IS BUYING CROSS-COUNTRY SKIS
LANDOVER, Md. - And you thought Cliff Lee was a good deal?
New middle linebacker Will Witherspoon intercepted a pass, returned it for a touchdown, sacked Redskins quarterback Jason Campbell and forced a fumble.
In his first 15 minutes, 7 seconds in midnight green.
Witherspoon's timely playmaking and the Eagles' timely acquisition of him last Tuesday mirrored the Phillies' solution to their front-line starter issue in July.
Lee reeled off five wins in his first five starts as a Phillie.
The Eagles are 1-0 since their big trade, behind Witherspoon as much as anyone.
They traded rookie wideout Brandon Gibson and a fifth-round pick in next year's draft to the Rams for Witherspoon, an 8-year veteran. He can play middle or weakside linebacker.
They signed him to play middle. He played there effectively.
Rising star Stewart Bradley blew out his knee in a preseason game. Joe Mays, Plan B, failed to secure the spot. So did Omar Gaither, who, coincidentally, last week was lost indefinitely with a foot injury.
Before Gaither got hurt, the Eagles signed retired hero Jeremiah Trotter, whose unimpressive play in that upset loss in Oakland last week paved the way for the addition of Witherspoon.
Witherspoon made more plays in a span of 73 seconds than that group made in a span of 7 weeks.
When the Redskins snapped the ball on second-and-8 from their 11 late in the first quarter, safety Quintin Mikell came as a part of a blitz. Witherspoon dropped into short coverage. Inside the line of scrimmage, Mikell got a hand on Campbell's lazy dart to Santana Moss.
The ball popped into the air. Witherspoon spied it, snagged it and ran it in from the 9. That gave the Birds a 14-0 lead with 1 minute to play in the first quarter.
On the next pass play, Witherspoon again made hay.
He blitzed this time, sprinting in from Campbell's right side. Campbell was looking left. He never felt the pressure, but he certainly felt the forearm chop Witherspoon laid on him, jarring the ball free at the Redskins' 36.
Fittingly, perhaps, Mikell fell on it.
Three plays later, a 47-yard field goal made it 17-0.
Against the hapless, directionless Redskins, that's pretty much all the Eagles would need in their 27-17 win.
It was, perhaps, Witherspoon's best game.
As a Panther in 2005, he returned an interception 35 yards for a touchdown against the Jets on Nov. 13.
Almost exactly a year before, also for Carolina, Witherspoon recorded a sack, forced a fumble and snagged a pick - but not for a score - against the 49ers.
In fact, only once before has a player done what Witherspoon did. Defensive tackle Sam Adams, in his first game with the Bills in the 2003 opener, also recorded a sack and an interception return for a touchdown, this against the Patriots.
Only once before. So, this was big.
However, not only did Cliff Lee manage a one-run complete game in his Phillies debut, he then reeled off three more dominant starts, allowing two earned runs combined.
Lee will start Game 1 of the World Series at Yankee Stadium tomorrow night.
It's a tough act to follow.
Witherspoon will give it a run.
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