Jackson’s 67-yard TD run, Witherspoon’s INT for TD give Eagles 14-0 lead over Skins after 1st

Eagles lead Skins 14-0 after 1st; Westbrook hurt

LANDOVER, Md. — DeSean Jackson’s 67-yard touchdown run and linebacker Will Witherspoon’s 9-yard interception return for a TD gave the Eagles a 14-0 lead over the Redskins after the first quarter Monday night, when Philadelphia’s Brian Westbrook left with a concussion.

Jackson put Philadelphia ahead 7-0 on the fourth play from scrimmage, less than 2 minutes in, when he carried the ball around the left end and broke into the open up the sideline for Philadelphia’s longest run of the season by far. The Eagles’ previous best was 25 yards.

Witherspoon made it 14-0 with a minute left in the opening quarter. Making his Eagles debut after a midweek trade from the St. Louis Rams, Witherspoon grabbed the ball after Jason Campbell’s pass was tipped at the line of scrimmage by blitzing safety Quintin Mikell.

On the first play of the second quarter, Witherspoon stripped Campbell of the ball, and Mikell recovered the fumble in Washington territory.

Putting a damper on the Eagles’ start was the injury to Westbrook, who stayed down on the ground for several minutes after his helmet collided with linebacker London Fletcher’s right knee at the end of a carry.

As his brother, Redskins cornerback Byron Westbrook, and Eagles coach Andy Reid looked on from steps away, Westbrook eventually was helped up and led off the field, walking toward the locker room. The Eagles said he was not expected to return.

Westbrook had three carries for 13 yards at the time he was hurt.

His was one of several early injuries. Among the others: Redskins Byron Westbrook and linebacker H.B. Blades left with knee injuries and tight end Chris Cooley left with a hurt right ankle.

This was Washington’s first game this season against an opponent that entered the game with a victory. Last week, the Redskins became the first team in league history to play six consecutive games against winless teams.

After Washington lost 14-6 to previously winless Kansas City last weekend, the Redskins stripped head coach Jim Zorn of his play-calling duties and handed them to consultant Sherm Lewis. With Lewis in charge Monday, Campbell’s first four passes were intended for Cooley.

Lewis was retired for nearly five years — indeed, was spending time calling bingo games at a senior center — when the Redskins got in touch a few weeks ago and hired him as a consultant, someone they repeatedly said was brought aboard as “a fresh set of eyes.”

That shuffle only increased speculation that Zorn’s days were numbered. But front office chief Vinny Cerrato opened his weekly radio show Friday by saying, “Jim Zorn is the head coach of the Washington Redskins and will be for the rest of this season — and hopefully into the future.”