Just in case you’re a newcomer to this whole “professional football” phenomenon, the Washington Redskins and the Dallas Cowboys don’t like each other very much.

The Redskins would be 0-4 were it not for Alex Barron’s inability to block and Jason Avant’s butterfingers. The Redskins would be 3-1 if the defense didn’t lay down and Graham Gano’s muscle memory could replicate a successful kick. (There is no hypothetical reversing the outcome of the Rams game, unfortunately.) The reality is that the team sits at 2-2, with both wins coming against NFC East rivals Dallas and Philadelphia. It’s becoming increasingly clear that each team in the NFC East is going to be plagued by inconsistencies this year. Dallas has both the best offense in the division and the tendency to flake out at the worst possible time. The Giants have been maddening, alternating between getting their ass kicked by Indianapolis and laying a defensive beatdown on the Bears. Philly has to pray that Vick gets healthy soon, because Kevin Kolb is not the answer at quarterback. Is it so wacky to think that the similarly inconsistent Redskins could find a way to sneak away with the NFC East title for the first time since 1999?

Prior to last night’s kickoff, NBC broadcasters Al Michaels and Cris Collinsworth were talking up Dallas as one of the teams to beat in the NFC. I have to question if they watched the first-team play a single snap in the preseason. We had our concerns about how the new-look Redskins (in scheme and pants) would perform, but weren’t convinced that they would be outmatched. Last night’s game was destined to be ugly, with the defenses expected to dominate and the offenses (well, maybe the Redskins more than the Cowboys) expected to struggle. Thanks to a mistake-free performance on offense and two horrible Cowboy mistakes, the Redskins won 13-7 and own the best record in the NFL (along with 13 other teams, of course).

In a stunning display of hometown optimism, Mayor Adrian Fenty says he has a good feeling about the Redskins’ season opener on Sunday. Fenty believes the Redskins will defeat the rival Dallas Cowboys, and he’s even placed a friendly bet with Dallas mayor Tom Leppert. Should the Cowboys emerge victorious, Dallas will owe the District barbecue. If the Redskins lose, Fenty is obligated to send Leppert some Ben’s Chili Bowl dogs. “But we’re not going…

The Redskins return to the field on Sunday night to meet the Cowboys in the first game of a new era. They’re not called Offseason Champs for nothing, and the Skins have been busy since the 2009 mercifully ended. There’s a new coach, a new general manager, and a new quarterback, all with marquee names that the Redskins have always craved. But will it be enough to crawl out of the NFC East cellar? That depends on how you answer the following questions.

There are few teams in the NFL more enigmatic than our Washington Redskins. Fresh off an impressive road victory in Oakland — yeah, the Raiders are terrible, so what? — the D.C. club put together an historically poor performance at home against the New York Giants. Two weeks after going toe-to-toe with the undefeated New Orleans Saints, the ‘Skins had all sorts of trouble containing a depleted Giants pass rush, putting quarterback Jason Campbell in…

Photo by dharmabumx. It didn’t take much to turn Redskins fans’ frowns into smiles: a fake field goal throw for a touchdown, an injury to starting Denver starting QB Kyle Orton, and, finally, a win over a halfway decent team to celebrate. The future still looks bleak, but yes, the Redskins are now 3-6 after last week’s 27-17 home win against the Broncos. Redskins fans seemed to hold their heads high this week, knowing…

That refrain was made famous in 1983, after the Redskins defeated the Vikings and were looking down the pike at our most hated rivals. Since then, it’s been a rallying cry amongst fans, amplifying the innate hatred any good ‘Skins fan feels for anyone crazy enough to be wearing blue and silver. Dan Steinberg has an interesting story on the refrain, most recently heard this weekend after we beat the Arizona Cardinals, and looked…

A month ago, the Washington Redskins needed to win out the rest of their season and receive a ton of help from the rest of the NFC in order to make the playoffs. And it needed to start in the short week between a Sunday’s loss to Buffalo and a Thursday night game with Chicago. And then it needed to start after Sean Taylor’s funeral. And then it needed to continue despite losing starting quarterback…