THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Monday, September 19, 1994 TAG: 9409190161
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C3 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: SKINS NOTES
SOURCE: BY JIM DUCIBELLA, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. LENGTH: Medium: 57 lines
The hardest blow a Redskins player may have struck a New York Giant Sunday came seconds after the final play of a 31-23 New York victory.
Raleigh McKenzie went looking for friend Lance Smith, a Giants guard. McKenzie thought Smith saw him coming; he didn't.
The two men collided, Smith's foot got caught in the Meadowlands artificial turf, his knee buckled, and he fell to the ground.
McKenzie, visibly upset, fell beside him as the Giants trainers ran over to help.
Smith underwent X-rays, which were negative. But he will also have an MRI test to determine whether there's any hidden damage.
``It was just a freaky injury,'' Smith said. ``He was playing around and bumping me and my knee gave out. ... They said he was upset. No big deal. I'll work out Tuesday.''
BAD HANDS BROOKS: Second-year running back Reggie Brooks dropped three passes Sunday. In Norv Turner's system, which emphasizes passing to the running backs and using that play as companion to a pitchout, drops are a quick ticket to the bench.
Well, not yet, says Turner.
``The thing is, he's catching the ball well in practice,'' Turner said. ``I think the thing he has to do is expect the ball to be thrown to him every play. He ran a couple of routes there today where it clearly looked like he was expecting someone else to be thrown the ball.''
Turner couldn't mask his disappointment at the game's first play. John Friesz's pass slithered through Brooks' hands and into the arms of Corey Miller.
``It's something we worked on all week in practice,'' Turner said, shaking his head. ``I don't like to see it tipped up.''
MEGGETT NUGGETS: Dave Meggett, the tiny back from Towson State, started for just the seventh time in his six-year career Sunday. Here's some of what he accomplished:
His second and third rushing touchdowns of the season. His first five years in the NFL, Meggett had just one rushing TD.
Meggett carried a personal-record 26 times. His previous high was 15 against the Cardinals last week. His previous high before this season was just eight.
Meggett's halfback option scoring pass was the third of his career, all against Washington. The others went to Mike Sherrard last October and to Chris Calloway last November.
ELLARD AND THE ELITE 10: Henry Ellard's 197 yards receiving moved him over the 10,000-yard mark for his career, and into some select company.
The others: Art Monk, Steve Largent, James Lofton, Charlie Joiner, Jerry Rice, Don Maynard, Harold Jackson, Lance Alworth and Stanley Morgan. by CNB