LANDOVER, Md.--

It's quite possible that neither proud franchise will even reach the postseason, let alone play in the Super Bowl. But if you doubted just how big last night's prime-time matchup was, you needed only see what measures each side took.

And the Cowboys' 14-10 victory showed that when in doubt, go with the more desperate team. Dallas may have saved its season, while after two straight home losses, Washington's in danger of slipping away.

After the Redskins spent the week crying wolf about Clinton Portis' lack of mobility, there was No. 26, looking healthy and gaining 29 yards on Washington's opening touchdown drive. No one questions Portis' heart, but it is far to ask a knee sprain can get worse during a bye week.

Coach Jim Zorn understood the gravity of the situation, calling a draw play for Portis on fourth and one from the 11 on that drive. Knowing full well that the Redskins have sputtered in the red zone, he wasn't about to settle for a field goal in a game of such magnitude. "I wanted to make sure we scored," Zorn said at halftime.

But the usual offensive bogdowns took hold afterwards, and Washington never came close to the end zone again.

Just as big a gamble was the Redskins' decision last week to sign cornerback DeAngelo Hall, the defensive equivalent of Terrell Owens: supremely talented but volatile when things aren't going well.

Adding Hall was a calculated risk for a team that has emphasized locker-room harmony since Joe Gibbs returned to the sideline five years ago. Zorn and Redskins officials consulted respected players like London Fletcher and Cornelius Griffin before making the roster move.

They decided Hall was worth it, given his athleticism and Shawn Springs' fragility. (Springs, who covers Owens as well as anyone when healthy, was inactive again last night). Plus, playing for last year's Atlanta Falcons or any season's Oakland Raiders is enough to put anyone in a bad mood.