THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Monday, October 30, 1995 TAG: 9510300137
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C3 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY JIM DUCIBELLA, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: WASHINGTON LENGTH: Medium: 96 lines
The Washington Redskins finally played a game that wasn't decided by one or two points or with only a tick or two left on the clock.
It's not their style.
A 24-15 loss to the New York Giants dropped Washington to 3-6 and cost them a third chance this season at a two-game winning streak. The Giants, meanwhile, improved to 3-5 despite quarterback Dave Brown passing for just 139 yards and the New Yorkers going without a first down after intermission until just 3:43 remained in the game.
The Redskins outgained New York 409-243, but they trailed 24-6 at the half, then spent the second half attempting a miraculous comeback that wasn't that far from happening.
Quarterback Gus Frerotte threw for 345 yards - the first 300-yard game of his career - but was bedeviled by four interceptions, two of which led to New York touchdowns. In all, Washington committed five turnovers.
But it was the pass he didn't throw - and the first serious play-calling mistake of coach Norv Turner's Redskins career - that played a major role in the loss.
With the Redskins trailing by nine and on the New York 20 with 6:57 to play, Turner ordered the offense to go for the first down rather than let Eddie Murray kick an easy field goal that would have trimmed the deficit to six points.
Frerotte never got off a pass. End Robert Harris burrowed through center John Gesek to sack Frerotte. As Frerotte came to the sidelines, Turner lectured him angrily about not having delivered the ball.
Frerottte's statistics - 22 of 44 passing for 345 yards and the four touchdowns - are misleading, especially the last figure.
Two of them came off batted balls, another when Thomas Randolph stole the ball from Olanda Truitt while tackling him at the end of what looked to be a 43-yard gain deep into Giants territory on Washington's last possession.
The only interception that didn't hurt them came late in the first quarter. Frerotte, under pressure, threw behind Brian Mitchell but right to Phillippi Sparks at the Washington 16. But on the next play, Redskins linebacker Rod Stephens blasted New York tight end Aaron Pierce after a catch, forcing a fumble that Marvcus Patton recovered at the 11.
Frerotte's first two passes were caught by Henry Ellard, who gained 111 yards but wasn't on the field for most of the second-half comeback after pulling his hamstring.
Frerotte's third throw hit a wide-open fullback Marc Logan in the hands, bounced off, bounced off his shoulder pads, bounced off his hands again, then wound up in the hands of safety Vencie Glenn, who had 75 yards and no Redskins ahead of him. The Redskins, who had moved smartly from their own 18 to the New York 34, trailed 7-0 three minutes into play.
After Washington cut the deficit to 7-3, Frerotte moved the Redskins to the New York 32. But his second-down pass was batted at the line of scrimmage by reserve left end Jamal Duff. Right end Michael Strahan caught the carom - about 3 yards behind where Frerotte stood in the pocket - and ran 62 yards before Terry Allen caught him at the Washington 2.
Rookie Tyrone Wheatley brushed off Stanley Richard's arm tackle to put New York ahead 14-3.
Brown, who completed 11 of 22 passes, found Mike Sherrard wide open between Darrell Green and Richard for a 57-yard touchdown to give New York a 21-3 margin.
The Redskins, trailing 24-6, started making a move three possessions into the second half.
Logan burst 3 yards for a touchdown to pull Washington to 24-12 with 4:47 left in the third quarter. It was a costly score, however; five plays before Logan's run, Ellard caught a 15-yard pass from Frerotte but pulled his hamstring on the tackle. He didn't return.
Some of the steam from Logan's touchdown was taken away when Frerotte was hammered from behind by Strahan on an unsuccessful two-point conversion attempt.
Washington nearly had a critical turnover two snaps into the next possession. Tony Woods appeared to sack Brown, the ball flying into Marc Boutte's hands at the New York 30. But officials ruled that Brown was attempting to throw and called the play dead. Replays disagreed.
But Washington held and Frerotte guided the offense on an 11-play, 77-yard drive to Murray's third field goal of the night.
Leslie Shepherd, taking over the No. 1 receiver spot with Ellard hurt, caught two passes on the drive - including a 45-yard bomb over Sparks - and ran 7 yards on a reverse.
The Redskins began the game-deciding drive with 11:59 to play. It took them 5:02 to get to the fourth-and-1 call, including Frerotte's 22-yard completion to Logan, and a 9-yard Frerotte scamper around right end on third-and-9 from the Giants' 38.
But when Terry Allen gained just 3 yards on a third-and-4 pass from Frerotte, Turner had a decision. Play safe or gamble.
He gambled, then watched as Frerotte and his team's chances were buried under a Giant avalanche. ILLUSTRATION: ASSOCIATED PRESS
Redskins quarterback Gus Frerotte is unable to get away from the
Giants' Robert Harris.
by CNB