IRVING, Texas (AP) -- When Dallas and Washington met in the season opener, Redskins coach Norv Turner was under heavy pressure to prove he really is an offensive guru.

Five games later, a vindicated Turner and his No. 1-ranked offense come to Texas Stadium on Sunday for a rematch. And this time, it's Cowboys coach Chan Gailey whose reputation as an offensive wizard is getting trashed.

Since beating Washington 41-35 in overtime and scoring 59 points while winning their next two games, the Cowboys played as if a computer virus erased the master copy of Gailey's playbook. They've scored only two touchdowns and lost 13-10 to Philadelphia and the New York Giants.

The last time Dallas was so feeble in consecutive games was 1990. Jerry Jones fixed that problem by hiring an offensive coordinator named Norv Turner.

Jones isn't itching to change anything this time, which is the biggest difference between Gailey's current predicament and Turner's a few months ago, when he was trying to appease new owner Daniel Snyder.

"Our coach is one of the hardest-working people there is, and not just in sports," Jones said. "He's also one of the most creative. You put that with good personnel and we'll figure out a way to do it."

While Gailey's job security might not be an issue, team cohesiveness could soon become one.

A few days after a 22-carry, 26-yard outing against a Giants defense stacked to stop him, Emmitt Smith became the first member of the offense to join the public outcry against Gailey's expansive system.

"There are times where you've just got to grab the bear by the throat and say, 'This is what we're going to do. We're going to stick to it for right now until we get a handle on things,"' Smith said. "Then, once we get a handle on things, maybe we expand."

Smith believes the Cowboys were trying to do too much instead of pounding foes with what they do best. It wasn't that alarming a statement considering Gailey already has promised to simplify things. But it does smack of frustration.

There's been a lot of frustration lately as an expected run to 5-0 turned to 3-2. Critics have focused on Gailey and his play-calling, terming it too conservative and too complex, chiding him for being too stubborn to change what obviously wasn't working.

But it's not as if Smith's fumble at the Philadelphia 1-yard line, two interceptions deep in enemy territory and three missed field goals were in the game plan. And Michael Irvin's neck injury hasn't helped.

The Cowboys have to snap out of it soon or face a lost season. Heading into the teeth of the schedule, Dallas can either tie Washington for the NFC East lead or fall two games behind.

"Something is wrong with us if there's not a sense of urgency," Gailey said. "I've said it and I hope they know it."

Turner, who remains close friends with Troy Aikman and many in the Dallas organization, can relate to the what-do-we-do-now? haze hanging over the Cowboys. It took him five years to flush it out of his locker room.

Now, there's confidence. Brad Johnson, Stephen Davis and Michael Westbrook are running many of the same plays Turner called for Aikman, Smith and Irvin and they're finally having similar results.

Washington (4-1) averages 412 yards per game, 34 more than the next-best team, and a whopping 34.8 points per game.

"The whole key is keep doing what you're doing and do what you believe in," Turner said. "People all of sudden think we're running some different offense.

"We've thrown 10 touchdown passes in the last five games and every one of those plays we've thrown a touchdown pass on in the last two years. It's the same plays. It's different people running them. What we're doing is that we're playing with a lot more consistency than we've ever had."

The Redskins have dominated all but one quarter this season _ the fourth period of the opener, when they Cowboys turned a 35-21 deficit into a 41-35 overtime victory. It was one of the wildest finishes in a rivalry that's been filled with them.

"I still got that feeling in my stomach from them coming back and beating us," Westbrook said. "We all do. We've been talking about it. I don't know if it's a thing of revenge, but we want this game."

The Cowboys defense has allowed just four touchdowns since giving up that many to the Redskins. Dallas' secondary was missing Deion Sanders and Kevin Smith in the opener.

"Our receivers are capable of just beating Deion, Kevin," Albert Connell said. "I don't think Deion can cover me. He's been in the league 10 years, he's a good corner, All-Pro, but I feel right now I'm at the stage of my game where I can just get by anybody."

WASHINGTON Season schedule and results

DALLAS Season schedule and results

September 12 Dallas L 35-41 September 19 @NY Giants W 50-21 September 26 @NY Jets W 27-20 October 3 Carolina W 38-36 October 17 @Arizona W 24-10 October 24 @Dallas 1:00pm ET October 31 Chicago 1:00pm ET November 7 Buffalo 1:00pm ET November 14 @Philadelphia 1:00pm ET November 21 NY Giants 4:15pm ET November 28 Philadelphia 1:00pm ET December 5 @Detroit 1:00pm ET December 12 Arizona 1:00pm ET December 19 @Indianapolis 1:00pm ET December 26 @San Francisco 8:20pm ET January 2 Miami 4:15pm ET

September 12 @Washington W 41-35 September 20 Atlanta W 24-7 October 3 Arizona W 35-7 October 10 @Philadelphia L 10-13 October 18 @NY Giants L 10-13 October 24 Washington 1:00pm ET October 31 @Indianapolis 1:00pm ET November 8 @Minnesota 9:00pm ET November 14 Green Bay 4:15pm ET November 21 @Arizona 4:15pm ET November 25 Miami 4:15pm ET December 5 @New England 8:20pm ET December 12 Philadelphia 1:00pm ET December 19 NY Jets 4:15pm ET December 24 @New Orleans 3:05pm ET January 2 NY Giants 4:05pm ET

Records source: STATS, Inc.

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