PHILADELPHIA -- Eagles wide receiver DeSean Jackson said he and his teammates are "on to the next game," and he downplayed any speculation that he's unhappy with coach Andy Reid, his teammates or his diminished role in Philadelphia's offense.
Jackson, on pace for the fewest catches of his three NFL seasons, was visibly upset after Sunday's 31-26 loss in Chicago. He managed only two receptions for 26 yards and sat by himself at his locker for a long time afterward. He didn't speak with reporters.
Jackson also declined comment Monday as the Eagles (7-4), who share the NFC East lead with the New York Giants, began preparations for a home game Thursday night against Houston (5-6).
Subsequent reports indicated that Reid, who blasted the entire team in the locker room after the loss, singled out Jackson for criticism. The coach was upset with Jackson's approach to pregame preparations, according to those reports.
Reid has neither confirmed nor denied that.
"I'm not here to talk about any of that," Jackson said Tuesday when asked what Reid said after the game. "What we talk about in the locker room is between me and the team."
Jackson insisted he is on good terms with Reid, saying, "There's nothing to clear -- no air, none of that." He said the same goes for teammates and that he is unfazed by speculation to the contrary.
"People can say what they want and talk about what they want," he said. "I (couldn't) care less about any of that. I'm here to play football, go out there and win football games. If it doesn't have anything to do with that, I (couldn't) care less about that."
Jackson had 62 catches in each of his first two seasons, and last season he became the first player in NFL history to make the Pro Bowl at two positions: wide receiver and kick returner.
He has only 35 receptions this season, but is averaging 19.4 yards per catch -- second-best in the NFL -- and has five touchdown receptions. He also has a rushing TD.
His season high of seven receptions came against Indianapolis on Nov. 7. He has caught just nine balls in three games since then, though one of them went for an 88-yard touchdown on the Eagles' first offensive play against the Washington Redskins on Nov. 15.
Reid called Jackson "one of the elite players in the National Football League," but noted that opponents are well aware of that, too.
"Teams obviously calculate for that, and scheme for that," Reid said.
Increased defensive attention is "a part of football," Jackson said.
"I've got to go out there, keep working, do what I need to do to continue to be the kind of player I am."
The Bears in particular "did some things that were good," according to Jackson, dropping their safeties well off the line of scrimmage to take away the deep ball.
"For us to go out there and not to be able to win like we wanted to is obviously disappointing," Jackson said. "That's (neither) here nor there. We're on to the next one. We have Houston coming in, and that's what we're worried about."
The Texans are allowing 286.2 yards per game through the air, second-most in the league. Reid said no special effort will be made to get Jackson more involved in the offense Thursday. But the coach is sure Jackson will welcome any opportunity that comes his way.
"I love that he loves that ball," Reid said. "That's what I love. Man, he wants it now. He wants it in crunch time. There are a lot of guys who would climb under this table (where Reid was seated) in crunch time. He wants the ball. I'll take everything else. I love that part of it."
Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press
