Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: MONDAY, October 30, 1995 TAG: 9510300114
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: JIM DUCIBELLA LANDMARK NEWS SERVICE
DATELINE: WASHINGTON LENGTH: Long
It's not their style.
A 24-15 loss to the New York Giants left the Redskins with a 3-6 record and cost them a third chance this season at a two-game winning streak.
The Giants won (3-5) despite quarterback Dave Brown passing for only 139 yards and the New Yorkers going without a first down after intermission until 3:43 remained in the game.
``If we win ugly every week, I'll be happy,'' Brown said. ``I don't care.''
Washington outgained the Giants 409 yards to 243, but the Redskins trailed 24-6 at the half, then spent the second half attempting a miraculous comeback that wasn't far from happening.
Quarterback Gus Frerotte threw for 345 yards - the first 300-yard game of his career - but was bedeviled by four interceptions, two of which led to New York touchdowns. In all, Washington committed five turnovers.
But it was a pass he didn't throw - and the first serious play-calling mistake of coach Norv Turner's Redskins career - that played a major role in the loss.
Trailing by nine and on the New York 20-yard line with 6:57 to play, Turner ordered the offense to go for the first down rather than let Eddie Murray attempt a field goal that would have trimmed the deficit to six points.
Frerotte never got off a pass. End Robert Harris burrowed through center John Gesek to sack Frerotte. As Frerotte came to the sideline, Turner lectured him angrily about not getting rid of the ball.
Frerottte's statistics - 22-of-44 passing for 345 yards and the four interceptions - were misleading, especially the last figure. Two of them came off batted balls, another when Thomas Randolph stole the ball from Olanda Truitt while tackling him at the end of what looked to be a 43-yard gain deep into Giants territory on Washington's last possession.
The only interception that didn't hurt them came late in the first quarter. Frerotte, under pressure, threw behind Brian Mitchell, but right to Phillippi Sparks at the Washington 16. On the next play, Redskins linebacker Rod Stephens blasted New York tight end Aaron Pierce after a catch, forcing a fumble that Marvcus Patton recovered at the 11.
Frerotte's first two passes were caught by Henry Ellard, who gained 111 yards but wasn't on the field for most of the second-half comeback after pulling a hamstring.
Frerotte's third throw hit a wide-open fullback Marc Logan in the hands, bounced off his hands, bounced again off Logan's shoulder pads, bounced off his hands again, then wound up in the hands of safety Vencie Glenn, who had 75 yards and no Redskins ahead of him. Washington, which had moved smartly from its 18 to the New York 34, trailed 7-0 three minutes into play.
``You get one pass tipped up, and one batted and caught,'' Frerotte said. `` ... It was a strange night.''
After Washington closed to 7-3, Frerotte moved the Redskins to the New York 32. But his second-down pass was batted at the line of scrimmage by reserve left end Jamal Duff. Right Michael Strahan caught the carom - about 3 yards behind where Frerotte stood in the pocket - and ran 62 yards before Terry Alllen caught him at the Washington 2.
Rookie Tyrone Wheatley, inserted into the lineup by coach Dan Reeves after Rodney Hampton cost the Giants a touchdown by fumbling into the end zone three possessions before, brushed off safety Stanley Richard's arm-tackle attempt to score as New York went ahead 14-3.
Brown, who completed 11 of 22 passes, found Mike Sherrard wide open between Darrell Green and Richard for a 57-yard touchdown as the Giants made it a 21-3 margin.
The Redskins, trailing 24-6, started making a move three possessions into the second half.
Logan, who dropped several other passes, burst 3 yards for a touchdown to pull Washington to 24-12 with 4:47 left in the third quarter. It was a costly score, however. Five plays before Logan's run, Ellard caught a 15-yard pass from Frerotte but pulled his hamstring on the tackle. He didn't return.
Some of the steam from Logan's touchdown was taken away when Frerotte was hammered from behind by Strahan on an unsuccessful two-point conversion attempt.
Washington nearly had a critical turnover two snaps into the next possession. Tony Woods appeared to sack Brown, the ball flying into Marc Boutte's hands at the New York 30. But officials ruled Brown was attempting to throw and called the play dead.
Murray's third field goal of the night made it 24-15.
Leslie Shepherd, taking over the No.1 receiver spot with Ellard hurt, caught two passes during the drive - including a 45-yard bomb over Phillippi Sparks - and ran 7 yards on a reverse.
Washington began the game-deciding drive with 11:59 to play. It took them 5:02 to get to the fourth-and-one call, including Frerotte's 22-yard completion to Logan, and a 9-yard Frerotte scamper around right end on third-and-nine from the Giants' 38.
But when Terry Allen was held to 3 yards on a third-and-four pass from Frerotte, Turner had a decision. Play it safe or gamble.
He gambled, then watched as Frerotte and his team's chances were buried under a Giants avalanche.
NOTE: Please see microfilm for scores.
by CNB