Best catch: DeSean Jackson, who always seems to burn his former team, did his best Willie Mays impression with an over-the-shoulder catch on an 80-yard touchdown in the third quarter that gave the Redskins a 14-13 lead. Jackson had one catch for one yard to that point, while Kirk Cousins had only passed for 61 yards.*
Best game-changer: The touchdown was the 22nd of at least 60 yards in Jackson’s career, moving him into sole possession of second place in that category behind Jerry Rice, who had 23. Jackson had a 67-yard touchdown against the Cowboys on Thanksgiving and a 59-yard catch against the Cardinals last week.
Worst snap: After Eagles long-snapper Jon Dorenbos injured his right wrist earlier in the game, tight end Brent Celek was called upon to replace him on Philadelphia’s next field goal attempt. It did not go well. Celek’s snap was so bad that punter Donnie Jones picked up the ball and aborted Caleb Sturgis’s 49-yard attempt, preserving Washington’s 14-13 lead. To make matters worse for the Eagles, Celek was injured on a punt later in the quarter.
Best debate: Should the Redskins keep DeSean Jackson or fellow free-agent-to-be Pierre Garcon next year? As Fox analyst John Lynch asked after Garcon’s 15-yard touchdown catch to give Washington a 21-13 lead late in the third quarter, “How about both?” Garcon’s third touchdown catch of the season capped a six-play, 54-yard drive and marked the second time this year that he and Jackson caught touchdowns in the same game. Garcon didn’t quite stick the landing.
Worst throw: The Redskins’ maligned defense forced its first three-and-out on Philadelphia’s next possession, giving Cousins and the offense a chance to extend its lead with a score, or at the very least burn some time off the clock. Instead, Leodis McKelvin jumped an out route intended for Jackson, intercepted Cousins and returned it 29 yards for a touchdown.
