Cowboys 21, Redskins 18

LANDOVER, Md. (AP) — No one will mistake this game for the great Bill Parcells-Joe Gibbs duels of the 1980s, but the drama was definitely back when the rivalry resumed.

The Dallas Cowboys couldn't run the ball and were dominated in time of possession. The Washington Redskins allowed five sacks and were hurt by early penalties and drops and wasted second-half timeouts.

It added up to a 21-18 victory Monday night by Parcells' Cowboys over Gibbs' Redskins.

”How many times in this era are you going to see coaches like that come together?” said Dallas safety Tony Dixon, who had two sacks. ”It's an honor that we'll be able to look back and see a classic game and see Parcells and Gibbs on the sidelines — and hopefully see some of the plays I made.”

In their first meeting in 14 years, Parcells showed he still has Gibbs' number. The Dallas coach has won 12 of 18 meetings and seven in a row against the Hall of Fame coach, the rest coming when Parcells' New York Giants and Gibbs' Redskins were strong NFC East rivals from 1983-90.

”It wasn't pretty,” Parcells said. ”But we're happy to win on the road. Anytime you can come some place on a Monday night, in a rivalry like this, and you're able to win, you have to be happy.”

In the end, Parcells pulled the final trick: a halfback option that produced the last touchdown for the Cowboys (2-1). Gibbs, meanwhile, was left to rue two wasted timeouts and another lost on a failed replay challenge. With just one more timeout, the Redskins (1-2) would have had a chance to kick a tying field at the end.

”I feel bad because I'm the guy who is supposed to get it done,” Gibbs said. ”It's still early. We're 1-2, and there are a lot of good teams that are 1-2 right now.”

The victory, Dallas' 13th in its last 14 meetings with Washington, made Parcells the 10th NFL coach to win 150 regular-season games.

The trick play was a pass from running back Richie Anderson that floated into the hands of Terry Glenn in the back of the end zone early in the fourth quarter, giving the Cowboys a 21-10 lead and enough cushion to survive a Redskins comeback.

Mark Brunell, playing one week after straining his hamstring in a loss to the Giants, cut the lead to three when he hit Rod Gardner for a touchdown pass and Taylor Jacobs for a 2-point conversion with 4:30 to play.

But the Cowboys were able to use all but 21 seconds on the clock on their final drive because Washington was out of timeouts. The Redskins managed two plays in the dying seconds, ending with a 46-yard pass to Gardner at the Dallas 21. Time expired because Gardner could not get out of bounds.

Vinny Testaverde was 14-of-29 for 214 yards for the Cowboys. Brunell was 25-of-43 for 325 yards, including 167 yards and two touchdowns to Gardner.

The Cowboys lost cornerback Pete Hunter to a sprained left knee in the first quarter, and Parcells said the injury might be a season-ending ACL tear. Hunter was replaced by rookie Jacques Reeves.

In the first half, the officials nearly overshadowed the coaches. Parcells and Gibbs each used a replay challenge in the first 7 1/2 minutes, and Gibbs tried to use another one on a play that was declared non-reviewable. Both first-half scoring drives benefited from questionable calls.

Asked about the officiating, Gibbs said: ”There are probably 100 plays in that thing that you wish you could have back or have gone the other way, but that's life up here.”

Parcells was more blunt: ”This challenge thing is a joke for the head coaches. You have to rely on upstairs, and it's hard. It's just blind faith.”