The Redskins received good news prior to Monday night's kickoff: left tackle Chris Samuels and wide receiver Santana Moss were in the starting lineup against the Pittsburgh Steelers at FedExField.
Both Samuels and Moss were game time decisions and listed as questionable heading into the game.
Samuels has been slowed by a knee injury and Moss has a hamstring strain.
At pre-game, Moss was on the playing field at pre-game, running without any noticeable problem.
Samuels was not on the playing field, however, leading to some speculation that he would not be able to go.
Instead, Samuels drew the start.
As late as Monday afternoon, the status for both Samuels and Moss was uncertain.
Last Saturday, Samuels struggled through practice, according to head coach Jim Zorn.
"His knee is still aching," Zorn said at the time. "He is trying to push through. We know what [the injury] is--it's not structural damage, it's just pain tolerance. For me, he's still a question mark."
Moss suffered his injury in last week's 25-17 win over the Detroit Lions.
Moss was sidelined for four practices last week, but he was able to get some light running in last Friday and Saturday.
Said Zorn: "We wanted to see, where was the tenderness? Where was the grab? As he warms up [on Monday night] and he starts to feel his leg during warm-ups, we'll decide [Moss's status]."
Moss's availability means the Redskins will have four wide receivers available for the game. Malcolm Kelly has been deactivated as he continues to rest a knee injury.
The Redskins' complete list of inactives is as follows: Kelly, cornerback Shawn Springs, running back Ladell Betts, defensive end Jason Taylor, offensive linemen Jason Fabini and Chad Rinehart and defensive end Rob Jackson.
-- BURGUNDY ON BURGUNDY!
It has finally happened: the Redskins wore burgundy pants and burgundy jerseys for Monday night's game against the Pittsburgh Steelers.
It was the first time--at least in recent memory--that the team wore burgundy on burgundy uniforms.
Players have talked about wearing burgundy on burgundy for years, and earlier this season Jim Zorn indicated it would be a possibility for cold weather games.
White on white uniforms has become a fashion trend for the Redskins in recent years. This year, the Redskins are 4-1 wearing white on white uniforms.
They are 2-0 wearing burgundy jerseys and white pants (wins over Dallas and Philadelphia) and 0-1 wearing white jerseys and burgundy pants (loss to New York Giants).
-- ZORN ON ROETHLISBERGER
Jim Zorn had high praise for Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger last week. He compared Roethlisberger to Hall of Famer John Elway in terms of his size and athleticism.
"John moved a lot better than him," Zorn said. "Ben can intimidate you because he can stand in the pocket, take blows and still be strong with the throw. He is pretty impressive."
Roethlisberger, a fifth-year pro, stands at 6-5 and 241 pounds. He has been sacked 23 times this season, so he has absorbed plenty of blows.
Coaches say Roethlisberger tends to hold on to the ball as he waits for a receiver to get open. That's one reason why his sack numbers are so high.
-- REDSKINS ON MONDAY NIGHT
Since the inception of Monday Night Football in 1970, the Redskins are 26-29 all-time playing in the nationally televised Monday contests.
The last time the Redskins played on Monday Night Football was in Week 2 of the 2007 season. The Redskins defeated the Philadelphia Eagles 20-12 at Lincoln Financial Field.
The last time the Redskins played a home game on Monday Night Football was the 2006 regular season opener at FedExField. The Redskins lost to the Minnesota Vikings by a 19-16 score.
The Redskins and Steelers have played just once before on Monday Night Football. On Nov. 5, 1973, the Steelers won 21-16 at Three Rivers Stadium in Pittsburgh.
