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Link: http://www.redskins.com/gameday/default.jsp?gameId=76

Week 2:
Redskins 20, Eagles 12

Washington's strong start to the 2007 season continues--and now a national audience knows it.

The Redskins defeated the Philadelphia Eagles 20-12 on Monday Night Football at Lincoln Financial Field, using efficient passing and a hard-hitting defense to secure a critical NFC East win.

Washington's record improved to 2-0 on the season. The Redskins are now tied for first place in the NFC East with the Dallas Cowboys. The Eagles and New York Giants, next Sunday's opponent, are 0-2.

Chris Cooley caught a 16-yard touchdown pass from Jason Campbell, Clinton Portis scored on a 6-yard touchdown run and Shaun Suisham connected on two field goals to provide the scoring.

The Redskins' defense fended off a late Philadelphia rally. LaRon Landry broke up a fourth-down pass to wide receiver Kevin Curtis late in the fourth quarter to secure the win. Landry leveled a punishing hit on Curtis, who could not hold on to the ball.

The defense logged three sacks of quarterback Donovan McNabb. Rocky McIntosh had one sack to go along with his team-high nine tackles. Marcus Washington had a sack and Cornelius Griffin and Landry split the other sack.

Offensively, Campbell finished with 16-of-29 completions for 209 yards, with one touchdown and one interception. Santana Moss led the receivers with a six catches for 89 yards.

One key stat that also stood out: the Redskins' offense converted 8-of-15 third-down plays.

The win did not come without cost. The Redskins' offensive line, already missing right tackle Jon Jansen, suffered another blow when right guard Randy Thomas sustained a triceps injury in the first quarter. Thomas left the game and did not return. He was replaced by Jason Fabini.

Monday's game began like two boxers slugging it out. Both offenses managed some first downs early on, but for the most part it was defense that dominated.

Carlos Rogers tackled wide receiver Reggie Brown short of a first down to end one drive. Washington's sack of McNabb ended another drive.

Late in the first quarter, Campbell completed a deep pass to Santana Moss for 48 yards. Moss, in one-on-one coverage, hauled in the pass two steps ahead of cornerback Williams James before being forced out of bounds.

The big play set up a 35-yard field goal by Suisham and gave Washington a 3-0 lead at the end of the first quarter.

Philadelphia established running back Brian Westbrook on the ensuing drive. He picked up 27 yards to the Redskins' 13-yard line. The Redskins' defense stiffened, as McNabb's third-down pass to wide receiver Reggie Brown fell incomplete. The Eagles settled for a 24-yard field goal by David Akers.

Campbell's next pass, on the Redskins' subsequent offensive drive, was intercepted by James and returned to the Redskins' 39-yard line.

McNabb completed an 8-yard pass to Brown for a first down, but the Redskins' defense stopped the Eagles again, forcing them to settle for a 39-yard field goal by Akers.

Campbell showed he could run a successful two-minute drive late in the second quarter. One key play was a 20-yard scramble by Campbell down the right sideline.

Campbell then connected on a 17-yard pass to Antwaan Randle El to the Eagles' 1-yard line with 14 seconds left.

In a bizarre sequence, the Redskins had three consecutive penalties, including two false start penalties by Fabini, to push them back to the 16-yard line. At one point, Joe Gibbs had the Redskins' field goal unit come in, but the Eagles called time out and the offense came back in.

Cooley ran an out pattern to the end zone and found open space between two defenders. He caught Campbell's perfectly thrown pass for a 16-yard touchdown catch right before halftime. The score gave the Redskins a 10-6 advantage,

"That was a big momentum swing," Joe Gibbs said.

The Redskins added on to their lead midway through the third quarter.

Portis started to find some running room against a stout Philadelphia defense, picking up 15 yards on the Redskins' first play of the drive. Later, Portis rolled right and looked to throw to Cooley, but Cooley was tripped up. So Portis ran through tacklers for a 7-yard pickup.

Suisham came on to hit a 37-yard field goal, giving Washington a 13-6 edge.

After the Eagles' Akers connected on a 26-yard field goal, the Redskins responded with an impressive drive early in the fourth quarter.

Campbell threw a short pass in the flat to Ladell Betts, who turned up-field for a 28-yard pickup to the Eagles' 35-yard line.

Campbell then converted two key third-downs, one on a pass to Cooley for nine yards and another on an 18-yard pass to Todd Yoder to the Eagles' 6-yard line.

On the next play, Portis raced around left end and slipped through tacklers for a 6-yard touchdown run.

The Redskins led 20-9 at that point--and it was up to the defense to shut down the Eagles the rest of the way. They yielded a 22-yard field goal by Akers, then stepped up again in the final minutes to thwart the Eagles again.

[BarlOwens]

They McNabbed a victory from the Eagles......that and Reid helped gift that game away...Westbrook had 17 carries with a 5+ ypc....give the man the ball...

[TDJets72027]

Give westbrook the ball!