Santana Moss

Santana Moss was a tender 8 years old when he learned his first and most profound lesson of football. Moss, playing the sport for the first time, was prepared to catch a pass from his uncle when he was slammed across the face by somebody's forearm, a blow that resulted in the loss of a tooth. "Ever since then," said the explosive wide receiver out of the University of Miami, "I try not to let anybody get their hands on me. " What's noteworthy is how often, in major collegiate competition, Moss succeeded in his quest to be untouched.

Casey Rabach, C, Redskins, knee Derrick Dockery, RG, Redskins, left knee Santana Moss, WR, Redskins, hamstring Anthony Herrera, RG, Vikings, left knee Chris Crocker, S, Bengals, right knee Roy Williams, S, Bengals, concussion Damien Woody, RT, Jets, right knee Vince Young, QB, Titans, right thumb Vernon Davis, TE, 49ers, ankle Felix Jones, RB, Cowboys, hip Maurkice Pouncey, C,...

Laveranues Coles finally got his wish. The disgruntled Redskins receiver is headed back to the New York Jets after asking out of Washington. In a swap of wideouts, Coles was traded yesterday for the speedy Santana Moss, a deal that was in the works for more than a week. Dolphins. Miami signed defensive end Vonnie Holliday to a two-year contract after the seven-year veteran was released by Kansas City on Feb. 22. Falcons. Atlanta re-signed Pro Bowl return specialist Allen Rossum and added kicker Todd Peterson.

Each week, Daily News football writer Paul Domowitch will tell you the things he will be keeping his eyes on during that week's game: 1. The pressure on Campbell. The Redskins' offensive line has been ravaged by injuries and hasn't been able to protect quarterback Jason Campbell very well. They are 30th in the league in sacks per pass play. The Eagles sacked Campbell six times in the first meeting last month. They need a repeat performance to make life a little easier for their depleted back seven.

Each week, Daily News football writer Paul Domowitch will tell you the things he will be keeping his eyes on during that week's game. Here is how things panned out yesterday: 1. The pressure on Campbell. The Redskins' offensive line has been ravaged by injuries and hasn't been able to protect quarterback Jason Campbell very well. Coming into yesterday's game, the Redskins were 30th in the league in sacks per pass play. The Eagles sacked Campbell six times in the first meeting last month.

The Washington Redskins proved that the two-game winning streak they brought into their game against Dallas was not just a byproduct of playing bad teams. After their 26-24 victory over the Cowboys at Texas Stadium yesterday, they can be considered as legitimate contenders, and that means the NFC East - already the best division in the NFL - is now a four-way race. Jason Campbell threw two touchdown passes and Clinton Portis ran for 121 yards as the Redskins (3-1) knocked the Cowboys (3-1)

It's easy to focus on talkative rookie coach Jim Zorn, whose West Coast offense surprisingly comes with a heavy dose of smashmouth. Or on Clinton Portis, who had a 175-yard game and is running better than ever. Or on Santana Moss, whose three spin moves essentially produced two touchdowns. Or on the fact that two straight games have hinged on long field-goal attempts in the final seconds. But how about some props for the Washington Redskins' defense? With several big plays, the Redskins shut down the visiting Cleveland Browns yesterday, 14-11, throttling a team that looked unstoppable against the world champion Giants only a week earlier.

Just two minutes into the game, Quintin Mikell makes a nice play in stopping Santana Moss along the sideline for a 5-yard gain. Wait! Mikell is called for a personal foul for dragging Moss down by the collar of his shoulder pads. He gets a 15-yard penalty, and the Redskins score a touchdown two plays later. With 36 seconds left in the quarter, Eagles quarterback Michael Vick races from the Washington 24 to the 1. The sellout crowd roars. Wait! The play is called back when guard Max Jean-Gilles is called for holding.

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. - If the Washington Redskins proved anything on Sunday, it might be that the New York Giants don't belong in the playoffs. Rex Grossman threw a touchdown pass as the Redskins put a major hurt on the Giants and their playoff hopes with a 23-10 victory. Grossman threw a 20-yard scoring pass to Santana Moss, Darrel Young scored on a 6-yard run after one of the Redskins' three interceptions of Eli Manning, and Graham Gano kicked three field goals as Washington (5-9)

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. - If the New York Giants miss the playoffs once again, they have only themselves and the Washington Redskins to blame. Rex Grossman threw a touchdown pass and the Redskins put a major hurt on the Giants and their playoff hopes with a dominating 23-10 victory yesterday in a game in which New York showed little desire with much on the line. "I'm very disappointed in how we played today," coach Tom Coughlin said after the Giants (7-7) fell a game behind Dallas (8-6)

CHARLOTTE, N.C. - John Beck showed the mobility to keep plays alive and get the Redskins into the end zone. He just couldn't help his team keep up with Cam Newton and the Carolina Panthers in the second half. Beck threw for 279 yards in his first start in four years in a 33-20 loss Sunday, including a TD run on a short keeper in the third quarter. But he couldn't lead the Redskins (3-3) to another touchdown until after the Panthers (2-5) had built a 17-point lead in the final period on the way to matching their win total for all of last year.

Casey Rabach, C, Redskins, knee Derrick Dockery, RG, Redskins, left knee Santana Moss, WR, Redskins, hamstring Anthony Herrera, RG, Vikings, left knee Chris Crocker, S, Bengals, right knee Roy Williams, S, Bengals, concussion Damien Woody, RT, Jets, right knee Vince Young, QB, Titans, right thumb Vernon Davis, TE, 49ers, ankle Felix Jones, RB, Cowboys, hip Maurkice Pouncey, C,...

They stood and they cheered, almost all of them, for more than 30 seconds, and they answered the question honorably. New Redskins quarterback Donovan McNabb's official pregame introduction was met with love exceeded only by that which greeted Brian Dawkins last year when he returned as a Bronco. At the suggestion of veteran receiver Santana Moss, the offense ran onto the field en masse, not individually. Nonetheless, McNabb was announced last and, with a smattering of boos, he was received adoringly.

Just two minutes into the game, Quintin Mikell makes a nice play in stopping Santana Moss along the sideline for a 5-yard gain. Wait! Mikell is called for a personal foul for dragging Moss down by the collar of his shoulder pads. He gets a 15-yard penalty, and the Redskins score a touchdown two plays later. With 36 seconds left in the quarter, Eagles quarterback Michael Vick races from the Washington 24 to the 1. The sellout crowd roars. Wait! The play is called back when guard Max Jean-Gilles is called for holding.

ST. LOUIS - We may all die of natural causes without a definitive answer, the way husbands and wives argue their realities until death do they part. Was Donovan McNabb a great quarterback inside of flawed systems or a flawed quarterback inside of great systems? This was the year we were supposed to find out once and for all about our soon-to-be-34-year-old prodigal son. Or at least get some big hints. New Redskins coach Mike Shanahan wasn't allergic to running the ball the way Andy Reid was, won a couple of Super Bowls thanks as much to Terrell Davis as John Elway.

LANDOVER, Md. - Fans had begun filling the lower bowl at FedEx Field Sunday night to see the Redskins play Dallas when the fourth quarter of the Eagles-Packers game came on the jumbo screens behind both end zones. At the first sight of Michael Vick in kelly green, the fans - Redskins and Cowboys alike - booed loudly. Ten minutes later, Washington's newest savior, Donovan McNabb, jogged onto the field in a maroon No. 5 jersey and bright yellow pants. The fans serenaded McNabb with cheers and showered him with love.

LANDOVER, Md. - Donovan McNabb did three things on Sunday night that Kevin Kolb did not: He played well, he finished the game, and he won. The NFL season is a marathon, not a sprint, but McNabb took the early lead in the debate over whether the Eagles made a masterful move sending their franchise quarterback 21/2 hours south to a division rival while they handed the team over to an unproven fourth-year player, or whether they made a mistake....

Washington Redskins coach Mike Shanahan is taking a "wait and see" approach to reports that receiver Santana Moss is linked to a Canadian doctor charged with smuggling and supplying human growth hormone. Shanahan said yesterday that he will speak to Moss "at the right time" about the matter and has not been contacted by the league. "Let's just wait and see before we throw him underneath the bus," Shanahan said after speaking at a Chamber of Commerce luncheon in Virginia. The Buffalo News reported that Moss has received treatment from Galea and is the unidentified Washington player mentioned in an affidavit released after Galea was charged on Tuesday.