William Jackson III and the Cincinnati Bengals’ defense were prepared to face Jameis Winston. They were so prepared for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback in Week 8 in 2018 that before the third quarter ended, he had thrown his fourth interception and took his fifth sack while going 18-for-35 for 276 yards and one touchdown.
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Bucs coach Dirk Koetter looked up at the 34-16 deficit on the scoreboard with 2:10 left in the third quarter and turned to Ryan Fitzpatrick. Winston’s fourth interception was returned for a touchdown, and Koetter asked the wily veteran to bring the team back.
That’s when Jackson noticed the game shifting in favor of Tampa Bay. Fitzpatrick began wheeling and dealing, getting the ball to whoever gave him even a crevice throw into. Not only did Fitzpatrick play fearlessly, Jackson said, but he also played as if he knew exactly what was coming — and he was comfortable, too.
Fitzpatrick’s play over those final minutes left Jackson with only one question.
“I was just wondering why this guy wasn’t starting. It just didn’t make sense,” Jackson said Friday. “He looked very comfortable in the pocket, I should say. … We prepared for the other quarterback that had started. When he came in, he just gave a different type of dynamic. He was smart. He knew every defense we were in. He just drove the ball down the field with ease.”
Jackson hopes to see that out of Fitzgerald again — only now, they’ll be teammates. Washington’s first two big additions of the free-agent period, with Fitzpatrick signing for one year and Jackson for three, are interlinked thanks to two memorable high-scoring games, in back-to-back seasons, in which Fitzpatrick played extraordinarily well.
“My style of play, I’m going to give my guys chances,” Fitzpatrick said Thursday. “I’m going to throw the ball down the field.”
Fitzpatrick’s first dropback in that 2018 game began with a fumbled snap that he was able to corral before he avoided pressure and delivered a 12-yard strike to Mike Evans along the sideline. The quarterback then targeted Jackson on his second completion, finding Chris Godwin over the middle for a 20-yard gain to end the third quarter.
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He pulled the Bucs to within 34-26, then tested Jackson again. The first touchdown the Bucs scored that afternoon was on a 60-yard pass from Winston to DeSean Jackson with William Jackson III in coverage. So, back to the speedy wide receiver Fitzpatrick went. The cornerback had none of it, staying with DeSean Jackson and batting the ball away.
“He’s a great quarterback,” Jackson said. “He’s one of the guys that has no fear. He has no fear. He challenged me. He challenged everybody. He’s a guy that brings swagger to the team.”
The Bucs tied the score at 34 with 1:05 left, only to lose when the Bengals made a field goal as time expired. Fitzpatrick, in slightly more than a quarter, finished 11-for-15 for 194 yards and two touchdowns.
A season later, Fitzpatrick, then with the Dolphins, duked it out with the Bengals in another thrilling game. Miami won 38-35 in overtime thanks to Fitzpatrick’s 419 yards, four touchdown passes and only one interception on 31-of-52 passing. Five players had catches for 25 or more yards, and Fitzpatrick found three players for touchdowns in that overtime win.
Now, in Washington, they’re both looking to continue to prove themselves.
“I’m excited to work with him,” Jackson said. “I’m excited for him to be one of the quarterbacks. He’s a guy that knows how to win. He’s not scared to throw his nose in there, too, to get the first down.”
The only assurance Fitzpatrick wanted from Washington before signing was to have a chance to play. Despite spending much of last season as Tua Tagovailoa’s backup, Fitzpatrick, going into his 17th season, believes he’s playing at his best.
“That was the No. 1 thing that I was looking for … just a chance,” Fitzpatrick said. “That’s all I’ve asked for my whole career. I just want a chance to have the opportunity to compete. I probably have too much confidence in myself, but that’s just something that I’ve always had and something that’s been a huge advantage for me that’s allowed me to stick around for as long as I have is I have the ultimate belief in myself, and I feel like whatever situation I’m put in, if I have a chance to compete, that’s all I want, and so I’m excited for the opportunity.”
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Jackson, after missing his entire rookie season with torn pectoral muscles, introduced himself to the league in 2017 by allowing only 10 catches and no touchdowns on 41 targets, according to NFL Next Gen Stats. He also recorded 13 pass deflections that season. Last season, he had a 57.9 completion percentage as the nearest defender and, working outside the formation, had a 56.1 completion percentage.
One of Jackson’s main appeals of joining Washington is working with coach Ron Rivera and defensive coordinator Jack Del Rio to further develop his game. There’s also Washington’s vaunted defensive line, which Jackson hopes will allow him a chance to make more plays, and along with Kendall Fuller, Washington now has two cornerbacks who will suffocate receivers and challenge quarterbacks.
Through 59 games and 48 starts, Jackson has logged only three interceptions, and some viewed that as a knock against him.
Jackson disagreed. And if anyone would know, it’s Fitzpatrick.
“I just tell them to watch the tape,” Jackson said with a smile. “I wasn’t getting thrown at a whole lot. I wasn’t the guy that was getting picked on. I’m assuming that’s a good thing I’ve only got three because I wasn’t a guy that was getting picked on. I was a guy that’s going to get the job done. When you’re covering guys up, you don’t get many picks.”
(Photo of Mike Evans and William Jackson III in 2018: John Grieshop / Getty Images)