tossed in there more as an individual,” Eberflus stated. “I believe that to be true — that you get more recognition when your unit plays really well.”
Beyond statistics, although, Johnson finds extra methods to measure his play. An instance? “The quote from Aaron Rodgers,” he stated. “I take pleasure in stuff like that. I play the sport with a number of pleasure and respect. Getting interceptions isn’t the one option to affect the sport, isn’t the one option to get respect, isn’t the one option to, as he stated, be a premier participant.
“Your peers validate you. Not the media. Not the outside people looking in. I feel like at the end of the day, (opponents) respect me coming into that game and they respect me leaving that game based on what I put on film and based on my abilities.”
Johnson is spending his bye week again dwelling in Fresno, Calif., reconnecting together with his 3-year-old daughter, Zaveah, and different kin and largely making an attempt to get a uncommon dose of December decompression — and to unplug from the soccer grind.
“The way I look at it is I can’t lose on the bye week,” Johnson quipped Monday. “Just go 1-0 this week. So I’m happy about that. I’m happy about winning something — being able to go back home, being off, relaxing, just gaining an edge mentally. … And then when I’m back, I’m back to business.”
The enterprise for Johnson and the Bears gained’t be straightforward after the week off. They end the 2022 portion of their schedule with two difficult dwelling video games towards Super Bowl contenders.
First up in Week 15: a date with MVP candidate Jalen Hurts and the Eagles, who will carry their high-powered offense and a receiving corps led by A.J. Brown and Devonta Smith to Soldier Field.
Then on Christmas Eve, Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen and receiver Stefon Diggs will cease in Chicago, actually in a cutthroat frame of mind as they proceed pursuing a playoff bye.
Those are two fairly tough exams.
“I can only take one at a time,” Johnson stated. “I don’t want to say I circle those games. But I just look forward to those matchups. A.J. Brown, Devonta Smith, Diggs, Gabe Davis (of the Bills). It’s those premier matchup guys. Like I’ve said from day one since I got in this building, that’s something I want.”
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Source: www.bostonherald.com