Mark Brunell and Santana Moss will forever be linked to the Redskins-Cowboys rivalry. Brunell's two memorable touchdown passes to Moss in the Week 2 game against Dallas were the signature plays in the Redskins' 14-13 win.
Look beyond those two plays, though, and you see a number of key plays and players who were instrumental in the dramatic win on Monday Night Football.
The Redskins will need more of those unsung heroes to emerge in the rematch on Sunday at FedExField.
Here's a look back at some of the unsung heroes from the memorable Week 2 game:
- The first sequence of plays came right before the Redskins' first touchdown drive. Dallas head coach Bill Parcells appeared to become somewhat conservative in his play-calling. With 8:35 remaining, Dallas was forced into a 1st-and-20 at the Redskins' 27-yard line due to a holding call on Larry Allen.
Instead of passing the ball, Parcells elected to run Tyson Thompson up the middle three times. The rookie running back gained just five yards, with Renaldo Wynn tackling him for a 1-yard loss in third down, and the Cowboys settled for a 41-yard field goal by Jose Cortez and a 13-0 lead.
- The Redskins got the ball back at the 24-yard line with 5:51 left on the game clock. On 2nd-and-10, Brunell faced a safety blitz and was sacked by the Cowboys' Roy Williams for a 17-yard loss. On 3rd-and-27, Brunell scrambled out of the pocket and raced up-field, showing surprising mobility and eluding tacklers, for a 25-yard run. He slid two yards short of the first down.
- On fourth down, Brunell threw a pass to James Thrash in the flat, who turned it into a 20-yard pickup. Brunell's next three passes were incomplete. His fourth pass was the 39-yarder to Moss.
- In Texas Stadium, you could feel the momentum shifting. Dallas appeared to have converted a key first down on the next drive, courtesy of a 17-yard pass from Drew Bledsoe to Keyshawn Johnson. But offensive lineman Flozell Adams was called for holding, forcing a 3rd-and-18. On the next play, Walt Harris tackled tight end Jason Witten five yards short of the first down on the next play and the Redskins quickly used their final time out.
- After Moss's 70-yard touchdown pass and Nick Novak's extra point gave Washington the lead, the Redskins kicked off to Thompson. The speedster broke free along the right sideline before being shoved out of bounds by Novak. It was a 49-yard return.
- It was time for the defense to step up. On 3rd-and-4 at the Redskins' 42-yard line, Sean Taylor leveled wide receiver Patrick Crayton and jarred the ball from his hands, forcing an incompletion on what would have been a first down.
- On fourth down, Harris produced another big play, tackling wide receiver Terry Glenn one yard short of the first down. Even though the Cowboys had the ball one last time, they could not get into position to score.
-- PATTERSON SIGNED; JOHNSON TO IR
With the Redskins needing healthy bodies at the cornerback position for Sunday's game against the Cowboys, the Redskins have signed rookie Dimitri Patterson from the practice squad.
To make room for Patterson, the team placed tight end Robert Johnson on injured reserve, ending his season. Johnson has an ankle injury.
Patterson, 5-11 and 196 pounds, has spent time on the Redskins' 53-man roster and practice squad this season. He saw action on special teams in the Week 6 game against Kansas City, recording a tackle. He has been on the practice squad since Week 10.
Carlos Rogers is listed as questionable for Sunday's game due to a biceps injury. Shawn Springs (groin) and Walt Harris (calf) are listed as probable.
-- NO HELP FROM GIANTS
On Saturday, the Redskins were hoping the Kansas City Chiefs could knock off the New York Giants because it would boost their chances of winning the NFC East. But the Giants held on to defeat the Chiefs by a score of 27-17 at Giants Stadium.
The Giants are in first place in the NFC East with a 10-4 record.
The Redskins host the Cowboys on Sunday and then host the Giants next Saturday, Dec. 24, at FedExField.
