Jackson the weapon Eagles were missing
PHILADELPHIA >> The Eagles found another way to win Sunday. And it was interesting because it’s not often that an opponent gets the first three scores and the last score and still loses the game.
But that’s what happened Sunday at Lincoln Financial Field. Welcome to DeSean Jackson’s world.
The Eagles escaped with a 3227 victory over the Washington Redskins, who constructed a 17-0 lead, were ahead, 20-7 at the intermission and actually looked like they’d solved their starting quarterback problem with Case Keenum, the human turnover on his last trip to the Linc.
Ultimately the Redskins merely discovered another way to lose. DeSean Jackson all but predicted it.
Jackson wasn’t bashing Redskins’ players or coaches when he told his teammates they had their opponent right where they wanted them at the intermission. He knows the chronic adversity the Skins deal with. He knows what they’re capable of.
“We started off slow and struggled but not one minute of that game did I think we weren’t going to win that game,” Jackson said. “I just kept stressing to the boys when we went in that locker room, ‘I’ve been over there before in that locker room and I just know how they are.’ I just stressed to my teammates that I felt at halftime they probably thought they had the game sealed and won. I just said it’s a one-play mentality.
“And we came out in the second half and as you saw, we scored and just had a lot of momentum the rest of the game.”
Jackson played almost no part in the Eagles’ 12play, 75-yard touchdown drive consuming the first seven minutes of the second half. But his presence was felt. The Redskins were worried he’d gash them for another 51-yard scoring pass, just as he’d done to get the Eagles on the board in the first half. They were right about that. It just didn’t happen on that macho Eagles drive in 79-degree heat that left the Redskins defense sucking air.
With the visiting safeties backing up, running backs Darren Sproles and rookie Miles Sanders ripped the Redskins for 44 yards on back-to-back-to-back carries. Just like that, the Eagles were inside the 5-yard line of the Redskins.
After Carson Wentz lasered a five-yard touchdown to Alshon Jeffery, it was a matter of how much the Eagles would win their fifth straight over the Redskins, as well as their fourth straight opener under Doug Pederson who, by the way, had a really questionable first half.
Pederson basically took points off the board by failing on fourth-and-two at the 29-yard line of the Redskins. And late in the half he took a timeout that benefited the Redskins, who got a late field goal.
It didn’t matter. Jeffery’s score got the Birds within 20-14 and set the stage for Wentz to find his new favorite receiver again.
Bam, Jackson outran Quinton Dunbar for a 53yard score, giving the Eagles the lead for good.
“To have him out here, creating the dynamic element that he does for our offense – to do that at home – I know that means a lot for him,” Wentz said. “And for this team. To get us going the way he did was huge for us.”
The Redskins aren’t equipped to play catch-up. Their last tally came with just four seconds left. Luckily for the Eagles, the Redskins were offside on the ensuing onside kick. It was a merciful end.
It was just one game. It’s obvious the Eagles have more holes than they wanted anyone to know about. The pass rush needs work. There’s no way the defense is going to force turnovers without putting more pressure on the passer. Keenum finished with three TD passes and no turnovers. Oddly enough, there were no turnovers by either team on this given Sunday.
Though Wentz threw for 313 yards and three scores, it took the Eagles forever to involve tight end Zach Ertz.
But the super-good news is that Wentz was sacked just once, and it was kind of a bogus drop. He threw the ball away a small handful of times when there wasn’t a play to be made. The Redskins didn’t rock him once.
Impressive for an offensive line where Lane Johnson (knee) played hurt at right tackle and right guard Brandon Brooks, who was coming off Achilles’ tendon surgery, played into the fourth quarter before letting Halapoulivaati Vaitai finish.
But back to Jackson, who expressed how happy he was to be back with the Eagles and to be back at the Linc. Jackson opened eyes when he said he wasn’t the intended receiver on his first TD. He was running a clear out. The ball was supposed to go to Jeffery.
“But their coverage was in and out,” Jackson said. “Josh Norman was outside, I was inside the slot and he was supposed to be guarding Alshon but when I went, he took me.”
That stuff happens all the time. It’s what you do with it. The Eagles ran with it. They beat the Redskins. It could have gone the other way.
The Eagles needed this. Wentz needed this. Jackson needed this.
“I feel like he had a great game,” Jackson said of Wentz. “Once again, this is his show. He’s driving the car. It’s good to have a quarterback that has the confidence that at any given time, with the playmakers we have in this offense, he can come to the line of scrimmage and basically call whatever he wants, because the players we have in our huddle. We’re just very confident we can all get it done regardless of who it is.”
Wentz might be driving the car but for now, it’s DJax’s show.