THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Wednesday, September 28, 1994 TAG: 9409280570
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C1 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Comment
SOURCE: BY JIM DUCIBELLA, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Medium: 96 lines
``I'm going to go with the quarterback I think gives us the best chance to win that week's game.'' - Redskins coach Norv Turner, every time someone asked his him to choose John Friesz or Heath Shuler.
FROM THE ARMCHAIR - What was that, campaign rhetoric?
A car in every garage.
A chicken in every pot.
I didn't inhale.
What cocaine?
Best quarterback to win.
I must have missed something significant the final few minutes of the Redskins' 27-20 loss to the Falcons last Sunday.
To me, it looked like a rookie quarterback coming off the bench, his team trailing by two touchdowns, and putting together some nice statistics against a defense willing to let the opponent score, as long as it took a while to do it.
Sure, Heath Shuler completed 10 of 16 passes for 93 yards and a touchdown. Eight completions were to running backs Brian Mitchell and Ricky Ervins.
This never used to be called offense. This was something to do when your downfield offense wasn't working.
Admittedly, one thing Shuler does is get the ball to the running backs quicker than Friesz. One reason the backs drop so many passes is that Friesz's slower release frequently gets them the ball about the same time a linebacker arrives.
Shuler gives them that extra nanosecond, enough time to turn and face upfield and maybe make a tackler miss. Assuming they make the catch.
For this, he starts Sunday? Against the Dallas Cowboys?
I have no doubt Shuler has progressed. He's got talent, and Turner and Cam Cameron are fine teachers.
But what exactly has Shuler done to convince Turner that he gives the Redskins the best chance (what little there is) to defeat the two-time Super Bowl champs, who've had two weeks to prepare for their first game against their old offensive coordinator; two weeks to suck down ex-coach Jimmy Johnson's sophomoric digs; two weeks to absorb fan flack following the overtime home loss to the Lions?
I know what you're saying: Friesz has seven interceptions in four games. Friesz fumbled on a key possession last week. Friesz has little mobility; Shuler can at least bolt the pocket.
The last point is the best.
Every quarterback fumbles when walloped the way Friesz was by Chuck Smith last week. And a couple of Friesz's pickoffs were desperation throws, another clanked off Reggie Brooks' hands, yet another hit Ethan Horton in the hands, then the pads, then the back, then the backside before a Falcon kept it from bouncing off Horton's feet and ankles.
``Some of the interceptions have been John, some have been the circumstances we've been in,'' Turner admits. ``We've been throwing the ball a lot more than we should be; sometimes, it's been because we haven't been as effective running the football.''
Bingo. Bull's-eye.
Redskins fans should be a lot more concerned about what happened to a running attack and a solid, veteran offensive line than they are who starts behind center.
So Turner is going to start a rookie quarterback who has been on the field less than 50 plays and will be working without a dependable running game to keep the opposing defense off balance?
This gives him the best chance to win the game? There's got to be more to it.
``Even though we've been very productive in the passing game and gotten a lot of positives out of it, we're still making the errors that are keeping us from getting done what we want to get done,'' Turner said. ``And if we're going to have those errors, I'd just as soon be having those errors with Heath and making progress that way.''
Sounds like Turner has pulled the plug on this season far sooner than anticipated. I envisioned the Redskins playing, and probably losing, with Friesz until about midseason. When it was evident that there would be no playoffs this season, Friesz would step back and the Shuler's grooming would begin.
He'd have seven or eight games - plenty of time - to make his mistakes and experience his minitriumphs. Next year, the job would be his.
Other potential explanations are more sinister. Last season, Richie Petitbon endured more meddling from upstairs than any Redskins coach since George Preston Marshall owned the club.
The quarterbacks never gained any feel because they swung back and forth like chimes in a breeze. It was widely rumored that Jack Kent Cooke and Charley Casserly called personnel shots, not the coach.
That can't happen again if the Redskins are to successfully rebuild the franchise.
Now, the seeming contradiction of what's been said and what will be done. Friesz is out. Shuler is in. It's only Week 5.
Sounds like a hasty decision.
Just as long as it was Turner's. by CNB