Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: MONDAY, September 11, 1995 TAG: 9509110133
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: JACK BOGACZYK
DATELINE: WASHINGTON LENGTH: Medium
It also was the major difference in Oakland's impressive 20-8 victory over the Washington Redskins.
Washington's Gus Frerotte and Jeff Hostetler of the Raiders add to the string of quarterback successes with Western Pennsylvania roots.
It's a list that includes Dan Marino and Jim Kelly, who followed a couple of very good Joes - Montana and Namath - who played in the footsteps of Johnny Unitas and George Blanda, among others.
As much as anything, the prodigal Raiders won because while Frerotte was playing in his fifth NFL game, Hostetler was in his 108th.
Why do so few seem to remember that it was Hostetler - not Phil Simms - who led the New York Giants through the playoffs and to the Super Bowl XXV victory?
The Raiders may have returned to their original home from Los Angeles, but it's another move that could give Hostetler another Super opportunity.
Thanks to a changed offensive philosophy linked to a coaching change, Hostetler is more of a stand-up guy, literally.
Daryle Lamonica, the Raiders QB in the AFL-to-NFL merger days, was known as ``The Mad Bomber.'' That's a role Al Davis' club had Hostetler playing in his previous two seasons with the franchise.
The Raiders may have been silver and black. Hostetler was black and blue. Last season, they made the AFC playoffs, but they also allowed the second-most sacks in the league (50).
Receivers like ``Rocket'' Ismail and James Jett could take their names literally, too. They ran deep routes. Hostetler took deep drops, and was too often dropped.
What's this? The Raiders going conservative? The Raiders running a ball-control, short-pass attack like the defending Super Bowl champions across the bay?
Washington learned that was more than a rumor from watching the film of Oakland's season-opening 17-7 triumph over San Diego. Then, the Raiders kept the ball for more than 11 minutes on their first possession Sunday.
Hostetler completed only one pass of more than 14 yards. He tried only two. He wasn't sacked. He wasn't intercepted. He also had one of his best days in 11-plus NFL seasons - 22-of-29 for 205 yards and two touchdowns.
``I'll take it,'' said the West Virginia graduate and son-in-law of Mountaineers coach Don Nehlen.
``Hoss [Hostetler] did what we're looking for,'' said Raiders coach Mike White. ``Percentage and ball control is what we're working for. ... When the offense does what it has to do, our defense is better.''
That's because it's on the field less, which means huge tackles Chester McGlockton and Jerry Ball move faster than the 320-pounders they are. The offensive style also keeps Hostetler and opposing defenses on their feet.
``That's going to be our style, and people should get used to it,'' said White, whose philosophy is reinforced by the staff presence of offensive aides Joe Bugel - the old Boss Hog of the Redskins during the Joe Gibbs era - and Jim Fassel, who helped tutor Hostetler as a Giants' staffer under Bill Parcells.
``We hope to make big plays, too. Throwing it 50 yards makes it a lot easier [to get in position to score], and we'll do that. But when you control the ball on the road, like we did, it means an awful lot.''
Hostetler recalled visits to RFK from his Giant days, afternoons when the Redskins were winning the NFC East and the crowd wasn't taken out of the game by a long drive, much less a long pass.
How much does he like the new offense?
Stupid question.
``I don't take near the pounding I did before,'' he said. ``It's night and day. It's a blessing. I get rid of the ball when I need to get rid of it. We can wear defenses down. What else can I say?''
Frerotte seemed to cement his hold on what's supposed to be injured Heath Shuler's job with a solid 20-for-34 passing day for 272 yards. Meanwhile, maybe the Raiders' altered attack will vault Hostetler's name to more prominence among those Western Pennsylvania QBs.
``Hoss was tremendous today, totally in control,'' said Ismail, who had five receptions. ``He's a tough guy. He's proven that. He's persistent, and that fits what we're doing now.
``You'd think he'd be appreciated more. He did what he did with the Giants in that Super Bowl, but he's never seemed to get the credit. Then, look at Steve Young and the slack he's heard in San Francisco, and the success he's had.
``When you've been around and done what he's done, you have to be tough. It's a tough league.''
Ismail meant the NFL, not the Western Pennsylvania quarterback market.
by CNB