DeSean Jackson must treat every game this season like he is a participant in “Hunger games.”

By BRIAN BALDINGER

Katniss Evergreen! You recall Katniss don’t you? She was the heroine of the movie “The Hunger Games.”

Played by Jennifer Lawrence, Katniss was in every scene and was the star in every scene. Moviegoers were mesmerized.

In “Silver Linings Playbook,” Jennifer Lawrence became a worldwide megastar.

So large that she clutched the esteemed Oscar Award as the year’s best actress.

In her role she upstaged sex symbol Bradley Cooper and usurped Robert De Niro in every scene she shared with them.

For Eagle fans, the de facto star of the film was DeSean Jackson.

The way movies sometimes mimic real life; the Eagles were the centerpiece to a middle class family in the throes of Lincoln Financial Field.

Just the way the Eagles have been every Sunday during every Autumn over the past 70 years.

Cooper favored the Jackson jersey throughout the movie proudly dispaying the No. 10 and the name Jackson on the back the way Eagle fans do.

In many ways, Jackson parallels the instant stardom of Lawrence.

DeSean bursts onto the NFL scene in 2008 and mesmerized us and a pigskin-crazed nation with his blinding speed the way Lawrence has with her beauty, grace, and presence.

But the shine on DeSean Jackson has been tainted over the past 2 1/2 seasons.

The denouement is clear cut. On October 17, 2010 while running a shallow cross in the middle of Lincoln Financial Field, Mike Vick floated a ball onto the outstretched fingertips of Jackson while simultaneously being struck by the Falcons Dunta Robinson with the force of a mack truck.

I was announcing the game that day for a nationwide radio audience and their was a collective hush that followed from the sold-out crowd as Jackson lay motionless for what seemed like an eternity.

It was a frightening moment for everyone there and for anyone who has ever played the violent game for football.

Eventually, Jackson would be helped off the field. Cheers cascaded from the heavens when he was able to move his limbs. Instant relief. The star would be okay.

I saw Jackson the following day. Somewhat disoriented, as expected, and dressed in long shorts, sandals and hoodie, Jackson was in search of lunch at Wegman’s Supermarket.

I was on the same mission when I stopped to talk to DeSean. With a faint smile he talked about the hit and how he was feeling. He would miss a few days but assured me that he would return soon and all would be copacetic.

We are still waiting for the return.

He hasn’t stolen the show the way Katniss stole her show.
Outside of one miraculous fourth-quarter in the Meadowlands, (recently voted by fans as the greatest play in the history of the NFL in poll conducted by the NFL Network) the action has been removed from Jackson.

And the numbers support the fact. In the 34 games since that frightful afternoon against the Falcons, Jackson has found the end zone nine times.

In comparison, Victor Cruz has found it 20 times including one Salsa dance in the end zone during the Super Bowl victory over the span of the same 34 games.

More disappointing is that the Eagles are a woeful 18-25 as a team over that span

For all of Jackson’s early success an anomaly still exists. In his five years in the league he has yet to ever record two or more TD catches in any game.

In comparison, Anquan Boldin has accomplished that feat 12 times thus far in his career.

I purposely contrasted Jackson with Cruz and Boldin because the they have never been classified as Diva’s; never been sent home on game day for disciplinary reasons, never short-armed a ball in the end zone with the game on the line, and most of all, they have never been questioned about giving full effort.

All of the above have been pinned on Jackson. There is no need for D-Jack to wipe the hate from my computer screen off of his chest. He adroitly put those charges on there himself.

In his defense, the West Coast System did not fit his skill set. In my many short conversations with DeSean about the routes he was asked to run I must admit that they never used his prowess to his advantage.

Where were the 10- to 14-yard comeback routes? Where were the hitch screens. How could they not get him the ball on opening drives?

Without question the most feared player every week vs the Eagles was the cornerback opposite Jackson the games first play. Sometimes they would begin their backpedal before the snap and oftentimes they were not even in the picture. No cornerback has amnesia when toasted for six to start a game. That sin stays inside a CB’s head for the rest of the game

Much has been speculated on what Chip Kelley’s offense is going to look like. Early comparisons have been made between D-Jack and Oregon’s explosive playmaker, D’anthony Thomas. While both are 5-foot-10 with the body fat of a hummingbird, and with blinding speed it is wrong to further the comparisons. D-AT is a running back who triples as a receiver and a returner. D-jack is a receiver who hopefully will double as a returner.

But I do firmly believe that the most important player on the Eagles roster is Jackson. If he regains the explosive form that leads to 20 yards a catch, combined with at least 10 TD’s and a career best 70-plus catches then I don’t think it will matter who the quarterback is or what defense they run or even who the number one draft choice might be. With the TNT ability of Jackson the Eagles will be a hard offense to slow down.

In “Silver Linings Playbook” De Niro says, “that Jackson laid the ball on the one-yard line before he ever crossed the goal line…can you believe that?” We all remember that ill-fated play vs the Cowboys.

DeSean has chance to do his own “Green and Silver Lining” this season. It’s a playbook of new beginnings. He can erase 2 1/2 season of bad memories.

He can once again steal the 2013 Philadelphia Eagle Season. Chip will do his part. Can DeSean do his part for the starving Eagle fan base that wants so desperately to clutch the Vincent T. Lombardi Trophy the way Katniss walked off the Oscar stage clutching her statue naming her the years best actress?

I can’t wait for the fireworks to begin!

Brian Baldinger played offensive line for 13 season in the NFL for the Dallas Cowboys, Indianapolis Colts and the Eagles. He is an analyst for the NFL Network, FOX college football and The Fanatic in Philadelphia.•