Veteran Gives Shuler Costly Lesson : NFC: Eagles’ Greg Jackson intercepts Redskin rookie’s pass to preserve 21-17 victory.

The veteran safety baited the rookie quarterback into a mistake, and the move cost the Washington Redskins an upset and preserved a victory for the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday night.

Greg Jackson, the longtime New York Giant who signed with the Eagles as a free agent in the offseason, intercepted Redskin quarterback Heath Shuler’s pass at the Philadelphia three with 40 seconds left.

The play gave the Eagles their fourth consecutive victory, a 21-17 decision.

“I made him think I was going to the middle of the field, but I knew they were going to the weak side,” Jackson said. “When I saw it was going to the side, I said, ‘I’ve got it.’ ”

Jackson leaped in front of Desmond Howard and caught the ball, ending a Washington drive that started at the Redskin eight with 1:48 left and had progressed to the Philadelphia 33.

“I never elevated like that,” Jackson said. “I thought I was too heavy for that. The last time I did that, I was in high school and I weighed 170 pounds.”

Shuler, who finished 10 of 27 with 186 yards and two touchdowns, said Jackson made a great play. “We had two chances to get in the end zone,” he said. “We thought we’d have two chances. We didn’t think they’d get an interception.”

Jackson’s interception sealed a victory that the Eagles (4-1) won with a running game that outgained the Redskins, 193-55.

Charlie Garner became the first Eagle rookie to rush for at least 100 yards in consecutive games, following up the 111-yard effort in his first start last week against San Francisco with 122 yards in 28 carries.

Garner left in the fourth quarter after reinjuring the sore rib that kept him out of most of the preseason and the first three regular-season games. He was unsure if he would be ready to play next weekend against Dallas.