WASHINGTON // DeSean Jackson scored two big-play touchdowns in the first half as the Philadelphia Eagles eased to a 27-17 win over the struggling Washington Redskins on Monday. The wide receiver totalled 167 total yards and two touchdowns as the Eagles (4-2) overpowered the Redskins with an early blitz. Jackson scampered for a 67-yard touchdown on the game's first possession and also caught a 57-yard pass from Donovan McNabb two minutes before half-time.
"You just want to put the ball in his hands because he's explosive," said McNabb, who recorded his 200th career touchdown pass while reaching the 30,000-career passing yards milestone during the victory. "A couple of times I tried to force the ball to him. I think at the end [of the season] we might have the most complete team I've ever been a part of." Will Witherspoon, the newly- acquired linebacker picked up in a trade with the St Louis Rams last week, returned an interception nine yards to put the Eagles 14-0 up in the first quarter.
He also had a sack and forced fumble as the Eagles moved within half-a-game of the National Conference's East Division lead, while Washington slipped to 2-5 despite a change of guard. The Redskins, playing for the first time since their head coach Jim Zorn was stripped of play- calling duties, committed four turnovers in their third successive loss. Jason Campbell, the Redskins' quarterback who received his plays from Zorn's assistant Sherm Lewis, threw for 284 yards and two touchdowns, including a one-yard TD to Fred Davis to end the scoring with 1:38 to go.
The offensive consultant Lewis has been with the Redskins for only three weeks after being lured out of retirement and his first try at calling the plays proved to be as unsuccessful as Zorn. 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. Washington also had a first-and-goal with nine minutes remaining but fumbled the possession away.
In the first half, the Redskins capped an eight-play drive with Devin Thomas' two-yard touchdown run to make it 17-7 with eight minutes remaining in the first half. But a mishandled punt return led to one of David Akers' two field goals for Philadelphia, and Jackson's catch put Washington well behind, trailing 27-10 at the break. "I wish the game would've been closer earlier. We did some good things and finished some drives," said Zorn.
* Agencies
