Cedar Rapids Titans’ Xzavie Jackson, Jermiah Price wreaking havoc on IFL offenses

CEDAR RAPIDS – One delivers the power while the other brings the speed.

Put the two together, and the Cedar Rapids Titans again have the most formidable defensive line tandem in the Indoor Football League.

Veterans Xzavie Jackson and Jermiah Price are back for another season together and are already in midseason form. Through two games, Jackson has collected four sacks and a touchdown-scoring end zone interception, while Price registered 11 tackles and three sacks.

The disruptive duo will chase defending IFL MVP Jameel Sewell and the Nebraska Danger (1-0) in a 7:05 p.m. game Friday at the U.S. Cellular Center.

'We work hard in practice giving each other ideas,' Jackson said. 'Against offensive lineman, they don't know who they're going to get. Then we flip and they have JP running around them and then I give them the power.'

Jackson, 31, is the only player to have been with the Titans since the birth of the franchise in 2012. Despite recording 11 ½ sacks and being named to the all-IFL first team defense for the third time in six years, Jackson was convinced 2015 was his final season.

'I was done after last year,' Jackson said. 'But I talked to some of my teammates in the offseason and talked to a couple of the coaches, prayed on it and asked God to give me guidance. … I still love the game, so I came back to give it another whirl. I can't go out without the ring and He said this is the opportunity that you have. This might be your year.'

Jackson's decision was also affected by a new league rule which limits IFL teams to no more than seven players on the roster with more than three years of professional football experience. Throw in the fact that Jackson and Price rank 1-2 in IFL history with 62 and 43 career sacks, respectively, and it was a given that two of the seven veteran slots would be theirs if they wanted.

Price, 28, is the reigning league defensive player of the year after leading the IFL in sacks (12 ½), tackles for loss (24), forced fumbles (4) and recoveries (5).

'If you key in on me or you key in on him, either way you look at it you're leaving out somebody,' Price said. 'You go ahead. You pick and choose who you want to do what with.'

Cedar Rapids is 1-1 following a dominant performance in the home opener against Green Bay and a narrow loss at five-time league champion Sioux Falls.

l Comments: douglas.miles@thegazette.com