Howie-lujah! Eagles finally beat the Redskins | Marcus Hayes

LANDOVER, Md. — The faithful could not contain their joy when they saw their little messiah. As he got out of a police-escorted SUV packed with Eagles executives, shrugged on his jacket and walked down the tunnel into FedEx Field, one delirious Eagles fan exclaimed:

"Howie-lujah!"

He is risen.

Since the winter of 2016, Howie Roseman has completely rebuilt the roster and completely resurrected his career. He has converted Bird brains from Philadelphia to the Philippines (the Tebow crowd still bleeds a little green), and D.C. was teeming with Roseman worshipers Sunday. Eagles fans have always made the pilgrimage to whatever lousy stadium Washington calls home, but this sunburnt collection seemed particularly fervent in its belief.
And this was before the Eagles drubbed Washington. Almost every one of Roseman's new pieces played a part.

The Alpha and the Omega, of course, is franchise quarterback Carson Wentz, the hyper-religious quarterback whose path to canonization continued Sunday with another strong-armed exhibition of power and precision. Last year, when Howie traded away the team's future for the promise of Wentz, the congregation closed its eyes and whispered prayers. This winter, Roseman answered them.

Roseman signed power back LeGarrette Blount, who ran hard all day and caught a 1-yard touchdown pass to make it 13-0 early in the second quarter, his second TD catch in his eight-year career. Roseman signed veteran receivers Torrey Smith and Alshon Jeffery: Smith caught a 30-yard pass that set up an early third-quarter field goal. Jeffery caught a 24-yarder that meant three more points late in the fourth, as well as a two-point conversion that capped the 30-17 win. Those were all of the points the offense scored after it took a 16-14 lead at halftime.

Defensive tackle Tim Jernigan sacked Kirk Cousins on the Eagles' first defensive play of the second half, the first of four sacks the line collected in the second half. Rookie end Derek Barnett and bargain end Chris Long didn't have a sack — Long actually whiffed late in the fourth — but both made other plays. The boss knew this was coming.

Eagles owner Jeffrey Lurie commended Roseman on Thursday for his recent works. "I couldn't have more confidence in Howie," Lurie said.

Then again, Lurie said the same thing about Chip Kelly in 2015, when he promoted Kelly to general manager and demoted Roseman to abacus engineer. Lurie then fired Kelly near the end of 2015, returned the franchise to Howie and give him the chance to save the team and his career, or ruin both.

He looked like a savior on Sunday.

The Eagles are, without question, better than they were in 2015 or 2016, thanks in great part to Roseman's new hires.

"I thought they did a really nice job for us," said head coach Doug Pederson. "These guys are great additions to our team."

No transaction required a longer leap of faith than the trade of fourth-year receiver Jordan Matthews, Wentz's best target and best friend. Roseman sent Matthews to the Bills for third-year cornerback Ronald Darby, which meant that Nelson Agholor, a first-round bust since he was drafted in 2015, would replace Matthews, entirely because Roseman and the coaches believed Agholor was ready to ascend. Agholor's increased role essentially makes him an additional player, too, and his preseason won him much praise.
Pass the ammunition.

Agholor burned the 'Skins for a 58-yard bomb from Wentz on the Eagles' third play of the game. He finished with six catches for 86 yards.

Darby was superb, too, as long as he lasted. He grotesquely twisted his right ankle with 12:06 to play in the second quarter, a dislocation that will cost him half of the season. No problem; not with Roseman's reserves, anyway. Defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz simply leaned on his line, blitzed a bit more and shuffled his defensive backfield. Newcomers Corey Graham and Patrick Robinson played well.

"We've got game," Robinson said. "We're all versatile."

"Now, that doesn't kill us," said an Eagles executive.

Not when the line dominates the way it did Sunday. Of course, that line might not be as effective when it visits Kansas City next week. There are other issues; too, not the least of which was the limited effectiveness of Jeffery.

Roseman signed Jeffery to a 1-year, $9.5 million deal. Jeffery finished with three catches for 38 yards but was targeted seven times. He dropped two passes, including a 43-yarder at the end of the third quarter.

After the game, Jeffery and Long crossed paths near the shower. They chatted for a minute, laughed, then shook hands. Long has been in the league for 10 years. Jeffery's been around for six. They know near-misses aren't acceptable, but they're easier to stomach after a big road win. That's why Jeffery couldn't resist the temptation to tease.

"I was just telling him, 'You should have gotten that sack!' " Jeffery said. "And I told him I should've had that catch. Had it until it hit the ground."

No, the new guys weren't perfect, but Roseman's rebuilt roster did enough to win its first game against Washington since September 2014.
Howie-lujah, indeed.