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DeSean dazzles but exits with a loss

The actions and reactions were every bit as boisterous as anticipated. It was great theater with the kind of better-than-fiction plots that professional sports so often provide.

DeSean Jackson taunts Eagles fans after he scored a touchdown. (Ron Cortes/Staff Photographer)
DeSean Jackson taunts Eagles fans after he scored a touchdown. (Ron Cortes/Staff Photographer)Read more

The actions and reactions were every bit as boisterous as anticipated. It was great theater with the kind of better-than-fiction plots that professional sports so often provide.

After it was over, however, DeSean Jackson was subdued. He was not leaving Lincoln Financial Field with the one thing he had hoped for.

"I think it was a great game," Jackson said in what was an exact description of the Eagles' wild, 37-34 win over the wide receiver's new football team from Washington. "Credit to the other team. They did a great job, but we fought all the way to the end, and it's just unfortunate we weren't able to win that game."

Shortly after being shown the exit by the Eagles in March and landing in the D.C. metro area, Jackson had circled Sunday on his calendar with his new burgundy Sharpie and underlined the date in gold for good measure. He was not afraid to admit that returning to the Linc to face his former team ranked high on the list of things he could not wait to do.

The paying customers were eager to greet him in their own special way, too.

Jackson did not take the field for pregame warm-ups, fueling speculation that he might not play because of a sprained left shoulder, an injury that had knocked him out of the previous week's game.

"I was just in [the locker room] mentally preparing myself for this game," he said. "I had a feeling, regardless of how I felt, my doctors and trainers were going to do a great job of preparing me and making sure I was right. It hurt throughout the week, but when game time came I felt good enough to go out there and help my team."

Jackson did indeed do his part, coming through with one of those enormous plays that we saw so many times during his six seasons with the Eagles. Washington had fallen behind, 27-20, late in the third quarter, and Jackson had not caught a pass in the second half.

Coach Jay Gruden dialed up a deep ball, and quarterback Kirk Cousins stood tall in the pocket with plenty of time to throw. Jackson, with a fake outside and a quick burst inside, slipped behind Cary Williams. The fastest man on the field caught the ball at the Eagles' 28-yard line and, after shaking a tackle attempt by Williams, backpedaled his way into the end zone.

The entire 81-yard play took nine seconds.

Once in the end zone, Jackson flapped his wings, a celebratory move first introduced at the Linc by Terrell Owens in 2004. Jackson finished his TD dance with a swift kick before turning his attention to the crowd that had booed him all day. After a quick taunt of the home fans, he celebrated with his teammates.

"I can remember a couple years back when we played Washington in Washington and I was an Eagle, I kind of did a similar touchdown dance, backpedaled into the end zone," Jackson said. "Those are spur-of-the-moment type things. When I get an opportunity to make plays, whatever comes to mind [afterward], that's what I do."

Jackson finished the game with five catches for 117 yards. He did not catch another ball after the touchdown, and the Eagles, despite a depleted offensive line, answered with 10 fourth-quarter points for the victory.

The emotions of the much-anticipated event immediately surfaced on Washington's first drive.

Two plays into the game, Jackson caught a 6-yard pass from Cousins, and boos quickly followed. Three plays after that, Jackson beat Bradley Fletcher for a 13-yard catch and a first down. As Fletcher tackled him, safety Malcolm Jenkins took a shot at Jackson's ailing left shoulder as the receiver was on the ground.

Jackson got up and shoved the safety. Nate Allen came to Jenkins' defense and shoved Jackson. Allen received a 15-yard penalty.

"Part of the game," Jackson said. "That's football, high energy. Guys are doing any and every thing - I'm sure - to try to knock me out of the game or to get me riled up to do a boneheaded play or something like that. I actually created a penalty, so I guess I won that one."

Jackson won some battles and did some dancing in his return to South Philly. He was loud and proud on another catch in the second quarter that went for a first down on a third-and-6 play. That drive ended in one of two first-half Washington touchdowns on a day when the Skins compiled 511 yards.

"I'm just playing the game with a lot of energy and a lot of excitement," Jackson said. "That's how I've always played the game. I never changed that. I just try to do the best I can to spark my team with the energy and big plays and have everybody just feed off that. We weren't able to win the game, obviously, so I was kind of frustrated about that, but we'll get another shot at them down the road."

Jackson ran from the Washington sideline to the visitors' locker room as soon as the game was over. Eagles coach Chip Kelly said he never spoke to his exiled receiver. The rematch is scheduled for Dec. 20 at FedEx Field. If the sequel is as good as the first meeting between Jackson and the Eagles, it will be worth the price of admission.

DeSean's Philadelphia visit

Despite playing with an injured shoulder, DeSean Jackson did his part in the Redskins' quest to upset the Eagles at the Linc. Here are Jackson's stats compared to other top receivers in the game:

DESEAN JACKSON

Rec.   Yards   Avg.   TD   Long   Targets   

5   117   23.4   1   81   11

PIERRE GARCON

11   138   12.5   1   43   16

JEREMY MACLIN

8   154   19.3   1   50   10

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