Eagles self-destruct against lowly Redskins

LANDOVER, Md. – Perhaps the lasting image of this Eagles' season, which is now hanging by a thread, will be DeSean Jackson hauling in two long passes over the overmatched Bradley Fletcher.

Or maybe it will be the two more turnovers committed by quarterback Mark Sanchez — a lost fumble on the first series, and a game-killing interception on the last one.

Or maybe it will be the 13 penalties for 102 yards, including three on defense when Washington was inside the Eagles' 20, for automatic first downs.

All of that, and more, conspired to send the Eagles to a 27-24 loss to Washington, which was sealed by Kai Forbath's 26-yard field goal with 5 seconds left. The Eagles will be eliminated from postseason contention the next time Dallas wins — it plays Indianapolis at home on Sunday — or the next time they lose.

"When you look at any losing team, it's missed opportunities, turnovers, inability to score points on offense," center Jason Kelce said. "It's not a huge secret on what it takes to be successful. But actually going out and doing it, that's the challenge. We haven't met the challenge this year. We failed too often."

There was so much more.

Cody Parkey missed two field goals after missing only two through the first 14 games. And the Eagles didn't get any points after recovering the second-half kickoff at the Washington 16.

"It's just frustrating," wide receiver Jeremy Maclin said. "Three weeks ago, we were sitting pretty. Now, we need a lot of stuff to happen. We have nobody to blame but ourselves."

Perhaps the final indignity was when Jackson, released by the Eagles last March despite 1,332 receiving yards last season, beat Fletcher for long passes totaling 51 and 55 yards, respectively. He finished with four catches for 126 yards.

Eagles coach Chip Kelly was asked if he regretted the decision to release Jackson.

"No. I was thinking about the football game," he said.

But Jackson felt differently.

"I think a lot of the guys miss me," he said. "They told me that during the game … They constantly tell me how much they miss me and they wish I was still there."

The Eagles mercifully replaced Fletcher in the fourth quarter with Nolan Carroll, although Fletcher returned for dime packages. Fletcher was beaten for three touchdowns by Dallas' Dez Bryant last weekend.

"That's two weeks in a row, so we made a change," defensive coordinator Bill Davis said.

And yet, the Eagles almost overcame almost all of it. They rallied from a 10-point deficit in the fourth quarter to tie the game on Parkey's 22-yard field goal. They got the ball back with 2:36 left and drive to Washington's 48 when Sanchez was intercepted by Bashaud Breeland trying to hit Maclin on a short pass over the middle.

"It was behind me," Maclin said tersely.

Washington then drove down to the Eagles 8 —once again helped by a personal foul penalty — for the winning field goal.

Sanchez, starting his seventh game in place of Nick Foles, was 37 of 50 for 374 yards. But he has 10 interceptions and three lost fumbles this season in eight games, the same as Foles had through eight games before he was injured.

"I just kind of missed it," Sanchez said about the throw to Maclin. "It was too bad because some guys had really good days, and we just didn't capitalize for the win."

Riley Cooper was one of them. He had two touchdown receptions after having just one through the first 14 games. Tight end Zach Erz was the other. He had a career-high 15 receptions for 115 yards. The 15 receptions also set a franchise record.

It wasn't enough.

The Eagles got touchdowns from LeSean McCoy on an 11-yard run and Cooper on a 3-yard reception in the second quarter for a 14-10 lead. They were poised to add to it when Andre Roberts fumbled the opening kickoff away, giving the Eagles the ball at Washington's 16 yard line.

The Eagles didn't gain a single yard, and Parkey missed a 34-yard field goal. Washington then drove down the field and scored on Darrel Young's 1-yard run for a 17-14 lead. The Eagles weren't nearly done imploding, however. Parkey missed his second field goal on the next drive. Then Jackson's 55-yard reception set up the next touchdown for a 24-14 Washington lead.

"It falls on me," Parkey said. "If I make those two kicks, it could be a different story."

But it was just a matter of time. That's because Sanchez threw his interception as the Eagles were going for the winning points with 1:31 left.

Soon after, the Eagles were done. Their season could be done Sunday.

Contact Martin Frank at mfrank@delawareonline.com. Follow on Twitter @Mfranknfl.