The Redskins and Dallas Cowboys will meet on "Monday Night Football" for the 13th time, the second most frequent matchup in the history of those games. The teams have split their 12 games -- the Redskins are 4-3 in those games at home -- and Dallas has won the last two meetings; another win for the Cowboys would match the longest streak in the history of this series on Monday night.
This will be the first time Coach Joe Gibbs is involved in a Monday night game since returning from an 11-year absence from football. His first meeting with Dallas on a Monday night -- Sept. 5, 1983 -- turned into a classic game. The Cowboys won, 31-30, at RFK Stadium, with Danny White throwing three touchdown passes and Tony Dorsett running for 151 yards -- both records for a Monday night meeting between these teams. Joe Theismann threw for 320 yards in defeat -- the most put up by a quarterback in the Dallas-Washington series on Monday nights.
The Redskins and Cowboys last met on a Monday night in 2001 -- Dallas won, 9-7, at home, in a game regarded as one of the MNF low points -- and Washington has not won on a Monday night since the 2000 season. The Redskins have lost six of their last seven Monday night games dating back to 1998, with a combined margin in those defeats of 116 points. They lost their last Monday night game to Philadelphia by a score of 37-7, were blown out 37-0 by Green Bay in 2001 and lost 45-10 at home to San Francisco in 1998.
Washington will not play again on Monday night this season but has two Sunday night games remaining. Baltimore comes to FedEx Field on Oct. 10 and Philadelphia visits Dec. 12.
Parcells Wants More Production
Dallas Coach Bill Parcells addressed his club this week and offered a stern appraisal of their first two games. "I told them there's a heck of a difference between a good team and what we are right now," Parcells said. He is demanding more production from his running game and better decisions from veteran quarterback Vinny Testaverde, who is throwing for over 300 yards per game but also threw three interceptions last week.
"He threw three interceptions in six passes the other day," Parcells said. "I told him a I need a fireman, not an arsonist."
Gibbs in Cowboy Blue?
Redskins Coach Joe Gibbs spoke to the Dallas media on a conference call yesterday and laughed about conversation he had with Cowboys owner Jerry Jones in 1998. Jones consulted Gibbs about his coaching vacancy and, according to Gibbs, "joked about" hiring him for the job although neither man really thought it was a serious offer. "I can't get in blue," Gibbs said on the conference call. "I puke when I see blue."
McCants Could Miss Third Game
Redskins receiver Darnerien McCants, a regular contributor last season, could be inactive for the third straight game. "All I can do is practice hard and make sure I know my assignments," McCants said. "So when the time comes for me to go back on the field, I'll be ready." McCants said he has not been told whether or not he will play Monday. ... Defensive end Ron Warner is set to take over for injured starter Phillip Daniels on Monday. "With Big Phil out, that's some big shoes to fill," Warner said. "But I can fill them." . . . Cornerback Shawn Springs will play in his first Dallas-Washington game; he grew up in this area as a Cowboys fan as his dad, Ron, played for Dallas from 1979-84.
-- Jason LaCanfora
--
The Post's Nunyo Demasio was online Friday, taking questions about the Redskins. Read the transcript.
