When the Eagles signed safety Malcolm Jenkins to a three-year, $16.25 million contract this offseason, many Eagles fans were wondering why they didn't make a run at T.J. Ward or Jairus Byrd.

When Jenkins intercepted a Kirk Cousins with 7:34 left in the game, not only did it set up what would become the game-winning field goal, it was also the first time an Eagles safety had a pick in back-to-back games since Quintin Mikell in 2010

The pick gave set the Eagles up for a 51-yard Cody Parkey field goal and gave the Eagles a 37-27 lead.

"I've got total confidence in him," Eagles head coach Chip Kelly said.  "I've seen him kick 50‑yarders since he's been here, and it's well within his distance, so Cody has got to go out and kick a field goal, and that was the difference in the game.”

It ended up being the difference in the game.

With Washington trailing 34-27, Cousins and the Redskins had plenty of time to march back down the field, like they had done most of the day against Philadelphia's offense - Cousins had over 400 yards passing and over seven minutes on the clock to work with.

Enter Jenkins, who for the second straight week stepped in and made a great play, this time on a bad throw by Cousins.

"I believe it was man coverage and went to Niles Paul working on a linebacker. If I could do it over again, I would throw it to Andre Roberts who’s standing all by himself in the flat. And even if I’m going to throw to Niles Paul, I need to look off the safety more because if I’m going to look that way, the safety’s going to go that way," Cousins said.

Asked if he forced the throw that Jenkins picked off, Cousins said: "Yeah, I think if I were to look off that safety or if I were to just take Andre Roberts in the flat, I would have had a much better play.”

While he might not have been the guy fans wanted, he has been there when you needed him the most - and that's really all you can ask for.

 

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