Harlequins (13) 21 Tries: Jones, Care Con: N Evans Pens: N Evans 3
Saracens (10) 15 Tries: Van Heerden, Haughton Con: Jackson Pen: Jackson
Danny Care celebrates his match-winning try at The Stoop
Danny Care gave a timely reminder of his credentials with a match-winning display for Harlequins against Sarries.
The scrum-half, who was criticised for being sin-binned during England's loss to Ireland, set up one try and scored another as Quins fought back to win.
A Wikus van Heerden try and five points from the boot of Glen Jackson gave Saracens a 10-3 lead.
But Ceri Jones' score, as well as a brilliant try from Care in the second half, was enough to seal victory.
The win continues Harlequins' impressive form of late and their fifth straight league triumph lifts them up into third in the table.
Saracens, meanwhile, have now lost three of their last four games and are still coming to terms with the news that director of rugby Eddie Jones and 15 players will be leaving at the end of the season.
The visitors did make a fine start to the game, and despite going behind to an early Nick Evans penalty, they went ahead with a Jackson kick and a converted try from flanker Van Heerden.
The South African powered over after Saracens were held up just short of the line, Jackson converting to become the first Premiership player to pass 200 points for the season.
Evans reduced the deficit with his second penalty on 29 minutes before Care jinked his way through the defence to set up a move which saw Jones stretching over the line for a converted try.
Despite missing a kick before the break, Evans made the score 16-10 with a penalty seven minutes into the second half only for Saracens wing Richard Haughton to score after tearing through the home defence.
But Care had the final say and he grabbed the ball from the back of a ruck and burst down the left touchline to score in the corner.
Harlequins director of rugby Dean Richards defends scrum-half Danny Care, who was sin-binned for England last weekend:
"You have to understand the nature of the beast. He's a cheeky guy and he enjoys having a go.
"He's always going to attack the fringes, he's always going to have a go and there's no way that I would want to - or try to - inhibit his nature or his character.
"He understands that he did wrong last week so there's no point beating the drum harder."
Saracens boss Eddie Jones on the effects of the announced clear-out of players:
"The first 40 minutes people had their heads all over the place.
"They just weren't concentrating on the game and they are some of our best players who have been involved in what's going on. That's a concern for us.
"This week was always going to be much harder than last week. You know, you lose your girlfriend and go out and have a drink and for the next 48 hours you are all right.
"Then you go home and your girlfriend's not there and that's when it starts to sink in. That's what this week's been like. I was anticipating emotionally we'd struggle in the first part of the game but not as much as we did.
"I'm really disappointed with our application to play for each other and I apologise to our supporters for that. It's really not good enough."
Harlequins: Brown; Strettle, Tiesi, Turner-Hall, Monye; N Evans, Care; Jones, Botha, Ross, Kohn, Robson, Robshaw, Skinner (c), Guest.
Replacements: T Williams for Monye (64), J Evans for Kohn (59).
Not Used: Fuga, Lambert, McMillan, Gomarsall, Malone.
Saracens: Goode; Haughton, Ratuvou, Powell, Cato; Jackson, Marshall; Mercey, Cairns, Visagie, Jack, Vyvyan, Van Heerden (c), Seymour, Skirving.
Replacements: Barritt for Powell (71), Penney for Cato (37), Wilson for Marshall (74), Kyriacou for Cairns (41), Visagie for Mercey (41), Ryder for Vyvyan (50), Barrell for Skirving (67).
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