But whether Jackson is the player he was before the injury remains to be seen. The production of the players Carey studied dropped by one third post-injury.
Getting game-ready
Twice a night, every night, Jackson gets into his recliner, elevates his knee above his heart, and slides a compression sleeve over it. For half an hour, he uses what's called "Game Ready," a device that simultaneously supplies intermittent compression with cold therapy.
Jackson credits that system and the Eagles' training staff, which scrapes the outside of his knee every other day to break down the scar tissue, with helping him get ready for Sunday. Still, he is reluctant to declare his rehab a success.
"I feel confident," said Jackson, who will wear a knee brace during games. "But I still haven't played a whole game, and I'll have to see how I hold up [through] four quarters of football."
Reid is taking a similar approach. He said Jackson's ability to play an entire game is "an unknown."
"I can't tell you that I'm not going to keep a close eye on him," Reid said. "I will do that."
He won't be the only one. Jackson's mother, Sadie Smith, will be in the Lincoln Financial Field stands, wearing her No. 67 Eagles jersey and keeping her fingers crossed.
"Sunday is going to be exciting," Smith said. "That's when I get jitters. It's like I've got to play. I'm trying to be confident. He's a big part of the team, and he loves the game and he loves his teammates. I just want him to be safe and strong."
Contact staff writer Ashley Fox at 215-854-5064 or afox@phillynews.com. Follow her on Twitter @AshleyMFox.
