The Eagles did a couple of things in their win last night in their prime time encounter with the Redskins that they should have done last week in Oakland.

First and foremost, they got the ball into the hands of the NFL’s newest superstar. That would be DeSean Jackson, the electrifying second-year wide receiver.

It took all of three plays for the Cal product to put his stamp on the game. Jackson took an end-around from Donovan McNabb and was off to the races. Jackson turned on the jets and was untouched as he outran the hapless Redskins 67 yards into the end zone.

It was one of two Jackson TDs on the night, the other coming on a 57-yard bomb from McNabb in the final two minutes of the first half.

Jackson was almost enough to beat the Redskins by himself. He also reeled off a 29-yard punt return.

By now you’re wondering what the other thing the Birds did that they should have done last week. Easy. They put their foot on the neck of an inferior foe, and then stepped down. Hard. And did not let up.

Thanks to Jackson, the Eagles got up early on the Deadskins and never looked back.

This was not a classic game. Eagles-Redskins games rarely are, but it is something the Birds failed to do last week, and also failed to do in two tries vs. the Redskins last year. That would be win.

Helping in no small part with that was the latest addition to the team, middle linebacker Will Witherspoon. He scored a TD after he picked off a deflected pass and rumbled into the end zone. The former Ram – playing his second game this year at Fed Ex Field – also caused a fumble when he slapped the ball from Campbell’s hands. The Eagles sacked Jason Campbell six times.

Of course, even when the Eagles win, they manage to lose. They might have lost Brian Westbrook for next Sunday’s crucial faceoff with the Giants at Lincoln Financial Field. The star running back was knocked woozy when he took a knee to the helmet in the first quarter. He left the game and did not return. Initial indications are he suffered a concussion. His availability for next week is not yet known.

But for now, in the dreck that is so much of the NFL, the Eagles find themselves once again in the thick of the NFC race. Sunday they face the Giants, which likely will tell us much about just what kind of team they really are.

After all, you can only play the Chiefs, Bucs and Redskins so many times. I would count the Raiders in there as well, but I have to remember actually beat us this week. So revved up were the Raiders that they got waxed this week by the Jets, who shut them out in a 38-0 rout.

Without Westbrook the Eagles will be hard-pressed to beat the Giants, who he seems to specialize in torturing. Here’s a hint. Get the ball to Jackson. Early and often.