Everybody saw just how Santana Moss stunned the Cowboys last year on Week 2 at Texas Stadium.
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When Moss snared that 70-yard TD pass from Mark Brunell with 2:35 left on Monday Night Football, he shocked the Dallas secondary and helped the Redskins end a four-game skid versus their rivals.
Six days later, another speedy wide receiver exposed gaps in the Dallas secondary as well: Brandon Lloyd.
In 2005, Lloyd, the 6-0, 192-pound fourth-year player out of Illinois, had his best season in the NFL. Lloyd led the 49ers in receptions (48), receiving yards (733) and touchdowns (5).
What Redskins fans need to recall is this: Lloyd had his best game against the Cowboys on Week 3, putting up single-game career-highs in receiving yards (142) and touchdowns (2).
His 89-yard TD grab rattled Dallas in a game in which San Francisco gave the Cowboys fits before falling 34-31.
On that particular play, Lloyd slanted past Dallas corner Anthony Henry, grabbed a picture-perfect throw from quarterback Tim Rattay and outraced Terence Newman to the end zone.
For emphasis: He outraced Terence Newman to the end zone. Anybody who can do that bears watching.
You can bet that that one sequence versus Dallas last Sept. 25 in San Francisco is a major reason why Lloyd is now a Redskin.
When they traded for Lloyd back on March 11, the Redskins acquired a young wide receiver known for making dynamic plays. The spectacular catch is in his arsenal. Entering 2006, Lloyd had 29 career starts and 13 career TDs.
A high school teammate of Ladell Betts in Blue Springs, Missouri, Lloyd was drafted out of Illinois in the fourth round (124th overall) in the 2003 NFL Draft by San Francisco. He finished his collegiate career second all-time at Illinois in receiving yardage (2,583) and career touchdown receptions (21).
In joining the Redskins, Lloyd becomes another potential weapon for Al Saunders in the team's offensive schemes for 2006.
Said Lloyd: "With the receivers we have here, we can do a pretty good rendition of 'the greatest show on turf.' I think we can bring that back to life."
"We're excited to have Brandon here. We think he'll add something to our program," said head coach Joe Gibbs. "He's a gifted receiver."
There are issues, of course, about how to spread the ball around amongst the likes of Moss, Lloyd, Antwaan Randle El, David Patten, James Thrash and others.
But for now it's a fact that, in Lloyd, the Redskins have added a young player who can cause the Cowboys all sorts of headaches.
