EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) -- Even the most prolific offense in the NFL will take a little charity from the other side.

	Stephen Davis finishes the first of his three TD runs. Davis has already scored eight TDs this season.

Not to mention a bunch of help from its defense.

The Washington Redskins, helped by crucial penalties committed by the New York Jets and a defense that registered six sacks, claimed a 27-20 victory Sunday. The 'Skins (2-1) got three short touchdown runs from NFL scoring leader Stephen Davis and three sacks by Kenard Lang in the win.

Plus all that help from the injury-ravaged Jets, who have gone from AFC title game loser in 1998 to 0-3.

"I'd like to say this is a statement game for us," NFL passing leader Brad Johnson said. "It's a huge win, coming from behind in New York against the Jets."

"We handed them the game," Jets center Kevin Mawae said.

New York took a 17-13 lead on Curtis Martin's 3-yard run to cap a seven-play, 73-yard drive, and John Hall's 37-yard field goal with 8:10 remaining.

Then the Jets got generous.

On an 80-yard drive that ended with a 4-yard touchdown run by Davis, cornerback Ray Mickens was called for two pass-interference penalties. The first cost the Jets 35 yards when he bumped Michael Westbrook, the other nullified a stop on third down when he held Albert Connell.

"I knew Ray (from Texas A&M). He has a tendency to hang," Connell said of his former college teammate. "He sits on routes and tries to make the big play on every down. I took advantage of that."

Mickens just shrugged when asked about the penalties as he left the locker room.

GAME NOTES

Washington had three sacks entering the game, and Kenard Lang equaled that by himself, giving him four this season. The other sacks Sunday were by Dana Stubblefield, Dan Wilkinson and Ndukwe Kalu. Rick Mirer's touchdown pass was his first since Dec. 15, 1996, while with Seattle. Mirer finished 17-for-31 for 227 yards and one interception. Brad Johnson was 17-for-28 for 241 yards. He failed to throw a TD pass for the first time this season. Stephen Davis, who entered the game as the NFL rushing leader with 235 yards, ran for 93 yards on 24 carries. He also scored three more TDs to raise his league-leading total to eight for the season. Jets tight end Fred Baxter sustained a hip flexor, the only injury in the game.

"No comment," he said.

But Jets coach Bill Parcells, his face drenched in sweat, called it "non-competitive coverage."

"It was a lack of coverage and poor judgment," Parcells added.

Then, Lang got two sacks, the second forcing a fumble by quarterback Rick Mirer that was recovered by Dan Wilkinson at the New York 21. Davis scored on a 7-yard run for a 27-17 lead.

"We had to make something happen," Davis said. "I think we just relaxed as a unit, and then we scored some points."

Kevin Williams' 81-yard kickoff return set up the Jets at the Washington 16, and a TD pass to Keyshawn Johnson was overruled. Hall made a 34-yard field goal, but Washington recovered the onside kick.

"I'm biting my lip," Parcells said. "The is the first time in many years I have to bite my lip over what went on."

The Redskins, who yielded a league-worst 457 yards in each of their first two games, allowed 337 -- not great, but good enough.

"We were real mad today, and we got ticked off on that very first drive," Lang said of the unit that gave up a 35-yard touchdown catch by Dedric Ward. "We were just not going to let this happen again. After that, we got it together and decided we were going to work this out."

After sputtering early, Washington's prolific offense finally awakened midway through the second quarter, helped greatly by an illegal-contact penalty against backup cornerback Marcus Coleman on third down. Johnson found Stephen Alexander for passes of 21, 15 and 20 yards before Brett Conway hit a 26-yard field goal.

The 'Skins came right back on their next possession. Johnson beat a blitz to find Connell for 34 yards after he hooked up with Westbrook for 29. Davis then scored from the 1.

Conway's 50-yard field goal on the first series of the second half made it 13-7. But then the Redskins went silent with the ball until late in the fourth period, when they again were aided by Jets' miscues.

"We're not good enough, and it's very evident right now," Mawae said.