By Matthew Lee
Washingtonpost.com Correspondent
Web Posted: Sunday, November 1, 1998; 9:45 p.m. EST

Two players, kick returner and third down specialist Brian Mitchell and fullback Stephen Davis, brought some much needed emotion and swagger back to the Washington Redskins in Sunday's 21-14 victory over the New York Giants.

Davis did a jaunty jig on the sideline after catching a 12-yard touchdown pass from Trent Green. Meanwhile, Mitchell had a bigger than normal role in the offense this week as well as his usual duties returning kicks. Mitchell was involved in several extracurricular conversations with a number of Giants players as well as his own teammates several times during the game.

The Redskins haven't had much reason to do many celebration dances over the last several weeks. In order for players to celebrate, the team has to score touchdowns and win. The Redskins haven't done either of those things very often, losing their first seven games and averaging just over 13 points a game coming into Sunday's contest with the Giants.

In between making plays, Mitchell was involved in a number of brief conversations with the Giants.

"Hey, it's my game. I like to enjoy myself and they talk trash too," Mitchell said. "Everything I say, I don't mean. I don't have a script or anything. Sometimes things pop into my head and I don't know what it is I'm saying. It's just having fun."

Having fun has not been the theme for the Redskins the past seven weeks. Coach Norv Turner and a number of players questioned whether everyone on the team was giving a full effort and playing with enough passion. Mitchell's antics and the touchdown celebration by Davis was a stark contrast to the first seven losses of the season.

A number of players said they competed with more emotion and that was the difference in the victory against the Giants.

"I think it was about pride. We had the attitude that enough was enough," Mitchell said. "When Norv [Turner] brought up the deal about people wearing bags over their heads to the game, it gives you a little extra fire."

Mitchell had 141 all-purpose yards against the Giants, including catching a 4-yard shuffle pass from Green in the first quarter. The completion put the Redskins on the one yard line and set up Green's first career rushing touchdown to give Washington an early 7-0 lead.

In addition to trash talking with Giants players after kickoff returns and runs, Mitchell berated long snapper Dan Turk for a false start penalty on a punt in the second quarter.

"Basically, I did that on purpose. We just have to get the ball snapped," Mitchell said. "I'm like the quarterback of the special teams. I take pride in it. I get a little crazy out there."

Davis, meanwhile, capped off an impressive 11-play, 69-yard scoring drive with his touchdown reception to give the Redskins a 14-7 lead in the second quarter.

"Stephen gives us a little more speed coming out of the backfield than we're used to," said Coach Norv Turner. "New York commits so much to the run with their blitz package that we thought we could get the fullback in the flat."

On an almost identical play, Davis later made a 13-yard catch near the sideline to set up a touchdown dive by rookie Skip Hicks in the third quarter.

"It feels good to have this first win and it gets our confidence up," Davis said.

When asked about the celebration dance he did in the endzone, Davis said he did it on a dare.

"Have you ever seen the movie, the Last Boy Scout? That's where I got it from," Davis said. "I told the guys that I was going to do it and they didn't believe me, so I had to do it."