Nicholson, who made his second straight start, did a great job of playing his spot of the field, read the quarterback perfectly and then came over the top and plucked the ball from the air before it could get to Oakland wide receiver Amari Cooper.

The fourth-round pick initially was expected to contribute primarily on special teams this year, but the Su’a Cravens retirement has created an opening for him, and Nicholson is capitalizing.

During the singing of the national anthem, Redskins players linked arms while standing, joined by owner Daniel Snyder and general manager Bruce Allen.

The team also released a statement on Twitter that did not reference President Trump’s comments but said, in part, “We are proud of the players, coaches and fans of the Washington Redskins for all that they have done to improve the lives of others in neighborhoods all across our region.” It added: “We are also grateful for the sacrifices made by the brave men and women of our armed forces that have provided us the freedom to play football.”

The news came out pregame that tight end Jordan Reed, running back Rob Kelley and linebacker Mason Foster would all miss the game with injuries.