AP: Redskins try to ride momentum to two-game lead over Giants

[Potato Sack]

Redskins try to ride momentum to two-game lead over Giants

By JOSEPH WHITE

AP Sports Writer

LANDOVER, Md. (AP) _ The New York Giants have had a short week

to recover from an overtime loss in a game they should have won.

The Washington Redskins are building off a two-point victory

somehow crafted from a sure path to defeat.

If momentum and mood count for anything, the Redskins should be

ready to roll into early-season command of their division when the

teams meet Sunday.

Then again, this is the NFC East, where rivalries are too

unpredictable for assumptions.

``You can be 0-10 and the other team can be 10-0 in our

division,'' Giants defensive end Michael Strahan said. ``And

they'll play each other, and the undefeated team will lose.''

Still, the Giants' ability to overcome the bad taste of Monday

night's 35-32 loss to Dallas is as important as any of the Xs and

Os this week. New York (1-1) took the lead on a field goal with 11

seconds left in regulation against the Cowboys, yet still managed

to lose to the consensus worst team in the division.

``I'd be naive if I said they could shake it all the way out

completely,'' New York coach Jim Fassel said. ``But this is a

pretty well determined team.''

Meanwhile, the Redskins (2-0) have defied convention to win

back-to-back games for their best start in 12 years. They beat the

New York Jets 16-13 despite losing the turnover battle 2-0, then

rallied from 17-0 down to beat the Atlanta Falcons 33-31.

``A fire has been lit, and we continue to throw fuel on it,''

Washington linebacker LaVar Arrington said. ``That's the best way

to describe how our season started.''

On the field,key to

recover from his two drops _ including one in the end zone _

against Dallas. Shockey had a career-high 11 catches against the

Redskins last year, making him one of the few subjects considered

off limits by the usually verbose Arrington.

``A lot has been made to do about the guy, but I'm not buying

into it,'' Arrington said. ``That's pretty much all I have to say.

So if anyone wants to ask me about Jeremy Shockey, that's your

answer. We're playing the Giants, not Jeremy Shockey.''

The Redskins will want to prove their quick start wasn't a fluke

_ both the Jets and Falcons had lost starting quarterbacks to

injuries _ while the Giants will be fighting the prospect of

spending a good chunk of the season playing catch-up in the

standings.

``We don't want to be two down in our division coming back from

D.C.,'' receiver Ike Hilliard said. ``That's tough sledding.''