NFL.COM: Dallas Cowboys (8-5) at Washington Redskins (5-8).

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Dallas at Washington

NFL.com wire reports

http://www.nfl.com/gamenotes/NFL_20031214_DAL@WAS

WASHINGTON, D.C. (Dec. 10, 2003) -- Early in the season, this matchup between the Dallas Cowboys and Washington Redskins looked like it had the potential to decide the NFC East title.

After both teams opened the season 4-1, the Cowboys are now clinging to one of the conference's playoff spots and the Redskins are virtually out of it as they meet at FedEx Field.

The Redskins snapped a three-game losing streak with a 20-7 win over the New York Giants on Sunday, but they're virtually out of the playoff picture. Washington would need to win out, and get a lot of help.

A 36-10 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday gave the Cowboys their first two-game losing streak under coach Bill Parcells and makes it highly unlikely they'll win the division.

So if Dallas makes the playoffs, it would be as a wild card. The Cowboys and Seattle Seahawks (both 8-5) hold those spots now, with the Green Bay Packers one game behind. Three other teams are two games back.

"We still have a solid chance to get where we want to try to go," Parcells said. But, he warned, "we need to do something here pretty quickly or that chance is going to be gone."

Three wins definitely would earn Dallas least a wild-card berth; two probably would be enough.

Cowboys owner Jerry Jones took time out to praise quarterback Quincy Carter this week, a time when the third-year player could use some positive reinforcement. He told Carter not to let two consecutive poor outings distract him from the three remaining games because Dallas needs to win them all to be guaranteed of making the playoffs.

"He's playing at a level that has got us with the record we've got," Jones said. "You say you want a quarterback to win, you want a quarterback to basically play at a level that gets you in a position to contend. I look at the overall thing and I think we've got to give him his due."

Carter seemed to click under Parcells, drawing rave reviews for his play as the Cowboys opened 7-2. The big key was minimizing his bad plays and making some good ones.

For instance, in Dallas' wins, Carter has 10 TD passes and seven interceptions. His ratio is 4-11 in losses.

Carter threw two interceptions in the loss to Philadelphia.

Tim Hasselbeck has his chance to add to the Washington-Dallas rivalry.

While the Cowboys continue to rely on their starter, the Redskins' No. 1 quarterback is done for the season. Patrick Ramsey was placed on injured reserve before he undergoes foot surgery within the next two weeks, prematurely ending his first year as an NFL starter.

With the playoffs essentially out of reach, Ramsey stood to gain little by playing with such an injury.

"These games are important, but they're maybe not quite as important if you were in the hunt for the playoffs, of course," Redskins coach Steve Spurrier said. "We felt like we needed to get him well."

With Ramsey out, midseason pickup Tim Hasselbeck will start the remaining three games. Hasselbeck got his first NFL victory Sunday, completing 13 of 19 passes for 154 yards and two touchdowns.

Rookie Gibran Hamdan is the only other quarterback on the roster.

Washington defensive end Bruce Smith finally got the NFL career sack record Sunday, passing Reggie White for No. 1 on the all-time list. It took 13 games for Smith to get career sack No. 199. He passed White's 198 when he sacked Giants quarterback Jesse Palmer.

STANDINGS: Cowboys - 2nd place, NFC East. Redskins - 3rd place, NFC East.

COWBOYS LEADERS: Offense - Carter, 2,664 passing yards and 14 passing TDs; Troy Hambrick, 721 rushing yards and 5 rushing TDs; Richie Anderson, 50 receptions; Terry Glenn, 630 receiving yards and 5 receiving TDs. Defense - Greg Ellis, 4 sacks; Roy Williams and Alshermond Singleton, 2 interceptions.

REDSKINS LEADERS: Offense - Ramsey, 2,166 passing yards and 14 passing TDs; Trung Canidate, 600 rushing yards; Rock Cartwright, 3 rushing TDs; Laveranues Coles, 69 receptions and 1023 receiving yards; Darnerien McCants, 6 receiving TDs. Defense - Jessie Armstead, 5½ sacks; Ifeanyi Ohalete, Matt Bowen and Fred Smoot, 3 interceptions.

COWBOYS TEAM RANK: Rushing Offense - 122.2 yards per game (tied for 12th in NFL); Passing Offense - 197.6 ypg (16th); Total Offense - 319.8 ypg (16th). Rushing Defense - 92.2 ypg (6th); Passing Defense - 168.6 ypg (1st); Total Defense - 260.8 ypg (1st).

REDSKINS TEAM RANK: Rushing Offense - 109.5 yards per game (18th); Passing Offense - 194.5 ypg (17th); Total Offense - 304.0 ypg (23rd). Rushing Defense - 132.4 ypg (25th); Passing Defense - 200.3 ypg (16th); Total Defense - 332.7 ypg (22nd).

LAST MEETING: Nov. 2; Cowboys, 21-14. At Dallas, Hambrick rushed for 100 yards and two touchdowns.

STREAKS AND NOTES: Cowboys - Dallas is holding opponents to an NFL-low 15.2 first downs per game. ... LB Dexter Coakley has five career defensive touchdowns and needs one more to set the team mark. ... S Williams has two interceptions returns for touchdowns in three games against Washington. Redskins - K John Hall leads the NFC with 11 touchbacks. ... Coles is third among NFL wide receivers with 19 receptions of 20-plus yards. ... WR Rod Gardner has over 50 receptions for the second straight season.

ROAD/HOME RECORDS: Cowboys - 3-3 on the road; Redskins - 3-3 at home.

STANDINGS

Team Standing W L T PCT Home Road

Dallas 2nd NFC East 8 5 0 .615 5-2 3-3

Washington 3rd NFC East 5 8 0 .385 3-3 2-5

INJURIES

OUT RB Aveion Cason (Knee)

QUESTIONABLE MLB Scott Shanle (Leg)

INJURIES

OUT QB Patrick Ramsey (Foot)

DOUBTFUL RB Ladell Betts (Arm)

QUESTIONABLE RB Trung Canidate (Ankle)

WR Taylor Jacobs (Foot)

FS Andre Lott (Ankle)

RB Chad Morton (Ankle)

T Chris Samuels (Knee)

PROBABLE OLB LaVar Arrington (Knee)

FB Rock Cartwright (Ankle)

WR Laveranues Coles (Toe)

DE Bruce Smith (Hand)

MLB Jeremiah Trotter (Knee)

Washington Redskins

Former NFL Europe QB (Berlin Thunder) TIM HASSELBECK earned 1st win as starter last week vs. Giants, posting 128.0 passer rating, tossing 2 TDs vs. 0 INTs & completing 68.4 pct. of pass attempts (13 of 19) … RB TRUNG CANIDATE has career-best 600 rushing yards … WR LAVERANUES COLES has 4 100-yard games this season & needs 1 for career-high. Had 55 yards (4 catches) vs. Giants, topping 1,000 for 2nd-consecutive season. Ranks 3rd among NFL WRs with 19 catches of 20+ yards. WR ROD GARDNER has catch in 44 games in row. Has 52 catches (543 yards) in 2003, his 2nd 50-catch season in row. … WR DARNERIEN MC CANTS has team-leading & career-high 6 TD catches … Defense posted 6 sacks vs. NY … DE BRUCE SMITH had 1.0 sack vs. NYG, giving him 199.0 career, passing REGGIE WHITE (198.0) for most in NFL history … K JOHN HALL leads NFC with 11 TBs on KOs.

Dallas Cowboys

Club has 8-2 (.800) record when leading in time of possession … QB QUINCY CARTER earned 1st win as starter vs. Wash on 12/2/01, tossing 1st TD pass. Has career-highs with 14 TD passes & 195 yards rushing … RB TROY HAMBRICK has career-high 721 rushing yards & rushed for 75 yards last week. RB RICHIE ANDERSON had 7 catches vs. Phil & has 2nd-career 50-catch season … WR JOEY GALLOWAY has 30 receptions for 537 yards & his 17.9-yard avg. ranks 2nd in NFL (min. 20 catches). WR TERRY GLENN has 16 career 100-yard games & his club is 14-2 (.875) in those contests. Leads club WRs with 43 catches (630 yards) & needs 7 for 6th-career 50-catch season. Had career-long 47-yard run in last meeting. Second-year WR ANTONIO BRYANT has 473 receiving yards (31 catches) … Rookie 3rd-round TE JASON WITTEN has 29 catches for 266 yards in 2003 … Defense holds foes to NFL-low 15.2 1st downs per game … LB DEXTER COAKLEY has 5 career def. TDs & needs 1 for club record (DENNIS THURMAN) … Second-year S ROY WILLIAMS has 2 career INT-TDs in 3 games vs. Redskins.