IRVING, Texas - Bill Parcells challenged the Cowboys by telling them, "It's showtime."
They responded by having two touchdowns erased by penalties, throwing two interceptions and losing two fumbles before halftime.
"It was a complete nightmare," Parcells said.
But these are not the Cowboys who went 5-11 each of the past three seasons. With Troy Hambrick and Terry Glenn atoning for early mistakes, and the Redskins failing to take advantage of them, Dallas earned its sixth win in seven games.
"I'm just happy to be where we are now," Parcells said. "Hey, we're going to have to play a lot better than we did today if we're going to do something."
Hambrick, a Pasco High product who had the two early fumbles, finished with 100 yards and two short touchdown runs. Glenn made up for some drops, including one that led to Washington's first touchdown, with a catch and run for a 19-yard score that gave Dallas breathing room early in the fourth quarter. He also had a 47-yard run on a reverse in the closing minutes.
Washington was so bad that the Fun 'n' Gun offense had 11 yards in the first quarter and minus-11 yards passing at halftime, leaving coach Steve Spurrier grimacing and gripping his visor.
"I'm not going to get on my players any more this season," Spurrier said. "We are what we are."
Seahawks 23, Steelers 16
SEATTLE - Dropped passes are a nuisance, not a nightmare. Fans offer encouragement, not contempt. And Seattle finds ways to win despite mistakes.
Welcome to Darrell Jackson's world.
Jackson scored a fourth-quarter touchdown on a 14-yard pass from Matt Hasselbeck and set up another late score with a 43-yard catch and run for the Seahawks.
"I did well for myself in the second half," Jackson said.
The fourth-year receiver from Florida and Tampa Catholic had a rough start, dropping six consecutive passes through three quarters. One would have been a touchdown as Jackson found an open seam to the end zone in the first quarter.
"At halftime, he was very emotional in the locker room," coach Mike Holmgren said. "He cares about the team, and he felt he let people down in the first half."
But Jackson made two big plays in the final 12 minutes. His touchdown catch put Seattle ahead 16-6 and his long gain moved the ball to the 1 to set up Shaun Alexander's TD run for a 23-13 lead.
"You've got four quarters to make up for those mistakes," Jackson said shortly after tucking his TD ball into a game bag.
Pittsburgh, unable to move much of the game, pulled to 16-13 early in the fourth when Tommy Maddox threw a 2-yard pass to Hines Ward, who had an acrobatic catch.
Bears 20, Chargers 7
CHICAGO - After being idle the previous two weeks, the A-Train is rumbling again. Anthony Thomas ran for 111 yards and two 1-yard scores to lead the Bears to their third consecutive home win.
"We're trying to get a rhythm and momentum going for us," said Thomas, who missed two games with a sore foot.
Doug Flutie did his best to spoil Chicago's fun. Ten days after his 41st birthday, Flutie nearly pulled off a comeback after replacing Drew Brees in the fourth quarter.
He passed 22 yards to Tim Dwight and rushed for 17 yards to set up LaDainian Tomlinson's 3-yard score that pulled San Diego within 13-7 with 9:13 left. San Diego got the ball back but, on a late drive starting from its 1, Flutie couldn't get the offense beyond the 17.
"I was just excited about the opportunity to get on the field and do something," Flutie said. "When you don't play and contribute, you feel like you're on the outside looking in a lot, especially when you're losing."
Thomas ended any hope of a Charger comeback with his own six-play, 21-yard drive, capping it with a 1-yard scoring run.
The Chargers' QB switch "was a decision that was made to see if we could get a spark, and we got a bit of a spark. It did some more than that," coach Marty Schottenheimer said.
The Chargers were dismal through three quarters, gaining four first downs and 85 yards.
Lions 23, Raiders 13
DETROIT - Charles Woodson was embarrassed to lose.
Then, the star cornerback said Oakland coach Bill Callahan has lost his team.
"It's no secret at this point," Woodson said.
Jason Hanson, who kicked three field goals for Detroit, did not take offense to Woodson's comments.
"We're not very good," Hanson said. "Our record isn't good and we're playing a lot of backups. They've got a lot of players and they were just in the Super Bowl."
The Lions had lost six straight and 14 of 15 dating to last season.
Detroit turned two turnovers into 10 first-quarter points and scored 13 more on its first three second-half possessions.
Oakland has lost four straight and looks nothing like the team that lost to Tampa Bay in last season's Super Bowl.
Does Callahan think he still has the team?
"No question, I'm very confident," Callahan said.
With Raiders quarterback Marques Tuiasosopo, in his first start, sidelined with an injury, Rick Mirer made his first appearance in three years, when he was a 49er. Mirer was 15-of-28 for 125 yards with two interceptions. Starter Rich Gannon (shoulder) traveled with the team but was inactive.
Joey Harrington's 33-yard touchdown to Cory Schlesinger gave the Lions a 17-3 lead early in the third quarter.
Cardinals 17, Bengals 14
TEMPE, Ariz. - Marcel Shipp is not running like a backup, behind Emmitt Smith or anyone else.
The bruising Arizona running back, the starter since Smith broke his left shoulder blade a month ago, rushed for 141 yards in 29 carries and became the first Cardinal in 11 years with consecutive 100-yard rushing games. Johnny Johnson did it in 1992.
The fourth-year pro from Massachusetts, who was not drafted, gained 165 yards last week in Arizona's 16-13 overtime victory over San Francisco.
"I belong in this league, and I can play with anybody that lines up against us," the soft-spoken running back said.
Smith, the league's career rushing leader who was assured the starter's job when he signed with Arizona, should be back in a couple of weeks, and coach Dave McGinnis will face a tough decision.
The Bengals' Corey Dillon, still bothered by a groin pull, carried seven times for 5 yards and didn't play in the second half.
"Corey tightened up a little bit at the half, which is kind of understandable," Cincinnati coach Marvin Lewis said.
The Bengals led 14-10 at the half, but Arizona dominated with ball control in the second half. The Cardinals took the second-half kickoff and went 80 yards in 13 plays, using 6:48. Arizona converted three third downs on the drive, including Jeff Blake's 7-yard touchdown to Anquan Boldin.
49ers 30, Rams 10
SAN FRANCISCO - Though Tim Rattay had a smashing debut as a starter, the 49ers defense was even more impressive.
Just ask the Rams, who had no luck stopping either of them.
Rattay passed for 236 yards and three touchdowns filling in for Jeff Garcia, and Cedrick Wilson returned the opening kickoff 95 yards for a score for San Francisco.
Little went wrong for the 49ers, even with Garcia, a three-time Pro Bowl quarterback, out with a sprained ankle.
San Francisco flattened St. Louis with five scores in the first 33 minutes.
"They took it to us with the offense and the defense," Rams coach Mike Martz said. "I'm upset with a lot of things in that game. It's very disturbing. It takes the wind out of your sails."
As San Francisco's defense dominated the first three quarters, Rattay threw touchdowns to Terrell Owens, Tai Streets and rookie Brandon Lloyd. Garcia's longtime backup went 19-of-29 in the first significant playing time of his career.
"For the first time out, he probably performed better than any of us thought," coach Dennis Erickson said. "He's a real solid player who doesn't make mistakes."
Marc Bulger was 26-of-42 for 378 yards but had two costly interceptions and fumbled as the Rams fell behind 30-3 by the third quarter. He passed for 181 yards in the fourth, after the game was out of reach.
