by Sports Xchange

--DT Albert Haynesworth did not practice for a second straight day because of the sprained left ankle he suffered last week against Denver. He will be a game-time decision.

--OT Mike Williams remained out on Thursday with the ankle he injured at Atlanta. He will be a game-time decision.

--OT Stephon Heyer (knee) was limited in practice on Thursday but is expected to start as he has since injuring the knee on Oct. 26 against Philadelphia.

--TE Chris Cooley is still wearing a boot on the right ankle he had surgically repaired on Oct. 28. Cooley will miss a third straight game.

--CB DeAngelo Hall's 589 interception return yards the last six seasons are the most by an NFL cornerback.

GAME PLAN: The Redskins rank fifth on defense, first against the pass and third in sacks per attempt. However, they surrendered seven plays (six for touchdowns) of at least 30 yards the past three games to Philadelphia's DeSean Jackson, Atlanta's Michael Turner and Denver's Brandon Marshall. That makes this a bad matchup since the Cowboys thrive on big plays. Miles Austin, Patrick Crayton, Roy Williams, Marion Barber, Felix Jones and Tashard Choice have all produced at least one of 35 yards.

Washington needs to pressure Tony Romo into mistakes in the passing game and be much more stout against the run than it has been.

Washington's long-dormant power running game resurfaced last week with 174 yards on 40 carries as Ladell Betts sparkled in place of injured Pro Bowl running back Clinton Portis. New left tackle Levi Jones and Chad Rinehart, back at right guard after a four-week absence, helped form a solid line which also didn't allow a sack in the first half, giving Jason Campbell time to spread the ball to nine targets against Denver's third-ranked defense. Jones will be in the eye of the storm known as elite pass rusher DeMarcus Ware on Sunday while ace receiver Santana Moss will renew his long-running rivalry with Cowboys cornerback Terence Newman.

MATCHUPS TO WATCH: Cowboys OLB DeMarcus Ware vs. Redskins OT Levi Jones. Last week, in his first start in a year and first as a Redskin, ex-Bengal regular Jones held NFL sacks co-leader Elvis Dumervil without one for the first 51 minutes. Ware is even more dangerous, having posted 20 in 2008 and 60.5 during 73 career starts, six in eight games against Redskins stud OT Chris Samuels.

Cowboys OT Doug Free vs. Redskins OLB Brian Orakpo. Orakpo, the 13th pick in the draft, needed just nine games to register seven sacks and set a Redskins rookie record. With veteran right tackle Marc Colombo out for the year with a broken leg, Dallas will give the inexperienced Free his first start against the red-hot Orakpo, who had 4.5 sacks in the past four games.

INJURY IMPACT: If DT Albert Haynesworth (ankle) can't play Sunday, DT Kedric Golston would make his second start of the season.

With RB Clinton Portis (concussion) out again Sunday, Ladell Betts will make his second start since the 2006 finale.