Big Red and his staff were certainly happy campers after the final snap. Photo by Pete Lerro

LANDOVER: How do the Eagles spell relief?
R-E-X G-R-O-S-S-M-A-N

The embattled Eagles defense picked off the Washington Redskins quarterback four times Sunday en route to a possible season-saving 20-13 win over their NFC East rival at FedEx Field..

Three of those interceptions came from Kurt Coleman, who had lost his starting job after this year’s Giants game because of poor play.

Defensive coordinator Juan Castillo, who has been staving off tidal waves of criticism himself, said when your job is on the line, in the NFL you either rise to the occasion or you are replaced.

Obviously Coleman – who got another chance against Washington – did not want to end up on the waiver wire.

“Kurt has an appreciation of being a starter for the Philadelphia Eagles again,” Castillo said in the upbeat Eagles locker room after the game. “He lost his job early. And I think when he came back he was a different Kurt. All of us, when you lose your job you come back and get the job again. We all have to learn how to appreciate it…just like winning the game.

“When Kurt got benched, got demoted, that hurt. I think what he did is, he kept working hard in practice. It seemed like he was out of his mind, the way he was working in practice. He was studying and doing all the things (he needed to do). Sometimes when you do that you get another chance – and he got another chance – he’s taken advantage of the opportunity.”

Coleman’s chance came because Jared Page was out with a stinger. He’s the first Eagles player with three interceptions in a game since Joe Scarpati in 1966.

“I wasn’t getting it done, and that was apparent,” Coleman said. “It was a humbling experience. God taught me a lesson, and I just worked my butt off the last couple weeks.”

Mike Vick completed 18 of 31 passes for 237 yards with one touchdown. He also ran for 54 yards on seven carries, including a 31-yarder on a third-and-10 after which he kicked a stray ball that nearly hit a Redskins cheerleader.

He immediately apologized – hand on heart – to the started girls.

“It was very inappropriate to kick the ball,” Vick said. “Sorry about that. I apologize to the cheerleaders.”

Sunday’s victory over the Washington Redskins (3-2) gives the Eagles (2-4) some momentum headed into a bye week that’s followed by three straight home games.

“We know we have a long road to go,” Coleman said. “But if we continue to play like we did today, then I think we’re on our way.”

The Eagles jumped out to a 20-0 second-quarter lead before its offense stalled a bit in the second half. Any hopes for that evasive turnover-free day from the offense came to an end when Vick had a tipped pass intercepted near Washington’s goal line in the third quarter.

Then, when Vick left the game for two plays after getting dirt in his eye, backup Vince Young  made his Eagles debut and threw a pick that gave the Redskins the ball at the Philadelphia 18.

Coleman came right back with another interception, which pretty much ended the day for Grossman who was replaced by John Beck, who was seeing regular season action for the first time since 2007.

Beck led the Redskins to a fourth-quarter touchdown but could not move his team on their next possession, punting the ball.

The Eagles ran out the clock with their ground game, led by LeSean McCoy.

McCoy finished the game with 126 yards on 28 carries and a touchdown.

Jeremy Maclin caught five passes for 101 yards.

The Eagles quarterbacks threw two interceptions themselves, two too many for Coach Andy Reid.

“We need to reduce them more; that’s still too many,” Reid said. “Now they had a few which helped the cause there, but we need to keep working at that.”

The Eagles offensive line had to endure more changes this week.

Pro Bowl tackle Jason Peters missed the game again due to injury as did King Dunlop, who was his backup.

So the Birds leaned on Winston Justice, their regular starter until a knee injury last year forced him to have surgery that has kept him out of the lineup until Sunday.

Justice, playing right tackle (Todd Herremans was moved to left tackle), helped a line that played its best game of the season. The former USC star said coming back with no training camp and very little practice was no big deal.

“I think it’s like riding a bike,” Justice said. “So when I got out there it was like it was when I’m out there. It’s like riding a bike, that’s the only way I can explain it.”

Eagles can only hope to find that winning can get as easy as riding a bike.