IRVING, Texas - Cowboys head coach Wade Phillips usually likes to withhold information that pertains to new wrinkles or lineups, especially early in the week.
But before even being asked, Phillips promptly opened his press conference Wednesday by announcing that Doug Free will replace the injured Marc Colombo at right tackle and Alan Ball would start at free safety, filling in for Ken Hamlin.
Both of these guys have worked a lot at those positions," Phillips said. "They have played in the games at those positions and we feel comfortable that they will step up and help us play and play well. Those are the guys we're going into the game with."
While those moves are somewhat expected, Phillips said there was some debate earlier in the week.
The coach said Monday a decision had not been made on either spot. At right tackle, there was a thought right guard Leonard Davis could move out to tackle and either Cory Procter or Montrae Holland would step in at guard.
But the Cowboys are going with Free, a fourth-round pick in 2007 who hasn't received much playing time in three seasons. Free had played in only two regular season games before entering the game in the first quarter Sunday after Colombo suffered both a broken fibula/tibia and a high ankle sprain.
As for Ball, who has played mostly cornerback in his three seasons with the Cowboys, he will not only start at free safety, but handle most of the secondary calls.
Phillips said the Cowboys could move Ball back to corner if they have depth problems during a game. The club will likely keep Pat Watkins and Michael Hamlin active for the game as well.
"Yeah, he can still play corner," Phillips said of Ball. "That's what he's done all along. But we have played him at safety quite a bit and during the games. When Sensabaugh was out, he played safety in our sub-packages. It's a position we worked him at all along. He's very versatile and he made a nice play a couple of games ago. He's ready to go in."
Time For McQuistan
With Free expected to make his first start this week, it means fourth-year tackle Pat McQuistan will likely be active for the first time this year.
McQuistan has played in 33 career games, including all 16 in both 2007 and 2008, mostly on special teams.
He was beat out for the swing tackle spot by Free, who Phillips said is more versatile to play both sides.
"McQuistan is more of a right tackle and Free can play either side," Phillips said. "If (Flozell Adams) were to go out, Free could play the left side."
In The Past
Three years removed since the ugly stomping incident in Tennessee, Albert Hanyesworth and Cowboys center Andre Gurode will meet again for the first time.
It's been three years since the day where Haynesworth violently stomped on Gurode's face after the center had lost his helmet during a play. Haynesworth was suspended without pay for five games, resulting in nearly $40,000 in losses.
But despite requiring 30 stitches for Gurode, the two players have since patched things up. That doesn't mean either player is talking much about it.
Gurode has told reporters he doesn't intend to discuss the incident this week. Haynesworth did address the issue during a conference call Wednesday with Dallas media.
"I have seen him at the Pro Bowl the last couple of years, so we have been talking and everything," Haynesworth said of Gurode. "We hung out, we went out together. So yeah we're cool. Everything is between us."
Haynesworth ranked Gurode and Indianapolis' Jeff Saturday as two of the best centers in the NFL.
"He has good movement. He is big. He is strong," Haynesworth said of Gurode. "You see most centers now are really small and quick. He can do what the small centers can do."
But while the incident is behind Haynesworth, it doesn't mean it's not regrettable.
"If I could go back in time, I couldn't do that," he said. "It was a step in my life . . . a crossroads. I had to choose what I was going to do. Either go down and let that define me, or step up and rewrite history."
Still A Rivalry
The Cowboys and Redskins have always been one of the NFL's best rivalries over the years, but it appears to be lacking somewhat in recent history.
However, wide receiver Patrick Crayton doesn't actually agree.
"We still don't like them . . . trust me," said Crayton, who grew up in nearby DeSoto and has seen this rivalry for years. "People that have always been Cowboys fans and Redskins fans, they know the history between the teams. But the hatred is still there."
Crayton did say the emergence of their other division rivals, the Eagles and Giants, have somewhat evened the hatred across the board.
"They've stepped up," Crayton said. "I think because those two teams have been successful over the past few years. But it's still going to be a big one. As soon as they start barking and words get exchanged, old memories will pop back up."
Redskins running back Ladell Betts, who will likely start in place of Clinton Portis this week, said he can always tell the difference during Cowboys week.
"It's intense," said Betts, who rushed for a season-high 114 yards last week over Denver. "Everything is a little more magnified as far as timing and technique because this means a lot to this city and this whole area."
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