THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Monday, September 12, 1994 TAG: 9409120178
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C1 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY JIM DUCIBELLA, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: NEW ORLEANS LENGTH: Long : 112 lines
From Day 1, Norv Turner predicted that the Redskins would improve from week to week. But it's a sure bet he never anticipated the turnabout his team experienced Sunday against the New Orleans Saints.
Louisiana native Brian Mitchell, determined to atone for last week's fumbled punt and dropped passes against Seattle, accounted for 225 yards in returns and led a special-teams performance that basically accounted for three scores.
Quarterback John Friesz displayed the pinpoint passing - 15-of-22, zero interceptions - that caused the Redskins to woo him from San Diego last offseason.
And the defense stopped pointing fingers at itself and coordinator Ron Lynn and lowered the hammer on Saints quarterback Jim Everett.
The end result was a 38-24 victory over an eight-point favorite, a win more lopsided than the final score. Much of New Orleans' 408 yards - 148 to be exact - came after Washington had a 38-9 lead.
By then, players were scheming how to mark Turner's first regular-season triumph. They chose the tried-and-true.
As the Superdome clock wound down, guard Ray Brown and defensive tackle Bobby Wilson hoisted a bucket filled with ice water and scored an indirect hit on their unsuspecting boss.
``Imagine that, getting wet inside a dome,'' Turner said with a grin.
He then turned serious. ``I told the team last week we wouldn't talk about what we couldn't do,'' he said. ``We would talk, and focus, on what we could do.''
Sunday, that was practically everything.
The Redskins even spotted the Saints a 3-0 lead before the onslaught began.
Washington was stopped on its first possession and punted. As the ball floated toward returner Tyrone Hughes, Washington's Johnny Thomas shoved blocker Tyrone Leggett backward, into Hughes.
Reggie Roby's kick clanked off Leggett's shoulder pads, with the Redskins' Lamont Hollinquest recovering the live ball at the Saints' 14. Three snaps later, Friesz gunned the first of his career-high four touchdown passes.
The line had allowed Saints pass-rushers to pressure Friesz during the first possession. This time, they gave him an eternity to throw - enough time to see veteran Henry Ellard cross from the right side of the field, between Hughes and cornerback Jimmy Spencer. Friesz's throw split the two cornerbacks and found Ellard in stride for a 7-3 lead.
Pressure on Everett forced a couple incompletions and a New Orleans punt. Mitchell, the Southwestern Louisiana product who had a horde of relatives in the stands, fielded the kick and, behind blocks from Thomas and Monte Coleman, rambled 74 yards to give Washington a 14-3 cushion 12 minutes into the game.
``I saw the ball coming and I said, `This one is very returnable,' '' Mitchell explained. ``I looked outside, saw nothing. I looked inside and saw Johnny shield a guy to get me started. It made me think back to the days I scored a lot of touchdowns in the Superdome.''
The Saints seemed to regain momentum after snuffing Washington and Reggie Brooks on a fourth-and-goal from the 1 in the second quarter. But by now the Washington pass rush was pouring in on Everett. Eventually, it paid off.
End Sterling Palmer slammed into Everett on a pass that Martin Bayless should have intercepted. The former Rams quarterback left the game briefly, replaced by Wade Wilson.
``The return stuff, and Brian Mitchell, set a tempo for the others,'' Turner said. ``The defense was opportunistic, forcing turnovers. And we scored when we had the chance.''
Mitchell got the Redskins roaring out of the gate to start the second half, taking the opening kickoff 86 yards to the Saints' 15. On third-and-goal from the 1, Friesz faked to Brooks and hit rookie fullback Cedric Smith in the end zone for a 21-3 lead.
``The punt return for a touchdown and the kickoff return gave them good field position,'' said Saints coach Jim Mora, whose team is now 0-2, both at home. ``We got ourselves in a hole and it changed the complexion of the game for a second straight week. We have only ourselves to blame.''
The Saints closed to 21-9 on Everett's pass to Michael Haynes midway through the third quarter. But Woods batted down Everett's two-point-conversion attempt, then Friesz and the offense ended New Orleans' comeback hopes.
It started innocently, with Friesz and tight end Ethan Horton combining on a 17-yard gain on first down. But when Friesz came to the line for the next snap, he noticed a change.
``It seemed that play took the life out of their defense,'' he said.
If that completion didn't, the 41-yard touchdown pass he lofted to Ellard six snaps later did the trick.
``We noticed that their cornerbacks had started giving us a lot of cushion,'' said Ellard, who had three catches for 72 yards. ``We ran an out-and-up and, if the guy bites, you can take advantage of him.''
Spencer bit, and Ellard was wide open.
Chip Lohmiller added a field goal, and Friesz capped the first four-touchdown performance of his career by finding Desmond Howard on a 31-yard strike with 6:35 to play.
That capped the first four-touchdown game against the Saints defense since Mark Rypien did it during a 31-17 victory in 1990.
``A lot of people formed perceptions about this team after last week,'' Turner said. ``But it was one game. I don't even want to talk about Seattle anymore. It's no longer a factor.'' ILLUSTRATION: Color ASSOCIATED PRESS photos
Brian Mitchell breaks away for a 74-yard touchown on a first-quarter
punt return. He alo sent up another TD with an 86-yard kickoff
return.
John Friesz threw a career-high four touchowns and comleted 15 of 22
passes for 194 yards.
AP B/W photo
For Wesley Walls and the Saints, it was a day when everything seemed
to be just out of reach.
by CNB