LANDOVER, Md. - A week after being held to three measly field goals in an embarrassing 13-9 loss to the Oakland Raiders, the Eagles put up 27 points in the first half of last night's 27-17 win over the Redskins.

Don't interpret that flurry of points to mean that all is suddenly well with Andy Reid's offense, though. It's not.

Seven of those 27 points were scored on a 9-yard interception return for a touchdown by the Eagles' newest linebacker, Will Witherspoon.

Six more came on a pair of David Akers field goals that were set up by defensive takeaways.

The only significant signs of offensive life by the Eagles came on two first-half plays involving wide receiver DeSean Jackson. The first was a 67-yard touchdown run on an end-around on the Eagles' first possession.

The second was a 57-yard touchdown catch by Jackson late in the second quarter that gave the Eagles a 27-7 lead. He beat Redskins cornerback Carlos Rogers on a nifty post-corner route, then waited, waited, waited for Donovan McNabb's underthrown pass to get to him.

Other than those two plays, the Eagles' offense was flat in their fourth win of the season. Finished with just 11 first downs, which was three fewer than they had last week against the Raiders.

"It was hit and miss offensively," head coach Andy Reid said. "We need to do a better job there. This is a good defense. Those points are going to be hard to come by."

Take away Jackson's two big plays and the Eagles managed just 138 yards in offense. They gained just 60 yards and converted one of seven third-down opportunities in the second half, when they failed to score.

After converting just two of 16 third-down opportunities against the Raiders last week, they were a troubling 4-for-15 last night.

"Should we have scored some more in the second half?" Reid said. "Absolutely. But 27 points against this team isn't bad."

Jackson's long run, which came on the Eagles' first possession, was pretty much the sum total of their rushing success. Brian Westbrook, who left the game in the first quarter with a concussion that very well could keep him out of Sunday's important NFC East battle with the New York Giants, had just 13 yards on three carries. Rookie LeSean McCoy gained 37 yards on 14 carries.

And for the second straight week, McNabb struggled. He was off-the-mark much of the night and completed just 15 of 25 passes for 156 yards. Underthrew the pass Jackson caught for his touchdown. Had Jackson wide open on a crossing route in the second half and threw the ball into the ground 6 feet in front of him. Overthrew Reggie Brown on a simple sideline pass that he's thrown a thousand times.

Did you notice?

 

-- For the second straight week, the Eagles activated just two quarterbacks - Donovan McNabb and Michael Vick. Kevin Kolb was designated as the emergency (inactive) quarterback.

-- Even with Omar Gaither out, the Eagles still didn't activate linebacker Joe Mays, who, less than 3 months ago, was the coaching staff's first choice to replace injured Stewart Bradley as the starting middle linebacker.

-- Ellis Hobbs was back returning kickoffs. Quintin Demps returned them against Oakland because of Hobbs' wrist injury.

-- The excellent downfield block by Jeremy Maclin on Redskins cornerback Carlos Rogers on DeSean Jackson's 67-yard, first-quarter touchdown run.

-- For the third time in their first six games, the Eagles scored on their first possession. The Eagles have gained 247 yards on 19 plays on first possessions this season.