IRVING – For the sixth straight day, an injured left hamstring turned Santana Moss into a spectator at practice, and Redskins coach Joe Gibbs does not expect his team's leading receiver to play Sunday against the Cowboys.
That's not exactly the news cornerback Terence Newman was hoping to hear.
"He's a great receiver," said Newman of Moss, who was downgraded Fri- day from questionable to doubtful on the injury report. "I'd definitely be a little disappointed. We always have fun regardless out there. We chat during the game.
"He's a Pro Bowl receiver. You always like to go against those to see exactly where you're at."
Last week, Newman helped shut down Carolina's Pro Bowl receiver Steve Smith, who caught six passes for 55 yards, his lowest output of the season. And only one catch came on Newman in a man-to-man situation. In last year's game against the Panthers, Newman shadowed Smith, limiting him to one catch before he was ejected.
After seeing Moss rip their hearts out with touchdown catches of 39 and 70 yards in a comeback win at Texas Stadium last year, the Cowboys decided to have Newman shadow Moss all over the field in the rematch last season. Moss did not catch a pass while covered by Newman.
When the teams met at Texas Stadium in September, Moss caught one pass for 7 yards when the game was on the line with Newman defending him. It wasn't until the fourth quarter with the Cowboys in control that Moss caught three passes for 62 yards.
Moss – who has 28 catches for 435 yards (38 more yards than the other four wideouts on the roster combined) and three scores – and Smith are comparable in size, speed and are used similarly in their offenses.
"I think it's cool," Newman said of the one-on-one matchups with receivers. "We're both kind of shorter, fast, quick guys. It's only smart to match up a quick, fast guy with another quick, fast guy."
In the past, coach Bill Parcells had been reluctant to have a cornerback trail a receiver all over the field. But with Newman, he has made an exception.
"Terence is competitive," Parcells said. "He doesn't want to look bad. He's an improved player from what he was when he was younger. He's a little bit distractible. He doesn't quite line up fast enough to suit me. I have been on him a little bit about that. He's too busy thinking things over."
Outside the locker room following last week's win at Carolina, Parcells slapped Newman on the rear and said, "Snap out of it." Newman knew what the coach was talking about. In the second quarter, Smith beat Newman on a slant while the Cowboys were in a blitz, but Smith dropped the pass.
"Some people just line up and play football," Newman said. "I consider myself a little smarter than that. I want to look in and see what's going on. Why else study film if you're not going to use it? He wants me to get set, look at the receiver and get down. I want to see what's going on. There are plays you can steal interceptions on."
Two weeks ago against the New York Giants, Newman allowed a 44-yard catch to Plaxico Burress, but on the next series, he intercepted a pass intended for Burress in the end zone.
"It's good to see how he responds to it," linebacker Greg Ellis said of Newman. "Against the Giants, Burress started talking to him and Terence said, 'Keep bringing it.' I love seeing him compete like that."
MICHAEL AINSWORTH/DMN
Terence Newman (41) won't have his usual Santana Moss assignment, but he'll try to lock up Antwaan Randle El (82).
Which is why he wants Moss to play Sunday. Newman wants to measure himself against the best. This week it's Moss. Next week at Arizona, it's Larry Fitzgerald and Anquan Boldin. In two weeks, it's Indianapolis' Marvin Harrison and Reggie Wayne.
"It's more fun that way, especially when different teams have different types of receivers and confidence in their receivers," Newman said. "I have confidence in my ability. It gives us both a chance to make plays. That's what you want."
E-mail tarcher@dallasnews.com
