December 27-- Is this 2005 all over again?

C Mike Pucillo was placed on injured reserve with a back injury ending his season and potentially his career with the Skins.. OL Kevin Sampon was signed off the practie squad to take his roster spot.. OL Calvin Armstrong was signed to the practice squad..
Lorenzo Alexander had become the jumbo package tight end in recent weeks and had emerged as a possibility at back-up guard as well.. Pete Kendall is now the back-up center if something is to happen to Casey Rabach..

RB Clinton Portis was named the NFC's offensive player of the week.. he described himself as a wiser player and once again talked about the change "everyone" has had to go through since the death of his friend a teammate Sean Taylor.. Portis respectfully hinted he is tired of being asked about Taylor and that while his teammates are playing for Sean, it is time to move forward to focus on what's ahead..
Portis called this game the "second best ticket" in the league behind the Giants-Pats game and said he is excited by the prospect of playing Dallas with so much on the line..
Portis said he doesn't beleive that the Cowboys are going to be any kind of easy out just because they have nothing to play for..
Gregg Williams put it this way: "They had 11 players on the pro bowl roster. They can't sit all of them. This is a very good football team that we are playing."

The run of 2005 hasn't been a theme in this late season surge by the Redskins but Williams said that it has been broguht up in the context of "We've done this before. We can do this again."

When last these two played, the Skins were in the midst of what would eventually be a permanent change to their secondary.. Sean Taylor had injured his knee the week before and miscommunication ruled as Terrell Owens scored 4 touchdowns, 3 on deep pass plays in the second half of a 28-23 win.. When asked how far the secondary has come since that game, Williams said "a lot." He credited Reed Doughty for his performance in the Vikings game and suggested the mistakes made in the Dallas game (which he described as film they have watched intensely) are in the past..

The photo taken that gave the appearance that Mike Sellers helmet cracked when he was concussed during the Vikings game apparently was a photographic mirage.. I asked Sellers about the play and he showed me his helmet, the same one he wore that game and there was a minor scratch, but no breakage.. Sellers claims he certianly could have played the second half of the Vikings game and that his helmet needed to be hidden from him because in the past he found his helmet after being dinged and ran out onto the field despite the protestations of the trainers..

QB Jason Campbell is out (knee).. He is the only active player listed..

I spoke with Santana Moss about his penchent for big games against Dallas.. Two years ago he was part of the miracle win in week two and averaged over 30 yards per catch in the two wins that year.. This season, Moss had 9-121 in the loss at Dallas.. He said there is something about playing "on the big stage against Dallas." He wouldn't go so far as to call it a coincidence that his performances against the Cowboys have been some of the best he's had in the uniform, but certainly there is something to it..

OK men..