Washington (0-1) at Dallas (0-1)

 

SCOUTING REPORT

'Skins are vulnerable in secondaryThis will be another good NFC East divisional matchup pitting two teams that really hate each other. Can the Cowboys protect Drew Bledsoe, and if Bledsoe plays as badly as he played last week, will he get replaced by Tony Romo? Can the Cowboys bounce back after a disappointing loss and beat an improved Redskins team? Can the Redskins' corners hold up against Cowboys receivers Terry Glenn and Terrell Owens? Neither team can afford to go 0-2.

· Full Scouting Report

Matchup
	W-L	PF	PA	HOME	ROAD	DIV	CONF
WAS	5-11	307	376	3-5	2-6	1-5	3-9
DAL	9-7	425	350	4-4	5-3	2-4	6-6
· Complete Standings

Individual Leaders

Washington Passing   CMP% YDS TD INT Campbe... 64.5 3618 20 15 Collin... 52.2 144 0 0

Dallas Passing   CMP% YDS TD INT Romo 63.1 4483 26 9

Washington Rushing   CAR YDS AVG TD Portis 124 494 4.0 1 Campbe... 46 236 5.1 1

Dallas Rushing   CAR YDS AVG TD Barber 214 932 4.4 7 Jones 116 685 5.9 3

Washington Receiving   REC YDS AVG TD Moss 70 902 12.9 3 Randle... 50 530 10.6 0

Dallas Receiving   REC YDS AVG TD Austin 81 1320 16.3 11 Witten 94 1030 11.0 2

Full Player Stats: Washington | Dallas

TEAM AVERAGES & NFL RANKS
TEAM OFFENSE	TEAM	PER GAME AVERAGE
Total Yards	WAS	328.0
	DAL	361.0
Yards Passing	WAS	189.2
	DAL	239.8
Yards Rushing	WAS	138.5
	DAL	121.0
TEAM DEFENSE	TEAM	PER GAME AVERAGE
Yards Allowed	WAS	355.5
	DAL	322.8
Pass Yds Allowed	WAS	218.2
	DAL	219.1
Rush Yds Allowed	WAS	137.3
	DAL	103.7

HEAD TO HEAD MATCHUPS (SINCE 2001)
Dallas leads 8-4
Dec 18, 2005	WAS 35, @DAL 7
Sep 19, 2005	WAS 14, DAL 13
Dec 26, 2004	WAS 10, DAL 13
Sep 27, 2004	WAS 18, @DAL 21
Dec 14, 2003	WAS 0, @DAL 27
Nov 2, 2003	WAS 14, DAL 21
Dec 29, 2002	WAS 20, @DAL 14
Nov 28, 2002	WAS 20, DAL 27
Dec 2, 2001	WAS 14, @DAL 20
Oct 15, 2001	WAS 7, DAL 9

Washington (0-1) at Dallas (0-1) Sunday 8:15 pm EDT

IRVING, Texas (Ticker) -- Joe Gibbs turned the tables on Bill Parcells last season. Parcells is hoping that Terrell Owens will help shift the balance to his side again.

For the second straight season, the Dallas Cowboys will stage their home opener against the Washington Redskins.

It will be the Texas Stadium debut for Owens as a Cowboy after he signed a three-year contract worth $25 million in the offseason.

The battle between the NFC East rivals had turned into a one-sided affair and Parcells had even dominated Gibbs, a Hall of Fame coach.

The Cowboys had won 14 of the last 15 meetings and Gibbs lost eight straight matchups against Parcells, including both meetings in 2004. The coaches have combined for five Super Bowl titles and seven conference championships. As coach of the New York Giants from 1983-90, Parcells got the best of Gibbs, winning 11 of the 17 meetings, including a 17-0 victory in the January 1987 NFC championship game.

And Parcells was 2-0 against Gibbs as Cowboys coach until last season when Gibbs and the Redskins won both meetings.

The first was here last September 19 when Mark Brunell connected with Santana Moss on touchdown passes of 39 and 70 yards in the final four minutes as the Redskins rallied for a thrilling 14-13 triumph. Moss finished with five catches for 159 yards.

It was Washington's first win at Texas Stadium since 1995 and handed Parcells his first loss in 78 games when leading by 13 or more points in the fourth quarter.

The Cowboys dominated most of the contest and flustered Brunell, who completed 20-of-34 passes for 291 yards and also threw an interception.

Dallas' Drew Bledsoe was 21-of-36 for 261 yards, 70 coming on a perfectly executed flea-flicker to Terry Glenn.

The rematch was not much of a match as the Redskins rolled to a 35-7 victory in the nation's capital on December 18.

Brunell passed for four touchdowns, including three to tight end Chris Cooley, and defensive end Phillip Daniels tied a club record with four sacks.

Linebacker Marcus Washington also starred on defense with two sacks, a 41-yard interception return and a forced fumble.

Bledsoe was sacked seven times and committed four turnovers - three interceptions and a fumble.

Meanwhile, the Redskins' offensive line kept the Cowboys' pass rushers away from Brunell, who was not sacked once, and opened holes for Clinton Portis, who rushed for 112 yards on 23 carries.

"I remember we were overwhelmed the last time we played them," Parcells said.

Now Parcells has Owens, the five-time Pro Bowl receiver who caught six passes for 80 yards, including a 21-yard touchdown in his Cowboys' debut - a 24-17 loss at Jacksonville.

Bledsoe threw for 246 yards, but was intercepted three times.

The Redskins opened their season with a 19-16 home loss to Minnesota.

John Hall had a chance to tie the game but badly hooked a 48-yard field goal try to the left. He had earlier kicked three field goals.

Portis, who was limited to one game in the preseason due to a dislocated left shoulder, carried 10 times for 39 yards, including a five-yard TD run.

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Jean-Jacques Taylor has been at the DMN for 16 years. He covered the Rangers and Cowboys before becoming a columnist.