THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, August 13, 1995 TAG: 9508130800
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C1 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY JIM DUCIBELLA, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: KNOXVILLE, TENN. LENGTH: Medium: 89 lines
There would have been no legend of Heath Shuler if Shuler had performed for the University of Tennessee the way he played quarterback for the Washington Redskins on Saturday night.
The Redskins won in spite of Shuler, defeating the Houston Oilers, 16-13, on Eddie Murray's third field goal of the game, a 34-yarder 3:27 into overtime.
The Redskins evened their preseason record at 1-1 with third-stringer Trent Green at quarterback. He replaced Gus Frerotte - who had the wind knocked out of him after a vicious fourth-quarter hit by blitzing linebacker Michael Barrow - and engineered and eight-play, game-winning drive of 58 yards.
It began with a 14-yard run around right end by rookie Larry Jones. Then, Green, a two-year veteran from Indiana who spent last year with the San Diego Chargers, hit Bobby Olive across the middle for 10 yards.
Later, on fourth-and-3, Green executed a nifty fake to Jones, then bootlegged around right end for 24 yards to the Houston 19.
Two plays later, Murray, who was signed Tuesday to replace Chip Lohmiller, drilled the game-winning kick.
``That's the Eddie Murray I know,'' said coach Norv Turner, who worked with Murray two years ago when both were with the Dallas Cowboys. ``He has a new snapper, a new holder, and it's a big adjustment for him. But he's not fazed. He kicks the ball right through the uprights.''
Shuler's homecoming turned out to be little more than a discouraging cameo. He completed just 3 of 11 passes for 74 yards. For the second consecutive week, he failed to take the Redskins to a touchdown while throwing an interception that led directly to the opponent's score.
``My performance might have been a little slack, but there's always next week (at Miami on Saturday). We wanted to come in here and play better, but it didn't happen.''
Shuler, who thrilled Neyland Stadium crowds during two superlative seasons as Tennessee's starting quarterback, received a brief but boisterous standing ovation during pregame introductions.
That was just about all the crowd of 61,287 had to cheer about regarding their former hero, who was on the field for a mere 19 plays.
The Oilers ran off the game's first 19 plays - after which they trailed, 7-0, after Washington's Muhammed Oliver intercepted a tipped pass and returned it 58 yards for a touchdown at 11:16 of the opening quarter.
Shuler didn't appear until 4:51 remained in the first quarter. His 22-yard pass to tight end Scott Galbraith helped the offense overcome a holding penalty against tackle Ed Simmons. Two plays later, Shuler found running back Terry Allen wide open for 41 yards down to the Houston 11.
But Shuler couldn't take the offense into the end zone, and Murray booted a 24-yard field goal.
Murray had a spectacular debut in place of Lohmiller. Early in the final quarter, he kicked a 52-yard field goal that drew the Redskins into a 13-13 tie. On the previous series, Murray's 47-yard field goal was wiped out by a holding penalty against Galbraith.
After hitting Galbraith for 11 yards with his third - and last - completion, Shuler committed a costly error. His pass intended for Olanda Truitt was intercepted by right cornerback Chris Dishman. He ran 51 yards for a second-quarter touchdown that drew the Oilers to within 10-6.
``He's improved a good deal on the sideline pass, but he doesn't get the ball to the sidelines the way he needs to,'' Turner said.
Houston's bizarre attempt at a two-point conversion then failed when Oliver, who later intercepted rookie Steve ``Air'' McNair's bomb attempt, dropped kicker Al Del Greco shy of the end zone on Del Greco's naked bootleg with holder Rich Camarillo's pitch.
After Shuler failed to move the offense on his final series, Oilers quarterback Chris Chandler engineered a drive that epitomized the first half. It took 15 plays, consumed 8:01, and ended with Chandler's 3-yard touchdown pass to Haywood Jefferies, who made the catch in front of cornerback Tom Carter. That gave the Oilers a 13-10 halftime edge and precipitated a second half of mostly inept play.
Houston, with ex-Virginia Tech quarterback Will Furrer and McNair behind center never came close to scoring.
``We contolled the first half on offense,'' said Houston coach Jeff Fisher, whose team is 0-2. ``We had a couple of breakdowns in the second half. But to be fair, we had a lot of young guys in there in the second half, too.''
Said Turner: ``We've got to get better. When we have an opportunity to make a play, we have to make it, whether it be running, passing or catching.'' ILLUSTRATION: Color photo
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Houston's Todd McNair is sandwiched between Washington's Marvcus
Patton, left, and James Washington.
by CNB