THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Tuesday, November 7, 1995 TAG: 9511070412
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C3 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Comment
SOURCE: BY JIM DUCIBELLA, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Medium: 72 lines
Financial zealots have argued for several weeks that there are 19 million reasons why Heath Shuler should resume playing quarterback for the Washington Redskins now that his ailing left shoulder is healed. That's one reason for every dollar in the former Tennessee star's contract.
There are probably fewer than five reasons why Shuler's spot duty at the end of the Redskins' 24-3 defeat at Kansas City Sunday should remain just that, a cameo in what Arizona Cardinals defensive end Clyde Simmons turned into The Year To Judge Gus Frerotte when his 295 pounds landed on Shuler's shoulder two minutes before halftime of the season opener.
Redskins coach Norv Turner chose quality over quantity Monday in doing what he wouldn't do 24 hours before, announce that Frerotte will remain his top gun two weeks from now against Seattle. Shuler will remain the holster holder.
Frankly, unlike some of Turner's nutty fourth-down play calls, this is one decision no one should have trouble accepting.
Until Sunday, Frerotte had taken full advantage of Shuler's convalescence, compiling the second-most passing yardage in the NFL. Yes, he was worse than awful against the Chiefs, completing just 11 of 34 passes for 140 yards and nothing remotely resembling a touchdown.
Just as he had lots of help in throwing for a career-high 345 yards last week against the Giants, he had plenty of help in the fall to rock-bottom.
Receivers Henry Ellard and Michael Westbrook were out with injuries. He was playing behind a patchwork offensive line. OK, Frerotte did some of the damage himself, but not nearly enough to lose his post.
The defeat left the Redskins with a 3-7 mark and out of realistic playoff prospects for a third straight season. Some would say what better time to switch back to Shuler.
Nonsense, 3-7 seasons are all about finding who can, and can't, play in the future. Nowhere is it more important to find that out than at quarterback.
That wasn't possible last season because Shuler and Frerotte were rookies learning the ropes in the NFL and learning Turner's complicated new offensive system. Being able to watch one quarterback 10 straight games has been a valuable aid in determining whether Frerotte can be this team's future offensive leader.
But it's not enough, particularly in view of Frerotte's background. After all, he was a last-round draft pick, among the last QBs picked. Scouts from 28 teams must have seen some pretty serious flaws or he would have gone higher.
Shouldn't Frerotte, who has played admirably and shows the ability to be far more than the backup the Redskins and others envisioned, deserve an entire season? Isn't there much Turner can learn from how Frerotte handles this latest personnel crisis?
As for Shuler, is it really fair to put him on the field after a nine-week absence and ask him to run an offense missing most of its dangerous pieces? Redskins receivers dropped so many balls Sunday you'd have thought they were made from porcupine. Both of his interceptions Sunday were tainted.
It's anything but an ideal situation, but what other choice does Turner have? Play Shuler now and you go to camp next July unsure about both players. Let Frerotte finish out this miserable season and at least you feel confident you can make an intelligent decision about one.
Hey, neither of them is going anywhere for at least another year. Gus has another season on a contract the Redskins say they want to renegotiate soon. Shuler's pact, if all goes well, calls for him to be a Redskin until after the turn of the century.
There's a tendency to say winning no longer matters this season, just play out the string, let Shuler take his snaps, come back next July after another draft and another free-agent period and see if things are better.
In case you hadn't noticed, top-flight free agents want two things: money and to play for winners, or teams they perceive to be close to winning. by CNB