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How D’Marco Jackson, Amen Ogbongbemiga kept Bears’ defense afloat
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- How D’Marco Jackson, Amen Ogbongbemiga kept Bears’ defense afloat
CHICAGO — Carley Jackson could tell her husband was nervous about a big work project coming up Sunday, and decided to clear his plate and mind of outside stresses.
D'Marco Jackson primarily is a Bears special teams player, but he was asked to step up against the Pittsburgh Steelers and play every defensive snap at middle linebacker with T.J. Edwards , Tremaine Edmunds and Noah Sewell out. They put a green dot on Jackson's helmet and asked him to call plays. That task would mark his first NFL start and just his second time relaying calls.
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If he struggled mightily or didn't communicate well, the Bears could lose a winnable game at Soldier Field.
D'Marco's nerves were flaring up, and Carley could sense it.
"Huge shoutout to my wife," Jackson said. "She could tell I was anxious for this first start. We have a six-month-old, and for her to just say, 'I've got the baby at night' — she's starting to grow teeth, so you can imagine what that's like. She was waking up every hour with my daughter. Just the support that she had, and the belief that she had to take care of things at home because she knew I was going to be stepping up to a bigger task at work. The support from here was huge for me out there today."
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Jackson played free and clear, recording a game-high 15 tackles in a 31-28 win over the Steelers . In his two professional seasons before this, Jackson had 36 tackles, most of them on special teams. And he had his daughter with him after the game to celebrate.
In this massive moment, Jackson showed up. He worked hard to prepare for it. He had a full week of practice reps. He woke up early every morning and recited defensive play calls to himself over and again.
Then he went out and performed so well that Bears head coach Ben Johnson gave him a game ball .
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Jackson was quick to thank those around him, starting with his wife. He also emphasized how important it was to have so many players and coaches helping him watch film during the week and offer tips and suggestions on the sideline.
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That included Edwards and Edmunds, veterans who heavily invested in a group of reserve linebackers asked to play major roles.
"They didn't check out," Jackson said. "Even though they had an injury, they were trying to help out every single day. The didn't mind staying back extra. They didn't mind coming in early. Even on the sideline, they were right there telling me what they see out of me and how I could play it. They were a huge support, mentally, for me out there."
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While Jackson had a full week to prepare, fellow linebacker Amen Ogbongbemiga didn't have that luxury. He was expected to play much, if any defense in this game. Ruben Hyppolite II was expected to play weakside linebacker, but he was lost to a shoulder injury early in the game.
Enter Ogbongbemiga, who didn't receive practice reps with the first unit. That stung, especially with so many linebackers out this week.
[READ: Bears report card: Team grades in NFL Week 12 victory vs. Steelers ]
"As a competitor, that bothered me," Ogbongbemiga said. "I know what I'm capable of, and sometimes you just have to believe in yourself. That's what I did. I stayed locked in and just gave it my all. … I played like I was the starter this week. Again, I didn't get no reps, so being here (after a win) is such a blessing."
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Ogbongbemiga didn't just play. He roamed from sideline to sideline, making 14 tackles while still playing most every special-teams snap. The moment meant even more for a player who missed a chunk of the preseason with a knee injury and spent most of this Bears season on injured reserve.
Ogbongbemiga stepped in and played a solid game, partnering with Jackson to hold down the second level.
"D-Jack was our starting MIKE. He called that game. He was the green dot," Bears head coach Ben Johnson said. "I thought he did a great job. We thought Ruben was going to be our WILL linebacker, and he goes down with the injury early in the game, and Amen comes in, and he doesn't miss a beat for a guy who hasn't played a whole lot of football this year. That was encouraging to see."
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