Washington (5-9) has already guaranteed its first losing season since 1998 and could finish with the worst season since 1994 by losing to Houston and Dallas, which has beaten Washington 10 straight. The Redskins have lost five of six since evening their record at 4-4 for faint midseason playoff hopes with only a victory over St. Louis once the leaves turned color.

Owner Dan Snyder's misdeeds of firing more than 150 coaches, players and support staff has long been justified by backers as "all he wants to do is win." Well, Snyder is 32-32 as an owner since arriving in 1999 and on the verge of his first losing record.

"You'd like to get better, but we keep getting worse," running back Stephen Davis said.

Indeed, the $100 million payroll in 2000 may have finished 8-8, but they beat both Super Bowl teams. Last year's 8-8 team also knocked off some contenders. This year's motley crew beat AFC contenders Indianapolis and Tennessee, but has steadily worsened by the week.

"I could use some choice words about how hard it is right now," linebacker LaVar Arrington said. "Nobody wants to lose and be part of failure. It creates a humbling experience."

The constant turnovers and penalties have perplexed coach Steve Spurrier, who admitted not knowing why the team is still playing undisciplined after 14 games under the new staff. But letting the Eagles score a touchdown when no one touched a defender who recovered a fumble really rankled Spurrier.

"We act like we don't know the rules of pro football that you can get up and run with it. It was embarrassing for all of us that play," Spurrier said. "Do I think we could we have play with more effort? Yes. I hope someday we can have more urgency, more intensity."

The Texans game may be the first meeting of the two franchises, but there are plenty of in-house rivalries. Former Redskins GM Charley Casserly is among 16 Houston front office employees that are rabid to beat their old employer. They will have the Texans up for the game. Conversely, the Redskins seem to have little passion for the newcomers. They'd prefer not to lose at home to an expansion team, but the Texans are 4-10 and 2-1 in the NFC East while the Redskins are 0-5 in their own division.

Spurrier was the starting quarterback on Tampa Bay's winless expansion team. He knows first-year teams are beatable. However, he also sighed when discussing Washington's chances of winning their last two games.

"(Houston's) capable of beating us. If we go out there and fumble four or five times and they run a kickoff or punt back, sure they can beat us," Spurrier said. "Dallas got clobbered pretty good (by New York Giants 37-7 on Dec. 15). Hopefully, they're not going to get the best of us like the last time."

SERIES HISTORY
1st meeting.

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