THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Tuesday, October 3, 1995 TAG: 9510030368
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C4 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Comment
SOURCE: BY JIM DUCIBELLA, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Medium: 93 lines
If Washington Redskins coach Norv Turner is big on symbolism, he will position one of his assistants next to the blackboard at the head of the main meeting room when the team returns from its day off on Wednesday. Once the players are seated and paying attention, the assistant, eraser in hand, should wipe that blackboard clean. I mean, until he can practically see his reflection.
That's what Washington's shocking 27-23 triumph over the big bully Dallas Cowboys Sunday did. It wiped clean the slate of bad luck and bad calls that was threatening to make the team's 1995 The Season From Hell, Part III.
Late Friday night, according to the Washington Post, the NFL informed the Redskins that the officials working the Washington-Tampa Bay game on Sept. 24 had mistakenly awarded the Bucs' Alvin Harper a touchdown when he clearly stepped out of bounds before getting both feet down in the end zone. The Redskins lost that game, 14-6, when a Gus Frerotte pass was intercepted in the Tampa end zone with two seconds to play.
It was the second week in a row the league was forced to admit its peacekeepers had blown a call that cost the Redskins seven points. You all remember the phantom touchdown awarded fumbling Broncos running back Terrell Davis in Denver's 38-31 last-play victory.
Until Sunday at RFK Stadium, I never agreed with people who believe that those things ``even themselves out.'' But watching the Redskins beat a team as clearly superior at most positions as were the Cowboys may make me reconsider.
I can't get out of my mind that picture of Troy Aikman on the ground, holding his right leg, writhing in pain. I had turned my attention to the pass Aikman had moments before released and when I turned back, Redskins linebacker Ken Harvey was walking away from Aikman. There was but one inference to draw.
Little did I know at that moment that Harvey had gotten only marginally closer to Aikman than I had from my seat in the press box. Seconds later, we all knew that Aikman had gone down with a strained calf muscle that was as close to a gift from heaven as any injury in NFL history.
Beaten in part by the John Elway Miracle at Mile High two weeks, it hadn't taken long for the football gods to make reparation by removing Aikman from the contest.
Neither would it take long for the Redskins to benefit from an official's goof. Running back Terry Allen was out of bounds before he stretched the ball into the end zone, but Washington still was granted what turned out to be a vital touchdown and 20-10 lead.
(One press-box wag shouted out that the play would be enough to make Dallas owner Jerry Jones favor instant replay - but only if he could work a sponsorship deal with a video-equipment company.)
Earlier in the drive, it appeared that officials should have called offensive pass interference against Leslie Shepherd on his acrobatic 41-yard reception down the right sideline. A penalty was called, but against Cowboy cornerback Clayton Holmes.
Now throw in three false-starts and one holding penalty committed by Dallas offensive linemen. They were like Christmas stocking stuffers that, when assembled, make a Mercedes.
A false start against Mark Tuinei wiped out a late fourth-quarter Dallas touchdown. The Cowboys settled for a field goal instead.
False starts against Nate Newton and Erik Williams' two snaps apart turned a promising first-half drive midway into Washington territory into a Dallas punt.
Newton, whose 320 pounds seem to seep out of his uniform as the game progresses, insisted he didn't move illegally. Rather, he was flagged for trying to readjust his hand while in his three-point stance.
``I was just trying to get my fingers situated,'' he explained. ``But when you have this much to move, everything jiggles a little bit.''
So now, by my calculation, everything is canceled out. What worked against Washington before Sunday worked in its favor against the Cowboys. They got even. Now, they're on their own.
What happens next? Turner said Monday that he won't have to wait until Sunday's game in Philadelphia to assess the impact of the Dallas victory.
``Wednesday, Thursday and Friday - that's the key,'' Turner said. ``Our key to winning in Philadelphia is (mid-week) preparation, everyone being more into it.
``We needed to win a football game, and to do it against the Dallas Cowboys just added to the importance.
``Now we have to go out and have a great week of preparation and beat Philadelphia.''
Anyone who thinks that game will be easy should consider this: Left to their own devices, the Redskins haven't won two games in a row since December, 1992. ILLUSTRATION: LAWRENCE JACKSON
Staff
Troy Aikman is helped off the field and out of the game which
canceled out all the bad calls against the Redskins this year.
by CNB