Santana Moss: Redskins-Cowboys special for several reasons

Washington Redskins wide receiver Santana Moss said this week’s game is obviously big because it is against the hated Cowboys. But most importantly it’s a chance for his team to pick up another victory in the NFC East.

“Dallas is Dallas. We see them twice a year,” Moss said. “You get up for them the first time and get up for them a little more the second time. That’s how this division is, regardless of if it’s Dallas or whoever it is, it’s a big game.”

Moss knows that fans view the Cowboys differently than the Eagles or Giants, however. And he acknowledges that the success that Dallas has achieved over the years has caused people to look at the Cowboys in a different light. But that further stokes Moss’ competitive juices.

“We know what Dallas means to everybody else in the world, because without that star, it’s almost like it ain’t football,” Moss said. “But Dallas has been one of those teams I watched as a kid. I’ve always been a fan of them, so when it’s time to play them and share that stage with them, something a little more extra comes out of you. You don’t really know what it is, but it is.”

Moss had one of the finest performances by a Redskins receiver against the Cowboys in 2005, when, with his team down 13-0 and 4-1/2 minutes left, he and then-quarterback Mark Brunell connected on two touchdowns for a stunning 14-13 victory.

The first was a 39-yard touchdown catch and the second was a 70-yard bomb with 2-1/2 minutes left on the clock.

But rather than reflect on that performance, Moss tries to focus on his upcoming matchup with the Cowboys.

“I think about it when people bring it up,” Moss said. “I like to stay ahead and leave the past in the past. It’s always brought up so you can’t totally leave it behind, but every year is a different year. The last five years, we haven’t had the best years, so we just try to have a better outing every time we play them.”

(washingtonpost.com)