THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Tuesday, October 17, 1995 TAG: 9510170410
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C4 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Opinion
SOURCE: BY JIM DUCIBELLA, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Medium: 92 lines
It was postgame business as usual at Sun Devil Stadium Sunday after the Arizona Cardinals had beaten the Washington Redskins, a.k.a. The Team That Can't Win The Close Ones.
A few players from both teams knelt together, holding hands, giving thanks for having survived the day's carnage. Opposing coaches and players shook hands, exited the field together, asked about each other's wives and families, joked about plays they had, and hadn't, made against each other.
Oblivious to it all was Washington linebacker Ken Harvey.
Helmet in hand, Harvey strode off the field alone. His eyes focused straight ahead, past the prancing cheerleaders and exuberant fans who ringed the tunnel leading from the field, past the mezzanine-level scoreboard that read Arizona 24, Washington 20.
A Cardinals assistant coach dashed over to congratulate Harvey for an extraordinary game - 15 tackles, one forced fumble, one sack. He offered an embrace; the linebacker only nodded his head and kept moving.
To understand it, you must remember that Harvey once toiled for these same Cardinals. He left them for Washington two years ago because he was tired of 2-5 records, tired of wishing other teams good luck in the playoffs, tired of being home for Christmas.
The look on his face Sunday implied that Harvey realizes all he's done by moving from Arizona to D.C. is swap Misery West for Misery East. The Redskins are 2-5, same as the Cards. There will be no amazing playoff run. The win over the Cowboys was a fluke, a freak of nature, snow in Miami. It's only October, but Harvey will endure another holiday watching others in the playoffs.
``It hurts,'' he whispered. ``Personally, I wanted to win two in a row against these guys, show 'em who's better.''
One loss, even to Arizona, doesn't bring on such resignation. But the Redskins lost to Denver on the last play of the game, lost to Tampa Bay on the last play, lost to Philadelphia on the last play and lost to the Cardinals when they scored with 1:16 to play.
``We're so much a better team than what's going on,'' Harvey said, the pain still etched on his face. ``So much better than to be losing games we know we should win. We have the capacity to dominate teams. We just don't.
``The one thing keeping us from the top is ourselves. And it stinks.''
How many others feel the same as Harvey? When does this team, consciously or not, give in to temptation and begin playing out the string? More than anything else this week, that's the question coach Norv Turner must address.
Naturally, he sensed no surrender in the troops Sunday, though he'd never tell even if he did.
``Why, after they score on a nine-and-a-half minute drive do we come back and score, then hold them?'' he asked. ``Then we get a ball to Henry (Ellard) that, if he catches, we win. I just don't see symptoms of guys walking away from competing.''
But for how long?
Games remain at Dallas, Kansas City, New York against the Giants and against the rejuvenated St. Louis Rams. The Redskins won't be favored in any of them.
The home schedule, with Detroit, the Giants, Seattle, Philadelphia and Carolina, is less formidable. But this is a team capable of losing to anyone, and in the most mind-numbing ways possible. Would anyone really be surprised if the Redskins don't win more than two or three times the rest of the way?
Sunday, quarterback Gus Frerotte burned the Redskins' second-half timeouts like they were leaves in fall - three in a 10-minute span. The first was acceptable, a rare problem with the sideline-to-helmet communication system.
He called one with Washington facing third-and-17. Doesn't prudence dictate you save one clock-stoppage for just the type of last-ditch drive the Redskins encountered in the game's last minute?
Even Harvey, otherwise brilliant, helped the Cardinals to the touchdown that gave them a 17-13 lead when he tackled Garrison Hearst by the facemask, drawing a 15-yard penalty.
And the entire defensive line showed as much precision as the Rockettes by jumping offsides in unison on third-and-3 at their 26. Three plays later, Arizona was in the end zone celebrating the game-winning score.
Sunday's somber locker room was filled with doubt about what had gone wrong this time, last time, the time before that and how to fix it.
Defensive coordinator Ron Lynn professed not to know, either, saying it's something different every game.
``There's no singular thing, that's making it too simple,'' he said. ``I thought today we had a good plan and at times, we executed it well.
``But that doesn't cut it. You've got to win games. No one knows that better than us. Someone's going to pay for this. I'll take the responsibility.''
Maybe they're all lying, players and coaches. Maybe they're covering for less-talented teammates.
Worse, maybe they're not. by CNB