Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SUNDAY, January 5, 1992 TAG: 9201050091
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C8 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: JACK BOGACZYK SPORTS COLUMNIST
DATELINE: WASHINGTON LENGTH: Medium
FALCONS MISHANDLE OPPORTUNITY
The Atlanta Falcons had Hammer and Evander Holyfield on their sideline Saturday.What they needed was someone who could pound into them the notion that possession is 9/10ths of winning in the NFL.
For the second time in two months at RFK Stadium, the visiting Falcons committed six turnovers. Unlike on Nov. 10 when Washington wasted Atlanta, this time the Redskins needed all the help they could get.
Washington won for the 15th time in 17 games and moved into next Sunday's NFC championship game with a 24-7 victory over the wild wild-card visitors. It helped that the game conditions were more blustery than the Falcons' pregame prattle.
"We didn't get beat by the rain, we got beat by the Redskins," said Atlanta coach Jerry Glanville, whose attire was much darker than the mood on his eliminated team. "We helped beat ourselves, too. At halftime, we thought we had a chance. We thought we were sitting right where we wanted to."
The Redskins had taken four Falcons turnovers but led only 14-7 because Washington's Chip Lohmiller had missed three field-goal attempts in "the worst conditions I've ever kicked in."
Washington dominated the second half thanks to rookie Ricky Ervins' 104-yard rushing performance and the field slop that favored power over the finesse of the Falcons' "Red Gun" run-and-shoot.
"I feel terrible we couldn't move our offense," said Atlanta quarterback Chris Miller, who had guided the Falcons to six victories in seven games after the earlier smashing at RFK. "I wouldn't let my kids play in that stuff.
"I knew early we were going to have problems. On the first series, I threw one that sailed on me and it was tipped, then intercepted [by Redskins safety Danny Copeland]. After that, I had no confidence in even trying a 7-yard sideline hitch.
"I was just trying to squeeze it hard and work the middle."
After surprising NFC West champion New Orleans last week for only their second playoff victory in 25 seasons, the Falcons said they had nothing to lose against the Redskins. In one sense, they were wrong.
The turnovers were the difference in the game.
"The muddy field hurt both teams offensively," said Redskins coach Joe Gibbs, whose club will get today's Dallas-Detroit winner at home next Sunday. "Only having one turnover was a big part of the game. Their turnovers helped us. We didn't seem to do a lot with them, but eventually, we got points.
"Everybody likes to talk about offense, but defense wins championships. Our defense kept giving us chances, like they have all season."
When the Falcons were trashed by Washington in November, Atlanta played eight-man fronts and blitzed constantly, putting their secondary in man-to-man jeopardy. Redskins quarterback Mark Rypien took advantage, throwing for six touchdowns and 442 yards.
This time, although Atlanta had star cornerback Deion Sanders, who missed the earlier loss to the Redskins, the Falcons didn't spend a defensive play in man coverage.
"We weren't going to fall down [trying man coverage]," Glanville said. "We changed our entire game plan from man to zone because of the conditions. Normally, we don't play any zone."
Atlanta corner Tim McKyer said the change in plans wasn't the reason the Falcons finished the season 11-7.
"A zone forces you to be less aggressive, but Rypien threw them low and away," McKyer said. "I don't care how the weather is outside, those kind of passes are tough to defend."
Rypien said Atlanta's "secondary coverage was a lot softer than in the past," but added that his 14-of-29 day wasn't a game-turning effort.
"Our offensive line and our running backs kept the ball after our defense got it for us," Rypien said. "We simplified some things, and just went with that."
Ervins said Washington used only four basic running plays.
"It wasn't anything fancy," said the third-round choice out of Southern Cal. "You see a hole and you run through it. We did that in the second half, and that's why we won."
Keywords:
FOOTBALL