THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Tuesday, December 5, 1995 TAG: 9512050405
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C1 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Comment
SOURCE: BY JIM DUCIBELLA, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: IRVING, TEXAS LENGTH: Long : 102 lines
One group of players said that football hadn't been fun for a while, and admitted they needed to realize that it was their livelihood and approaching it that way. They talked about their ``backs being against the wall'' and how a season that began with much promise could become an unmitigated disaster.
Across the hall, the other group spoke optimistically about the remainder of their season, about the importance of generating momentum and about how, hopefully, they were coming together at the right time.
If you closed your eyes and just listened, you'd never have guessed the first team, the Dallas Cowboys, is 10-3 and favored to Just Do It in Super Bowl XXX. And you'd never have known that the other team, the Washington Redskins, is 4-9 and headed for a third straight offseason of scrutiny.
Don't kid yourself into believing the Cowboys overlooked the Redskins Sunday and that's why they dropped a stunning 24-17 decision. They did not, and here's why.
The Redskins beat them the first time they played this season, after which coach Barry Switzer dressed down his defensive line for the worst performance he'd ever seen. The same defensive line saw Washington again run roughshod over.
A Dallas victory Sunday at Texas Stadium would have clinched a playoff berth for the Cowboys, given them a margin of error in wrapping up homefield advantage in postseason. They could have lost one of their last three games, even the one Sunday at NFC East rival Philadelphia. Now, to be safe, they must go undefeated.
``Maybe that's what the players wanted, to have to win three out of three,'' said Switzer. ``It surprises me, but maybe.''
No one's believing that, least of all Switzer. Fact is, these Cowboys have a few major weaknesses, some carried over from last season.
Without Charles Haley, there's no pass rush. And Haley, who left early Sunday with back spasms, can be handled by the double-team.
Emmitt Smith continues showing signs he's breaking down physically for the third straight year. Why, just 10 days after Smith stretched knee ligaments, does he get 21 of 22 running-back rushes? Where's Sherman Williams, the No. 1 pick everybody here is so confident is the best little backup in Texas?
The Redskins' gameplan was to let Kevin Williams catch all the passes he wanted and come back for seconds if he pleased. He can't beat you the way Alvin Harper could when teamed with Michael Irvin. (Irvin, by the way, had 10 of the most innocuous catches in recorded history, two drops and a costly interference penalty. Afterward, he paid homage to ol' buddy Norv Turner by using the time he once gave before his media boycott to visit the Washington locker room, where he gave Turner a kiss on the cheek).
Clearly, the Cowboys aren't having much fun these days. Several of them, Williams and Russell Maryland included, said so after the game. Fun, Williams expounded, is climbing to the top. Staying there is another story.
Someone should remind Williams that only defending Super Bowl champs are considered on top. Until otherwise decided, the highest perch is in northern California, specifically, San Francisco.
Virtually everyone thinks the Cowboys stopped having fun on Nov. 12, the day they lost at home to the 49ers. Never mind that after the game, they easily handled two teams considered worlds better than the Redskins - Oakland and Kansas City.
And you better believe whoever they meet in the playoffs is going to dissect film of both games with the Redskins. Turner's insight, personified by his schemes in two major upsets, ought to make those videos hotter than the Beatles Anthology.
Though a kiss for Turner is much too strong a reward, give the Redskins coach a pat on the back for a job well done Sunday. His best maneuver of the week was the rational and analytical approach he took to the 14-7 home loss to Philadelphia. Coupled with a seven-point loss the week before to Seattle, more than a few believed the tank was full and the team was about to plunge in.
Not Turner.
``After Philadelphia, we looked at film with them and we didn't say, `You're not good enough to beat this team,' '' Turner explained. ``We said, `Here's why we didn't get it done: this pass that wasn't thrown to the open receiver; this holding penalty; this missed block; this missed tackle; this coverage.'
``We showed them physical reasons why the game turned out the way it did. And then we told them, `All of this is correctable with work.' ''
Last week, I called Turner's gameplan against Philadelphia childish and overly simple. Hey, you're judged week to week, the same as Turner judges his players.
It'll be fascinating to see where the Redskins go from here, how they take to this rarely-visited notion of winning. Their remaining game are against the Giants, at St. Louis and home Christmas Eve against Carolina.
A week ago, none of those looked promising. But Heath Shuler was better at quarterback, the defense has played more forcefully as the linebackers get more comfortable with each other. Allen will make yardage if the blocking is there and there's underestimating the value of a healthier Tre Johnson in that regard.
Maybe it was just a mirage - again - beating Dallas. Then again, maybe the potential is there for a fast finish that could be pivotal in luring the free-agent pieces they need to make future victories over the Cowboys more commonplace.
It's worth watching, and listening. ILLUSTRATION: Associated Press File
Dallas owner Jerry Jones looks puzzled as the underdog Redskins were
handing his 10-3 Cowboys another loss.
by CNB