• Preview
• Recap
• Bleachers

Cowboys-Redskins Preview

Sep 8, 2010 - 6:21 PM By SANTOSH VENKATARAMAN STATS Senior Writer

While the Dallas Cowboys are the defending NFC East champions, the new-look Washington Redskins have garnered much more of the headlines in the offseason.

The Redskins brought in six-time Pro Bowl selection Donovan McNabb as well as Mike Shanahan, but it's the new coach's feud with disgruntled tackle Albert Haynesworth that has overshadowed the start of the season and tempered some of the enthusiasm for the once-proud franchise.

McNabb and Shanahan will make their Redskins debuts, and it's unclear whether Haynesworth will see action - or even be in uniform - on Sunday night at FedEx Field against the Cowboys, who have aspirations of reaching the Super Bowl they are hosting.

When Dallas beat Philadelphia for its first playoff victory in 13 years, it turned out to be the final game for McNabb in an Eagles uniform. Philadelphia made the unusual move of trading McNabb within the division, and the Redskins were more than happy to take him and get rid of Jason Campbell after a 4-12 season.

"Sometimes change is better," McNabb said. "Sometimes you're forced into change. I would have loved to (stay in Philadelphia), but it didn't happen."

The question for Washington this week is how effective McNabb will be. He sprained an ankle in a preseason game against Baltimore on Aug. 21 but returned to practice this week, admitting he's not at 100 percent.

"Yes, I will be starting this weekend," McNabb said. "And I look forward to it."

The quarterback also has tried to help mediate a bitter dispute between Shanahan and Haynesworth, who initially balked at the Redskins' move to a 3-4 defense and was forced by the former Denver coach to repeatedly take a conditioning test before he could participate in training camp.

The latest development came when Shanahan used Haynesworth for 49 of 55 snaps in the preseason finale against Arizona last Thursday in a game in which 31 players weren't even in uniform. Shanahan claimed Haynesworth needed the action to get into "football shape," yet hasn't even committed to playing the tackle who signed a $100 million contract before last season.

"He worked hard and made a few mistakes here and there," Shanahan said. "But he's getting better."

Reports are surfacing that Tennessee is looking to re-acquire the two-time Pro Bowler, and McNabb and his teammates want this saga to end.

"We can't win without Albert," McNabb said. "He plays a major part on our defense, and everyone knows that. It's just unfortunate what's been going on and how everything has transpired, but that's the game of football, and I think he'll handle it the right way. ... I think he'll be here. I hope he'll be here. ... As a player, you would want Albert to be here."

McNabb guided the Eagles to two touchdowns and went 0-3 against the Cowboys last year. Washington also fared poorly in two matchups with Dallas, falling 7-6 on Nov. 22 and 17-0 at home on Dec. 27.

While Tony Romo had a stellar year in 2009 and Miles Austin (1,320 yards) emerged as one of the best receivers in the league, the Cowboys went 11-5 largely due to a defense that allowed the fewest points in the NFC (250).

Coach Wade Phillips' 3-4 unit features linebacker DeMarcus Ware, whose 31 sacks over the last two years are the most in the NFL. It's a scheme familiar to Shanahan, who worked with Phillips on Dan Reeves' staff in Denver.

"They know more what to expect from us than we do what to expect from them," Phillips said.

There's cause for concern in Dallas over the team's spotty preseason, with angst surrounding the fact Romo threw for one touchdown and two interceptions and was sacked five times.

The Cowboys say they are not worried.

"The way we practice and prepare when not everybody is looking at us and not on tape for everyone to see, not nationally televised," linebacker Keith Brooking said. "That preparation has been very good. We've had good practices. We're right where we need to be."

The postseason win over Philadelphia marked the first in the careers of Romo and Phillips - the only coach in the division not to guide a team to the Super Bowl.

This is the 50th anniversary season for Dallas, which will host the Super Bowl in its $1.2 billion stadium that opened last year and would like nothing better than to be the team celebrating at the end.

"I would have to say right now there's more anticipation and joy in thinking what we had ahead of us this year than at any time since I've owned the Cowboys," Jerry Jones said.