Switch & Bye

Winning the division means competing on and off the field. The Redskins must equal or best two developments by east rivals to take the division.

Bill Parcells made the move Joe Gibbs declined to do -- bench the starter in favor of the mobile young gun on the bench. Tony Romo's mobility offsets Dallas porous offensive line, supposedly. Initial returns are good. Dallas' surprising win over the Carolina Panthers is evidence fans hope Joe Gibbs notices. Parcells, it was whispered, always wanted Romo as the starter and only waited for the right moment. Joe Gibbs is sticking with veteran Mark Brunell to the consternation of Brunell-bashers who remain convinced that he [Brunell] is the source of all offensive weaknesses. Gibbs decision must work, or there will be heck to pay. Romo was his team's number two QB. Jason Campbell is number 2.5 of the Skins depth chart.

The Giants went into their bye 1-2. They were angry and pointing fingers. Defensive coordinator Tim Lewis acknowledged he could be doing a better job. Jeremy Shockey and head coach Tom Coughlin had a private meeting, followed by a team meeting to clear the air. Something worked. The Giants have since won four straight, scoring 99 points while holding the opposition to 42.

The Redskins went into the bye worse off at 2-5. The coaching staff picked apart every play and every decision and reviewed something with the team Monday. I hope it was a two-way discussion. Whatever Joe Gibbs' approach, the results have to match the Giants. The Skins have no margin for error left.

Is it me, or is Dallas week unusually subdued this time around?

With the exception of Santana Moss, all of the Redskins are listed as probable. Moss is day-to-day.

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Washington Redskins