WP: Redskins Go Forth -- and Long

[spanishomelette]

Redskins Go Forth -- and Long

They Rally for 14 Points in Final Quarter With Big Plays, Get 1st Win in Dallas Since '95

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/09/19/AR2005091901120.html

By Jason La Canfora

Washington Post Staff Writer

Tuesday, September 20, 2005; Page E01

IRVING, Tex., Sept. 19 -- There was no indication the Washington Redskins were capable of scoring a touchdown, much less staging a miracle comeback. Trailing by 13 points, still looking for the first trip to the end zone this season, and facing an offensive crisis, quarterback Mark Brunell heaved a pretty pass on fourth and 15 from the 39, hitting Santana Moss in stride with less than four minutes to play.

It was just the beginning of what would turn out to be a stunning 14-13 victory. Suddenly, Dallas's lead was halved, and when a holding penalty negated the Cowboys' apparent first down a minute later, it became clear the Redskins would get the ball back at least one more time. Their final drive began with 2:52 to play and no timeouts left and on the second play Brunell put everything he had into the ball, unleashing a 70-yard bomb over the middle. Moss outraced cornerback Aaron Glenn and safety Roy Williams, and did not stop running until he hit the wall behind the end zone.

Joe Gibbs is 0-8 against rival Bill Parcells since 1987. (Jonathan Newton - The Washington Post)

Nine months after enduring a horrendous loss on a last-second bomb in that same end of the field, the Redskins reached ecstasy there, silencing a sellout crowd. Their streak of nine straight losses at Texas Stadium was snapped. Washington had not scored a touchdown for the first 116 minutes of the season, then, shockingly, produced two huge strikes in a 71 second span.

After losing 14 of their last 15 against the Cowboys, the Redskins (2-0) had finally snatched a victory from Dallas; last December it was Washington's clock management that doomed its ability to hold a late lead, and tonight the same fate befell its rivals.

The Cowboys had one more chance to salvage this evening -- an occasion on which former stars Troy Aikman, Michael Irvin and Emmitt Smith were honored at half-time -- and it looked as if they would do just that.

Tyson Thompson took the kickoff back to the Washington 48 -- rookie kicker Nick Novak was forced to intervene between him and a chance to score. Safety Sean Taylor, who was burned on the game-winning touchdown here last December, broke up a third down pass, and on fourth-and-four cornerback Walt Harris, who had a heroic game, kept the Cowboys a yard from getting where they needed to go.

Dallas had controlled the tempo of this game, taking a 10-0 lead on a 70-yard flea flicker, continually sacking Brunell. Washington again turned the ball over and committed penalties, but found a way to earn a memorable victory despite all of it, and heads into the bye week on an emotional high. For so long, it seemed that the Cowboys would be the victors.

In days long gone, when Gibbs's offense was the envy of the NFL, he might have made the audacious call himself. Instead, he watched from the sidelines, stunned, as Dallas Coach Bill Parcells celebrated a perfectly executed flea flicker resulting in a 70-yard touchdown pass. Nearly half the game remained to be played, though, and the Redskins trailed by only 10 points.

Despite an inability to accrue yardage, the Redskins trailed by just a field goal coming out of halftime. But Washington went three-and-out to start the second half.

Santana Moss beats Roy Willaims for one of his two fourth-quarter touchdown receptions to lift the Redskins to a 14-13 victory Monday. (Jonathan Newton -- The Washington Post)

Quarterback Drew Bledsoe faced first-and-20 from the 30 when he handed off to running back Julius Jones. Jones tossed the ball back to Bledsoe and he had ages to pick a receiver, spotting Terry Glenn streaking down the right side. Safety Sean Taylor, burned on a game-winning bomb here last December, and cornerback Shawn Springs trailed Glenn by five yards when he hauled in the pass, and in an instant the Cowboys had nearly equaled Washington's entire offensive output from the first half. Jose Cortez added a 41-yard field goal to pad the lead in the fourth quarter.

The Redskins, 3-16 against the NFC East since 2002, had one play over 10 yards in the opening 30 minutes. Brunell mustered 56 yards passing and the two times he had receivers open deep he underthrew Moss and Patten, with cornerback Anthony Henry, who was everywhere tonight breaking up both plays. With no semblance of a passing game, running back Clinton Portis (46 yards through three quarters) was easily contained. Much like last season, the Cowboys were able to stack the line of scrimmage when necessary. Portis carried nine times for 31 yards in the first half, and, unlike in the opening weekend, the Redskins were unable to sustain any decent drives without that thrust from the Pro Bowl back.

Dallas was not particularly better moving the ball, but did manage to put points on the scoreboard. The Cowboys most efficient drive came off the opening kickoff, churning 47 yards on Washington's stout defense. Jones did the bulk of the work, but Cortez -- a former Redskins castoff -- missed from 31 yards.

Brunell's interception at the end of the first quarter gave Cortez a second opportunity. His pass was not close to James Thrash, the intended receiver, and Terence Newman picked it off easily. Dallas' offense took over at the 31, and Cortez capped the drive with a 33-yard field goal.

[spanishomelette]

Awesome win...History made...bump