LANDOVER, Md. - Washington: first in war, first in peace, last in the NFC East.
Though after sixty minutes, two missed field goals, and four combined turnovers, the nation's current capitol would chuck its first practically out of view of their once-assured postseason hopes.
Robert Griffin flung the pigskin for 220 yards and Kai Forbath booted the game-winner as the Washington Redskins hand the Philadelphia Eagles their third-straight defeat with a 27-24 decision on Saturday night.
Washington (4-11) nixed a six-game losing habit with the win over their rivals.
Mark Sanchez tossed an interception on the Eagles' last chance to set up the Redskins' go-ahead 50 yard drive.
"We wanted to spoil their Christmas and send them home," Griffin said, "and we did our part."
Griffin secured his first complete-game victory of the season, a campaign hampered by injury, awkward play, a benching, and a sudden start Saturday in relief of Colt McCoy, recently added to the team's injured-reserve list.
"[He] did an outstanding job of managing the football game," Redskins coach Jay Gruden said.
"Love the way our team battled and competed," Gruden added. "There's been a lot of talk about people quitting and you can see what type of guys we have. Guys didn't quit."
Darrel Young pounded for two touchdowns as the Redskins blanked the Eagles 14-0 in the third quarter for a ten-point advantage. He capped off drives of 76 and 64 yards, both from a yard out after Eagles penalties in the end zone.
"You would think a 3-11 football team would just quit, and we're not," Griffin said afterwards.
It was trouble early on for the Eagles as they traded touchdowns with the upset-minded Redskins. Alfred Morris for Washington and LeSean McCoy for Philadelphia rushed for scores in the opening frame.
Morris finished with 83 yards on 21 rushes and DeSean Jackson's 4 grabs netted 126 yards through the air against his former club.
Philadelphia (9-6) was flagged 13 times for 102 yards, including two occasions of roughing Robert Griffin that led to a touchdown and twice more on what became the Redskins' game-winning drive.
"We didn't go enough good things to win obviously," Eagles coach Chip Kelly said afterwards.
Kelly's Birds suffered two turnovers to bring the count to a league-worst 35, both from quarterback Mark Sanchez.
His first quarter fumble and fourth quarter interception both produced field goals, the latter to in essence sink the Eagles' season.
Sanchez went 37-of-50 for 374 yards and two touchdowns to Riley Cooper, in the second quarter to give Philly the 14-10 lead and a fourth quarter toss from 16 yards during their failed comeback bid.
Zach Ertz secured 15 receptions for Philadelphia, a career-best outing, finishing with 115 yards in defeat.
"Ertz just went off, had an awesome day," Sanchez said afterwards.
The Eagles had a perfect chance to enlarge their lead after the Redskins' Andre Roberts fumbled the kick to open the second half. Malcolm Jenkins punched the ball from Roberts' grasp and Nolan Carroll recovered to give the Eagles possession on the 'Skins 16.
But Cody Parkey would miss the first of two sliced kicks, having only missed two the entire season before then.
"That was big," Kelly said. "You wanna start off with points. We get the ball out there, we think we'll at least get three, but that's what the game was like all night."
LeSean McCoy finished with 88 yards on 22 rushes and a score for the Eagles, who are eliminated from the playoffs if the Cowboys win on Sunday.
In the meantime, Philadelphia closes their regular season at the Giants.
"One game left. We got to get ready and focused for the New York Giants. We got to win that game," Chip Kelly said.
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