Chargers bench J.C. Jackson on Monday Night Football

BOSTON -- J.C. Jackson departed New England this past spring, signing with the Chargers as a big-ticket -- and big-money -- free agent.

But the cornerback got off to a rough start, missing two of the team's first three games. And on Monday night, with the whole country watching, Jackson ended up getting outright benched due to his poor play.

"It just wasn't good enough in the first half," Chargers coach Brandon Staley said after his team eked out a 19-16 overtime win over the Broncos. "We felt like we needed to make a change."

Jackson's night got off to a tough start, as he was flagged for pass interference on a third-and-14 incompletion on the Broncos' opening possession, giving Denver new life en route to a field goal drive.

On the Broncos' second possession, Jackson had Cover 3 responsibility but got sucked into the middle of the field chasing KJ Hamler. That left Greg Dulcich wide open for a 39-yard touhdown.

Then before halftime, Jackson got beaten by Hamler on a deep route, allowing Russell Wilson to hit his receiver for 47 yards.

The Broncos would use that big gain to tack on a field goal to go up 13-10 before halftime.

Staley confirmed after the game that both plays were Jackson's fault, which factored into his decision to play Mike Davis over Jackson in the second half.

The coach was pleased with the way his decision worked out, too.

"Yeah, I thought Mike gave us a chance in the second half. Like the way he played," Staley said. "He was ready. I'm proud of him. Proud of his teammates for helping him along, his coaches."

Jackson signed a five-year, $82.5 million contract with the Chargers, a deal that includes $40 million of fully guaranteed money. An undrafted rookie with the Patriots in 2018, Jackson recorded 25 interceptions from 2018-21, more than anyone else in the NFL. He was a Pro Bowler and a Second Team All-Pro last year, when he picked off eight passes and led the league with 23 pass defenses. 

Jackson underwent surgery in the summer to remove an extra bone in his ankle, which led to him missing two of the first three games of the season. In four games for the Chargers, he has just one pass defense, with no interceptions.

Obviously, the Chargers had good reason to go after him in free agency to bolster their secondary. In time, it may get ironed out. But there's no denying that the start of Jackson's Chargers career has been rather rocky to say the least.