THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Monday, December 11, 1995 TAG: 9512110125
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C4 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY JIM DUCIBELLA, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. LENGTH: Medium: 73 lines
Dan Reeves borrowed a page from Dallas Cowboys coach Barry Switzer's playbook Sunday against the Washington Redskins. Unlike Switzer, he got away with it.
Facing fourth-and-1 at his own 41 with two minutes to play and the score tied at 13, the New York Giants coach elected to go for the first down rather than punt. Earlier in the day, against the Eagles in Philadelphia, Switzer faced an almost identical situation - the only difference being that the ball was on his own 29 and the score was 17-17.
Switzer tried for the first down - twice, because the first attempt was negated by the two-minute warning. Emmitt Smith was stopped both times and the Eagles used the field position to set up Gary Anderson's game-winning field goal in a 20-17 victory.
Reeves got one shot and gave the ball to Rodney Hampton, who plowed straight ahead for 2 yards. Three plays later, Dave Brown and Chris Calloway teamed up on a 40-yard touchdown pass and New York had a 20-13 victory.
``It was a big call,'' Brown understated. ``He's a better man than me for doing it. I don't know if I would have done it.''
Reeves called it ``our best chance to win.'' He was unaware of the scenario involving Switzer in Philadelphia. Told about the call and the disastrous results, Reeves jokingly mouthed the word ``dumb.''
In the Redskins locker room, defensive coordinator Ron Lynn was surprised Reeves made the decision he did. When the New York offense remained on the field, Lynn thought the Giants would try to draw his defense offsides, not actually snap the ball.
Redskins coach Norv Turner, however, took stock of two teams that entered the game at 4-9 with nothing at stake but draft position and said he understood.
``The situation being what it was, I'm not surprised,'' Turner said. ``No playoffs on the line, all that.''
FIRST-HALF BLUES: It's easy to see where the Redskins offense went wrong during the first half Sunday - inside the New York 30. Although their first-half total of 105 yards is hardly overwhelming, it sparkles compared to their production the closer they got to the Giants end zone.
Washington ran 11 first-half plays inside the Giants 30 - and ``gained'' minus-17 yards.
``I told them that the plays in the first quarter are the ones that come back and haunt you in the fourth quarter,'' Turner said. ``They count just as much.''
NICE DEBUT: Rookie Rich Owens made his starting debut at right defensive end and finished with five tackles and a sack.
``He showed he is very competitive,'' defensive coordinator Ron Lynn said. ``He got beat on a couple of things early and when they tried it again later, he read the play and stuffed it. He showed he is a quick study and, barring an injury, he will get better and better as time goes by.''
Owens' sack of Brown cost the Giants 7 yards and came in the fourth quarter, on the first play after Washington cut its deficit to 13-6.
``It was a function of the defense that caused it,'' Owens said. ``The defense called for me to come down inside and Brown happened to be sprinting out to the other direction and he had his back to me. I came in untouched and basically had a free shot at him.''
THIS 'N' THAT: How's this for a statistical oddity? Turner has a 1-14 record in games against the Giants, Arizona Cardinals, Philadelphia Eagles and Tampa Bay Buccaneers (his lone victory against that group coming vs. Arizona in the season-opener), and is 6-7 against the rest of the league. ... The Redskins have not won two consecutive games since victories over the Giants and Dallas Cowboys on Dec. 6 and 13, 1992, a span of 48 games. ... Injuries: Safety James Washington (bruised thigh) and defensive end Rich Owens (abdominal strain). Neither is considered serious. by CNB