Texas NFL Capsules: Best in East? Redskins not Cowboys by simple fact

ARLINGTON— Using the most basic fact, the argument could be made that Washington is playing better than any other team in the NFC East right now.

Yes, those 3-6 Redskins without Clinton Portis. Better even than the division-leading Dallas Cowboys, who they play Sunday in the 99th game of their ever-bitter rivalry.

Simply put, the last-place Redskins are the only NFC East team that won its last game. Could it be the sign of a turnaround toward a late-season surge?

"I just sense that we won one game, we won our third game of the season. That's really all I can sense," coach Jim Zorn said. "Being 3-6, it's not a record that just bodes of competitiveness, but our players have not thrown in the towel. We're just trying to climb our way out of this hole we've dug."

Washington took a positive step with a 27-17 victory over AFC West leader Denver, scoring its most points for Zorn since his second game as coach last season. Ladell Betts ran for 114 yards in place of Portis (concussion) even with the Redskins' fifth different starting offensive line combination this season.

The New York Giants haven't won in more than a month — a four-game losing streak since their 5-0 start — and Philadelphia has lost two in a row. Even Dallas (6-3), which had won four straight, needed a late touchdown just to avoid being shut out last weekend by desperate Green Bay.

"It's going to be a tough challenge for us," Cowboys receiver Roy Williams said. "They're pretty much in the position as Green Bay last week. They're looking for this game to be their momentum swing and we just can't let that happen two weeks in a row."

After an impressive recovery from their 2-2 start that including a loss in Denver, the Cowboys have to make sure a downward spiral doesn't continue after the 17-7 loss in Green Bay. Williams' touchdown catch came with 38 seconds left; "It was a lonely feeling in the end zone because it didn't matter," he said this week.

"We had a good run, but now from here on out we have to earn our victories. It's just that simple," Bradie James said. "Let's start a new streak, that's what it's about."

Dallas has two games in a five-day span, following the Redskins with another winnable game: Thanksgiving Day against struggling Oakland. Then it's a trip to New York to face the Giants, whose last-play field goal in Week 2 ruined the Cowboys' debut in their new stadium.

While Zorn is trying to keep one victory in perspective, consider that U2's "Beautiful Day" was blaring from the speakers this week during a Redskins practice — and it was a sentiment no one could really argue with for a change. Their previous two wins had come against Tampa Bay and St. Louis, a pair of 1-8 teams.

"Coming off last week's victory, we've definitely got confidence. It was a big confidence-builder for us," Rock Cartwright said.

"You've got to keep it rolling. That's the whole objective," receiver Devin Thomas said. "You can never give up on a season just because things have gone bad. We knew we were just one click away from hitting on all cylinders."

With a win in Dallas, the Redskins would be only two games out of the NFC East lead with six games to play, three against the other division teams — including the Cowboys at home two nights after Christmas.

Dallas, whose 57 wins against Washington are more than against any other team, doesn't want things to get that close. The dismal day in Green Bay likely got the Cowboys' attention.

"It sobers you, you realize you can lose," coach Wade Phillips said.

"I don't think it's a sign of trouble. We lost before we got on the four-game win streak," Williams said. "It was a setback when we lost the second game. ... After we lost that second game, we won four straight."

The Cowboys will have two first-time starters filling in for players injured last weekend. Alan Ball takes over at safety for Ken Hamlin (high right ankle sprain) and Doug Free replaces Marc Colombo (broken left leg), creating the first change for the starting offensive line this season.

Washington likely will be without Portis again, but defensive tackle Albert Haynesworth said he expected to play despite a sprained left ankle that kept him out of practice.

If Haynesworth plays, it will be his first time in a regular-season game against Cowboys center Andre Gurode since a dirty play in 2006. Haynesworth was then with Tennessee and suspended five games after cleating the helmetless face of Gurode, who needed 30 stitches and was bothered by headaches and blurred vision the following week.

Gurode and Haynesworth, who were both in the last two Pro Bowls, said this week the incident is behind them. But there were reminders this week with the questions and television replays.

"It's something they are going to do," Gurode said. "I expected that when he signed with the Redskins and we played them that it was going to be brought up. ... It is something in the past."

Johnson, Finnegan square off in Tenn-Houston game

HOUSTON — Houston star receiver Andre Johnson is pretty quiet, not talking much on the field or getting in the face of opponents.