Mike Shanahan Dances Around Talk of Quarterback Change for Redskins

There's virtually no chance that Mike Shanahan is going to bench Donovan McNabb this week with a .500 season still possible and the quarterback coming off his second highest-rated game of the year, but the coyness of Washington's coach about the situation did add a little spice to one of the least anticipated Redskins-Cowboys games since both teams were lousy way back in the early 1960s.

"Even though they say it's a meaningless game, it's not meaningless to us," Shanahan said. "We're not committing to tell you who the starters are at any position. (The Cowboys have) got to get ready for a couple of (quarterbacks). That's good for us."

Backup Rex Grossman has thrown all of 16 passes since Week 11 of 2008. Third-stringer John Beck hasn't played since 2007.

McNabb said that if he wasn't going to start at Dallas he would have expected to have heard otherwise by now. The six-time Pro Bowl selection said that he doesn't worry about the reports or those that suggest that offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan doesn't want him to be the quarterback long-term.

"I can't afford to," said the 34-year-old McNabb, whose 77.1 passer rating -- even with last week's 100.7 against Tampa Bay -- is the worst of his 11 years as a starter. "If I don't get that from the guy who makes the decisions, then I don't focus on it. There's been reports and sources saying (stuff) all throughout the last couple years of my career. If I spend too much time focusing on that, I won't focus on the task at hand.

"I really don't worry about that. All I can really put my mind on is what we need to do to beat Dallas."

McNabb, whose recently-signed five-year contract extension allows the Redskins to cut him after the season by paying him less than $4 million, said his stunning benching for Grossman -- who spent last season under Kyle Shanahan in Houston -- for the final drive at Detroit in Week 8 has had a benefit.

"The communication (with the Shanahans) got a lot better," McNabb said.

After much prompting, Mike Shanahan said he doesn't think he communicates with McNabb any differently since the benching that drew national headlines.

"I think it's growth as you get to know people," the coach said. "It does take a while. Like any relationship, it does take time."