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The numbers are up for Cowboys, Redskins

By JOSEPH WHITE / AP Sports Writer

ASHBURN, Va. (AP) -- All sorts of weird numbers are floating around as the Dallas Cowboys and Washington Redskins prepare for their first Monday night meeting in four years.

How about this one: Washington coach Norv Turner, who made his name as an offensive coordinator in Dallas, has a career 0-7 record in games the week before facing the Cowboys, including last week's 24-10 loss at Philadelphia.

Furthermore, Turner is 0-5 in games the week after playing Dallas. One game was at the end of the season.

Think he's been concentrating too hard on his old team?

"I hadn't paid that close attention to it," Turner said Thursday. "Now that I'm more aware of that stat, I would like to do something about it."

Here's another head-scratcher. Dallas coach Barry Switzer, discussing his team's struggling offense, on a conference call Thursday with reporters covering the Redskins:

"Our goal is to score 27 points," Switzer said. "If we can get two touchdowns and three field goals, we've got our 27 points."

With math like that, it's no wonder Dallas keeps losing those close ones.

While most of the Cowboys are old hats at "Monday Night Football," it's a new and exciting adventure for many of the Redskins players. The team was so lousy during the rebuilding spell that it hasn't been invited to the big weekly game since 1993.

"It's even more special to me," said third-year defensive end Rich Owens. "After years of watching ÔMonday Night Football,' I finally get a chance to be in one. Someone told me it would be the closest thing to being in a playoff game without actually playing in one. Monday night, national TV, the focus is going to be on us."

Tight end Jamie Asher even got a call from his mother about it.

"She was excited for me," Asher said. "And she said she'll be praying for me."

Many coaches don't like playing night games because it forces a change in routine. Not Turner. He reckons that a load of prime-time invitations is a sign that his team did something to deserve it.

"We'll have some guys that have some real excitement in them," Turner said. "I hope it doesn't work against us in terms of getting too revved up."

The Monday night show is augmented by the fact that it's the dreaded Cowboys who'll be coming to town. It's a rivalry even the younger players understand, and the new veterans usually take it on quickly.

"You can't help but get into it," cornerback Cris Dishman said. "As soon as you sign, that's the first thing you hear. People saying, ÔBeat the Cowboys. Beat the Cowboys.' You have to get into it."

However, some vets, such as former Dallas receiver Alvin Harper, are slower to catch on.

"He was trying to figure out the whole thing," said receiver Leslie Shepherd, who, oddly enough, grew up rooting for Dallas while living in the Washington area. "We said, ÔYou don't understand. You're with the Redskins now. Playing Dallas is a big deal.'

"We were asking him how Dallas acts when it comes to the Redskins. He said they just take it as another game."

Well, maybe not this week. The rivalry did lose some luster for a few years because both teams weren't good at the same time, but Monday's game is for first place in the NFC East. Also, the Redskins' unofficial team philosopher from last year, tight end Scott Galbraith, is now back with the Cowboys and is raising a fuss back at Valley Ranch.

"Redskins week! That's all he's been saying," running back Emmitt Smith said. "This is Redskins week." Notes: The Redskins, woefully thin at defensive line, signed third-year DT Don Sasa on Thursday. Sasa (6-2, 286) was a third-round 1995 draft pick out of Washington State by San Diego, where he played in nine games over two seasons without making a tackle. He was waived by the Chargers at the end of this year's training camp. ... S Brian Walker was released to make room for Sasa. ... DT Williams Gaines (ankle, knee) did not practice Thursday and is questionable for Monday night. ... DT Chris Mims (abdominal strain) did take part, and is expected to play. ... DE Kenard Lang (ear infection) is a "long shot," said Turner.