THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Monday, November 21, 1994 TAG: 9411210178
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C1 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY JIM DUCIBELLA, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: IRVING, TEXAS LENGTH: Long : 113 lines
The Washington Redskins didn't beat the Dallas Cowboys Sunday. Didn't even come close, losing 31-7.
They just beat them up.
The two-time defending Super Bowl champions had a 17-0 lead after three possessions, assuring themselves of a 13th consecutive NFC East victory and assuring the Redskins of a 13th consecutive division defeat.
Afterwards, the Cowboys put 15 players on their injured list, two of whom could have a major impact on their plans for a third Super Bowl.
Troy Aikman left the game late in the second quarter after Redskins linebacker Ken Harvey slammed into his left knee. An MRI at Baylor University Medical Center revealed a sprained medial collateral ligament. He could miss the next 3-4 weeks, though he remained cautiously optimistic about an earlier return.
``It's real hard to say just how much time I'll miss, but it certainly looks like it'd be tough for me to play Thursday,'' Aikman said. ``Right now, I'm targeting Philadelphia on Dec. 4, for a possible return. But we're going to have to wait and see.''
Backup QB Rodney Peete left with a sprained right thumb when his hand collided with that of Dexter Nottage. Initial reports were sketchy, but it seems unlikely Peete will be completely healthy for Thursday's game against Green Bay. That leaves only ex-World Football League participant Jason Garrett at the team's most critical position.
``It was a frustrating day for us,'' Dallas coach Barry Switzer said. ``When you lose your starter, and your top backup, you can't be happy.''
Redskins coach Norv Turner shared Switzer's frustration with the quarterbacking, but for different reasons.
Turner also went through three quarterbacks. Starter Gus Frerotte got the hook after just six badly thrown passes. John Friesz came in and completed 16-of-35 for 193 yards and a touchdown.
But nine fruitless possessions after he hit Desmond Howard with a 19-yard touchdown pass, Friesz was lifted for Heath Shuler. The rookie from Tennessee played most of the fourth quarter, hit 5-of-9 passes and guided the Redskins to one near-touchdown late in the game.
Turner refused to say so after the game, but it seems likely Shuler will start Sunday against the New York Giants. A decision is expected today or Tuesday.
``We're back to where we were after the last time we played the Cowboys,'' Turner said. ``It's been a confusing situation. I have an idea in mind, but I want to talk to the other coaches first. I don't want make an emotional decision.''
For Washington, which fell to 2-9, seldom has anything that started so well fallen apart so quickly and completely.
Brian Mitchell carried the opening kickoff back 67 yards, to the Dallas 23. But the next time he touched the ball, he set in motion another maddening (for Turner) day of give-away (5 turnovers, four of them interceptions).
On second down, Mitchell aimed a halfback-option pass at Desmond Howard, double-covered in the end zone. The ill-advised pass was easily intercepted by cornerback Kevin Smith.
Dallas blazed 80 yards in 10 plays, with Emmitt Smith scoring the first of his two touchdowns.
Next possession, Frerotte's only completion - 18 yards to Howard - put Chip Lohmiller in position to try a 53-yard field goal. It was short, and the Cowboys needed just 1 minute, 43 seconds to score again.
Aikman hit Michael Irvin for 16 yards, Smith gobbled 28 of his 85 yards on a sweep, then dragged safety Darryl Morrison and linebacker Andre Collins into the end zone from 3 yards out to make it 14-0.
Frerotte's next pass, thrown into quadruple coverage, was picked off by safety James Washington. That led to Chris Boniol's 32-yard field goal, a 17-0 lead, and any chance this would be a competitive contest.
``I was very surprised I came out that early,'' Frerotte said. ``I felt comfortable out there.''
``It seemed obvious to me early that Gus wasn't going to have a day,'' Turner said, shrugging.
In came Friesz, and a no-huddle offense that initially kept the Cowboys off-balance. The first possession ended in Howard's 19-yard touchdown grab. Other than Mitchell, whose returns totalled 212 yards, the third-year receiver was Washington's offense.
With the Cowboys keyed to shut down Henry Ellard, the NFL's leading yardage receiver, Howard turned in by far his best pro performance. He caught 7 passes for 107 yards.
``Definitely a tough day,'' Howard said later. ``You have a career day against the world champs, but your team goes down, 31-7. That's tough, a tough way to lose.''
Two Dallas possessions later, Aikman had the Cowboys moving again.
A 25-yard pass interference penalty against Tom Carter on third down enabled Dallas to keep possession. On the next snap, Harvey fought through a block by Smith and crashed into Aikman's leg just as he got off a 13-yard completion to Irvin.
``It wasn't that big a hit,'' Harvey said. ``I was just trying to get to him, just part of the game. I was certainly not trying to hurt anyone intentionally.''
Aikman tried to continue playing, but called timeout to remove himself from the game one snap before the two-minute warning. Peete's first pass was a high floater into the end zone that Alvin Harper outjumped Carter for, boosting the Dallas lead to 24-7.
But the Cowboys offense, under Peete and Garrett, stalled in the second half, gaining just one first down. Dallas' only touchdown came on an 83-yard punt return by Kevin Williams. ILLUSTRATION: Associated Press color photo
Dallas Cowboys quarterback Troy Aikman is hit by Washington Redskins
linebacker Ken Harvey. He suffered a knee injury on the play that
forced him to leave the game and could cost him a start on
Thanksgiving Day against Green Bay.
ASSOCIATED PRESS photo
The Cowboys' Emmitt Smith, who gained 85 yards and scored two
touchdowns, follows the block of Jay Novacek Sunday.
by CNB