Akiem Hicks, Eddie Jackson Make PFF Top 60, for Better or Worse

The top 50 list of players in the NFL for Pro Football Focus came out last week and this week the analytical football website released an addendum.

It's a list of players who just missed and the Bears should feel honored because they apparently have three players in the top 60 according to PFF, which Bears fans like to point out has had a habit of finding ways to discredit their team over the last year.

The Bears had only Khalil Mack on the top 50 at 18th, but making a top 50 list is rather elite company.

Anyone making such a list or even a one of players who "just missed" is receiving a huge compliment.

Both Akiem Hicks and Eddie Jackson made it onto the PFF list of those who just missed. Considering Hicks sat out most of last season and Jackson didn't have a great interception season like in 2018 really is a compliment.

It's even more so when they were grouped in with Aaron Rodgers, who didn't make the top 50 somehow, and was in the next 10.

PFF referred to Hicks' 2018 season as "the best of his career, and he reached a truly elite level of play."

PFF had less positive to say about Jackson, only pointing out he "...strung together a run of phenomenal play in 2018 and won PFF’s award for the best coverage player at any position."

Then they set about trashing both Hicks and Jackson.

The article compared Jackson to Tennessee safety Kevin Byard, pointing out he missed the top 50 because his effort in 2019 earned only a 66.8 mark on their super secret scoring system and it was only above average, then adding he has really only had one good year and if they had to bet on which Jackson we'll see this year they believe it's more likely it will be a solid one but not the one from 2018.

With Hicks, PFF went into the usual song and dance about the grading system they use showing Hicks just had a phenomenal 2018, too, but said that it was an outlier.

If you're going to put both Jackson and Hicks on a top 60 list then say their best seasons were outliers and that they're not really so good, then why include them on the list at all?

This wasn't just more Bears whining. Packers linebacker Za'Darius Smith was in with the near misses, as was Vikings linebacker Eric Kendricks. In both cases, PFF did exactly the same thing, giving them a quick pat on the back and then a kick in the rear.

So at least they're consistently two-faced.

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