'Savage mode, Savage Mindset' - Bengals Rookie McKinnley Jackson Embracing New Role

The Bengals took Jackson in the third round of the 2024 NFL Draft.

Cincinnati Bengals defensive tackle McKinnley Jackson (93) celebrates after the New York Giants missed their first of two second half field goals, Sunday, October 13, 2024, in East Rutherford. / Kevin Wexler-NorthJersey.com / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Bengals find themselves in an interesting position with the Denver Broncos falling to the Chargers on Thursday night 34-27. There’s a slim chance that Cincinnati could sneak into the playoffs, but that's dependent on the Bengals winning their final three games, starting with Sunday's matchup vs the Browns.

Dorian Thompson-Robinson will start at quarterback this week with Jameis Winston moving to the bench. 

The Bengals played the Browns in Week 7. They saw Thompson-Robinson and Winston after Deshaun Watson went down with a torn Achilles.

Sheldon Rankins healthy back then, but he hasn’t taken a snap since October due to a serious illness.

Once expected to come in as rotational player, McKinnley Jackson has taken on a bigger role as a rookie.

“Being here, getting more playing time, helping contribute to team wins, making big plays for us to get points on the board, honestly," Jackson said. "Anytime we get a win it makes me happy, nothing else really matters.

Last week in Tennessee was Jackson’s best game of the year when he finished with an 87.5 overall grade according to Pro Football Focus.

“Naturally be twitchy and get a quick first step and easily get in the backfield but at the end of the day I have to earn that right to do that,” Jackson said. “I feel like I’ve been doing my job well enough to play with some freedom and the leverage I play with.”

Freedom and leverage are hot commodities for a Cincinnati defensive line that continues to see its starting defensive lineman struggling to stay on the field outside of Trey Hendrickson.

Rookies typically come with growing pains as they figure out their way through the NFL, it's especially noticeable if they’re expected to start. Now that Jackson feels more comfortable he’s starting to have a little bit more fun.

“It’s ruthless,” Jackson said. “You can legally hit a man’s mouth and get away with it so I feel like it’s funner because you’re not taking as much beating as an O-lineman is. They’re more the resistance we more the force so I feel like that’s fun just you know pouncing someone and not going to jail for it, sack a quarterback late, pushing the running back down when I make a tackle and get away with it.”

Causing chaos for the opposing team in the backfield is one of the best parts of the game according to Jackson. 

“That savage mode, savage mindset, always ready to go,” Jackson said. “When I wake up in the morning, my pee is hot, so it’s just something you can’t teach. I don’t wait on nothing. Once you waiting on something, another man already got it so I can’t wait on nothing, I’m going to go get it, take every opportunity that comes to me and take my chances with it, what’s the worst that can happen?”

Some may argue that some of the worst has already happened to the Bengals as a whole as their quarterback, Joe Burrow lights up every stadium he sets foot in while his team struggles to string wins together. 

A win in wWeek 16 would give the Bengals their first 3-game win streak of the season. 

For Jackson, it doesn’t matter who is under center, as long as he and his teammates do their jobs, he feels they’ll be OK. 

“It starts with the quarterback, but I feel like the opponent is faceless,” Jackson said. “We are in the NFL, everyone is talented, everyone is good. I give Dorian his credit, I give anyone his credit, so it's just doing my job, us doing our jobs as a collective, and just getting a win.”

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