THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Monday, September 5, 1994 TAG: 9409050144
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C1 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: Bob Molinaro
DATELINE: WASHINGTON LENGTH: Medium: 70 lines
In the few minutes he was allowed to risk grass stains on his uniform Sunday afternoon, Heath Shuler looked like a rookie who has been reading the play book upside down.
``I think I handled myself the appropriate way,'' he said. ``I didn't make anything worse out of a bad play.''
Not unless you count the time he turned the wrong direction on a handoff and ran into an offensive lineman. Or the time he bolted into the arms of Cortez Kennedy on a makeshift quarterback draw.
But by then, Shuler's misadventures only echoed the general state of Redskin chaos. What with John Friesz finding a wide-open Seattle Seahawks linebacker for a 69-yard touchdown pass and Brian Mitchell finding new ways to drop the ball, Shuler's contribution to the Redskins' 28-7 loss wouldn't be worth discussing were it not for the rookie's $19.25 million price tag.
``I don't think he did enough to say one way or the other how he did,'' was head coach Norv Turner's non-assessment of Shuler's first real appearance as a pro.
The Redskins didn't do much, either, but that's a different story.
In this battle of bottomfeeders, Turner's team gave every indication of being the worst to represent the Redskins since before Vince Lombardi's short reign in Washington.
``We've played one game. Please,'' said Turner. ``When we go in to grade (the film), we're going to find so many good things.''
Maybe so. The Redskins did, after all, manage to run a balanced attack. Their running game was as ineffectual as their passing.
``It wasn't a total nightmare,'' said Friesz, ``but it seemed like if it wasn't one thing, it was another.''
Not a total nightmare? What does he know? He's just come from San Diego.
Friesz's best moment came when he hit Desmond Howard for a 27-yard touchdown pass in the first quarter that gave the home team a 7-0 lead.
That was as good as it got for the Redskins. And for Howard, who caught no more balls the rest of the day.
Said wide receiver Henry Ellard: ``That first drive is what this offense is all about.''
Given a choice of trusting Ellard's opinion or my own eyes, the decision is an easy one.
The advance notices on the Redskins were not wrong. And with 16 players on the roster who are 30 years old or more, the rebuilding process could be a tortuous one.
Naturally, Shuler is the future. But before he begins to resemble Dan Marino, he needs to become the next Rick Mirer.
``I see a lot of similarities between Heath and myself,'' Seattle's top gun said Sunday. ``He's going to go through a lot of what I went through last year. He had some balls dropped and the next thing you know, it's fourth down. He's gonna be fine, it just takes time.''
Shuler insisted that he was less nervous Sunday than he was before his first game at Tennessee.
``Going into the game,'' he announced, ``I said, `I'm not going to be nervous, because I've got too much to think about.' ''
Nervous or not, Shuler completed only three passes for a total of 14 yards. But, then, this is no longer Air Gibbs, the offense of the '90s. Working with what he's got, Turner has installed an offense that could belong to the Chicago Bears. George Halas' Bears.
``We obviously are a better team than we showed today,'' said Turner. ``The only way you can prove it is to play another game.''
The same can be said for Shuler, even if another game is really only another few plays. by CNB