ASHBURN, Va. - The Washington Redskins will discover soon enough whether they are road warriors or road kill.
Embarking on a stretch in which they will play away from FedEx Field in Landover for four of the five Sundays this month, Washington is fully aware that any hope of its first postseason taste since the 1999 season lies in its ability to play in unfriendly confines.
"If you can win on the road, you can win anywhere," cornerback Champ Bailey said. "Of course, we like to win at home and play at home. But if you can win on the road, you're a proven team."
The road has been brutal on the Redskins, who are 31-52 away from their own beds and familiar restaurants since 1992.
They are 1-2 on the road this season and hope to string together a winning streak after nipping the Indianapolis Colts, 26-21, last week.
"We've got to put more than one [victory] together," offensive tackle Jon Jansen said. "We're still behind the eight ball. We're only 3-4. If we want to make it to the playoffs, we've got to at least win a couple in a row and get this thing rolling."
The first test will take place in Seattle, where the 2-5 Seahawks will play host to Washington at 4:15 p.m. today.
Like the Redskins, Seattle ended a two-game skid by edging the Dallas Cowboys, 17-14. But, unlike Washington, the Seahawks suffered a couple of losses in their personnel department.
Quarterback Trent Dilfer is lost for the season after tearing the Achilles' tendon in his right leg last week. Wide receiver Darrell Jackson will not play after he took a jarring hit from Dallas safety Darren Woodson and suffered a postgame seizure in the locker room. On Tuesday, the Seahawks signed former Redskins quarterback Jeff George as a backup.
Dilfer's absence is perhaps the most significant loss because Matt Hasselback will be guiding the league's 25th-rated offense. Hasselback threw eight interceptions against seven touchdowns as the team's starter last season and lost the starting role to Dilfer in Week 15.
Seattle's most potent weapon is running back Shaun Alexander, who has scored nine touchdowns. But five of those came in a 48-23 win against the Minnesota Vikings on Sept. 29, and his 433 yards on the ground are good enough for only 12th among NFC rushers.
One of the Seahawks' problems has been an inability to protect a lead in the fourth quarter - a shortcoming that has resulted in three losses.
"Good football teams win the fourth quarter," said coach Mike Holmgren, who hasn't lived up to the hype of an offensive genius since he left the Green Bay Packers to become the franchise's executive vice president of football operations and general manager in 1999. "That's an overused clichM-i, but it's true."
Redskins coach Steve Spurrier, however, insisted that Seattle is a better team than the numbers suggest. Last season, the Seahawks finished 9-7 and just missed their first postseason bid since the 1999 season.
"They're not ranked very high, and statistically, they're near the bottom in the NFL on defense," Spurrier acknowledged. "But they've got a lot of players that play well. ... I think they're better than their record."
Spurrier is optimistic that the Washington offense that chewed up 370 yards of total offense last week will show up in Seattle. The defense was nearly as solid in giving up 258 yards - only 48 in the first half - to the Colts.
Pro Bowl left tackle Chris Samuels could return to the offensive line, which likely will continue rotating Wilbert Brown and Tre Johnson at right guard while incumbent Brenden Stai is sidelined by right knee tendinitis.
The bigger question mark is at running back. A sprained right knee could keep Stephen Davis on the bench, which would mean that Kenny Watson would make his first career start.
Even without Davis, the Redskins have the league's easiest remaining schedule. Their opponents' combined record is 26-39 (.400), and linebacker LaVar Arrington knows the situation is ripe for the taking.
"I'm not afraid to say it, and I know nobody in [the locker room] is afraid to say it: We're out here to try and dominate the rest of the way," he said. "If we don't approach it with that attitude, then somebody else will, and they're going to dominate us. I don't think any of us wants that to happen."
Redskins today
Opponent:Seattle Seahawks
Site:Seahawks Stadium, Seattle
Time:4:15 p.m.
TV/Radio:Chs. 45, 5/WNAV (1430 AM), WJFK (106.7 FM)
Line:Seahawks by 3
THREE KEYS TO THE GAME
1. Attack Alexander
Third-year running back Shaun Alexander is tied for third in the league with nine touchdowns. Washington's defense is ranked eighth overall, but only 18th against the run. Stopping Alexander would force the Seahawks to rely on unproven Matt Hasselback, who was so unimpressive as the starter last season that the team signed Trent Dilfer. Hasselback hasn't started a game since Week 1 against the Oakland Raiders.
2. Run 'til it hurts
Whether Stephen Davis is healthy or Kenny Watson makes his first career start at running back, the Redskins must take advantage of Seattle's porous run defense. The unit has surrendered a league-worst 177.4 yards a game and can't be upbeat after allowing Emmitt Smith of the Dallas Cowboys to become the league's all-time leading rusher last week.
3. Strike a balance
After installing an offense designed to throw deep and often, coach Steve Spurrier has come around to depending equally on the run and the pass. Washington registered 37 rushing plays and 36 passing plays in last week's 26-21 victory over the Indianapolis Colts. Striking that balance will keep the Seahawks' defenders guessing. -- Edward Lee