want to go back to bingo. Or, better yet, he might want to apply for a
job as the Philadelphia Eagles' play caller — it's a much easier job
with someone such as DeSean Jackson on your side.
Jackson scored on a 67-yard reverse
and caught a 57-yard touchdown pass in the first half, and the Eagles
converted three turnovers into points Monday night in a 27-17 win over
the Washington Redskins.
Nearly all the scoring came in the
first half of an injury-filled game — Philadelphia's Brian Westbrook
(concussion) and Washington's Chris Cooley (right ankle) left early and
didn't return. The win got the Eagles (4-2) back to form after last
week's jarring loss to the Oakland Raiders.
Donovan McNabb completed 15 of 25
passes for 156 yards, getting his 200th touchdown pass and surpassing
30,000 yards passing for his career. The defense sacked Jason Campbell
six times, and newcomer Will Witherspoon ran back an interception for a
touchdown and created another turnover even though he's been with the
team for only a week.
Offensive consultant Lewis has been
with the Redskins (2-5) for only three weeks after being lured out of a
retirement consisting of bingo-calling and Meals on Wheels — and his
first try at calling the plays proved as unsuccessful as when head
coach Jim Zorn was handling the task.
Zorn was stripped of the duty by the
front office after last week's loss to Kansas City, causing so much
consternation that the front office then felt the need to announce that
Zorn won't be fired anytime soon.
It made no difference. The makeshift
offensive line again failed to protect Campbell or create room for
Clinton Portis, who rushed for only 43 yards and at one point chucked
his helmet on the sideline in frustration.
Campbell finished 29 for 43 for 284
yards and two touchdowns for the Redskins, who have yet to score more
than 17 points in a game this season. Campbell threw his seventh
interception of the season, one more than he had all last season.
Washington trailed 27-10 at halftime,
and Campbell's consolation touchdown pass to Fred Davis in the final
two minutes was the only scoring in the second half.
Jackson scored his first touchdown
on the fourth play from scrimmage, scampering down the left sideline
untouched almost all the way thanks in part to downfield blocking from
Jeremy Maclin. It was the longest Philadelphia run of the season by far
— the team's previous best was 25 yards.
Jackson got his second score when he
put on a double move on Carlos Rogers and got wide open down the left
side, turning a third-and-22 at the Philadelphia 43 into six points in
the final two minutes of the first half.
Jackson also had a 29-yard punt return and played the second half with a right foot injury that required X-rays at halftime.
Witherspoon, acquired in a trade
with the St. Louis Rams on Tuesday, started at middle linebacker
because of Omar Gaither's season-ending foot injury. The new guy
returned an interception 9 yards for a touchdown and knocked the ball
away from Campbell for a fumble that set up a field goal. Safety
Quintin Mikell helped with both turnovers, blitzing to tip the pass
that Witherspoon picked off, and recovering the fumble after Campbell
was stripped.
No fewer than seven injuries were
announced during the game. Some were minor, but both teams lost a major
offensive cog early on.
Westbrook was hurt when his helmet
collided with linebacker London Fletcher's right knee at the end of a
5-yard run. The running back remained on the ground for several minutes
before he was helped up and led off the field directly to the locker
room.
Cooley, who caught passes on the
Redskins' first two offensive plays, was hurt on the first play of the
second quarter. He walked to the sideline, but was later carted off to
the locker room.