THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, August 23, 1996 TAG: 9608230278
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C4 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY JIM DUCIBELLA, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: 65 lines
His quarterback chosen, Washington Redskins coach Norv Turner will turn his attention to getting his team primed for the onrushing regular season when the Redskins finish their summer fun tonight against the New England Patriots in Foxboro, Mass. Kickoff is 8 p.m. The game can be heard on WNIS (AM 850) at 8 p.m.
``The No. 1 thing you have to do (in preseason) is get your football team ready to win games when the regular season starts,'' said Turner, who isn't as concerned about the Redskins' 1-2 record as he is with how lethargically they played last week in a 28-7 home loss to Cincinnati. ``But there are a number of other things, too. . . You've got to make personnel decisions, so you have to have a schedule that allows you to look at young players in game situations.''
Turner has handled that portion admirably, setting up scrimmages and practices with the Pittsburgh Steelers and a three-day practice gig with the Miami Dolphins in addition to the team's first three preseason contests.
Tonight will be the first time in two years Frerotte stands behind center as the No. 1 quarterback. Normally, Turner would play his starters little more than a quarter in the final preseason game. But with Frerotte and Heath Shuler having shared everything almost equally, Frerotte likely will get an increased workload tonight as his final tuneup for Philadelphia on Sept. 1.
Turner's last task before blowing the whistle for real is to trim seven more players off the roster, from 60 to 53, by Sunday evening.
The highest profile battle is between kickers Eddie Murray and young Scott Blanton, who has been special-teams coach Pete Rodriguez's project for over a year.
Knowing that Murray likely will retire at the end of this season and not wanting to be faced with uncovering a new kicker next year, Turner and Rodriguez are giving Blanton every opportunity.
The only other potential major battle is between left tackles Shar Pourdanesh and Joe Patton. Pourdanesh has a slight edge there, mostly because Patton was moved to guard last week to offset injuries to Bob Dahl and Brian Thure. Dahl, a free-agent pickup from Baltimore, should play his first game tonight at right guard, freeing Patton to resume his competition with Pourdanesh.
Tonight should also mark the 1996 debut of defensive end Rich Owens. The second-year pro from Lehigh had been awarded a starting position coming into camp, but he has yet to play this summer because of a sprained ankle, which kept him out of practice until this week.
The Patriots are one of the league's mystery teams. Two years ago, they were in the playoffs and had what appeared to be the game's next great passer in Drew Bledsoe. But after throwing for 4,555 yards in 1994, Bledsoe's performance plunged into mediocrity last season.
The fourth-year pro went nearly five games before throwing his first touchdown pass. He finished with 13 TD tosses and 16 interceptions.
In addition, coach Bill Parcells's pride and joy, the defense, finished 28th last season. Opposing quarterbacks completed nearly 63 percent of their passes.
That prompted Parcells to hire ex-Browns head coach Bill Belichick, who worked with him in New York, as defensive coordinator. Belichick has scrapped the Patriots' 3-4 defense and moved the team's best defensive player, Willie McGinest, from linebacker to defensive end. ILLUSTRATION: Photo
Skins coach Norv Turner still has to cut seven more players from the
roster before Sunday. by CNB