THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Monday, September 30, 1996 TAG: 9609300160
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C1 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY JIM DUCIBELLA, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: WASHINGTON LENGTH: 85 lines
The Washington Redskins, with some help from the officials, defeated the New York Jets 24-16 Sunday night at RFK Stadium. The win, Washington's fourth straight, will undoubtedly renew the debate for the return of instant replay after a play that would have had a dramatic impact on the final eight minutes of the game.
Washington was protecting an eight-point lead with 8:01 to play when Jets quarterback Neil O'Donnell lobbed a pass into the right corner of the end zone for rookie Keyshawn Johnson. He and cornerback Tom Carter became entangled, but Johnson appeared to outjump Carter and come down with the ball for the touchdown.
But an instant after television replays showed that Johnson's second foot touched down, Carter stripped the ball from Johnson and caught it before it hit the ground. Further complicating the play was an offensive-interference penalty called against Johnson.
After much debate, the officials ruled that the penalty would stand and Carter was credited with an interception. That call caused Johnson to boot the ball about 15 yards.
``We had a flag on the play for offensive pass interference,'' referee Dale Hamner said. ``The receiver went into the air and appeared to officials to have the ball in the air. However, when the play was over (Carter) ended up with the ball on the ground. The pass interference was completed when he possessed the ball on he ground.
``No one saw (Johnson) complete the catch, so the ruling was a touchback.''
Asked if any of his fellow officials had signalled touchdown, Hamer asked around the officials' locker room and received no response.
``The Jets were claiming that,'' he said, ``but we couldn't substantiate that on the field.''
Carter, who had a rough night trying to cover Johnson and Jets Jeff Graham, naturally argued that the call made was correct.
``I saw him go up for the ball and I didn't have a great chance to jump,'' Carter said. ``I just tried to strip it. The referee made the call. I came down with it and he stuck by that. He was the closest official to me and he stuck by his call.''
Behind receiver Leslie Shepherd and running back Terry Allen, the Redskins handled the rest of the important plays themselves, overcoming a 13-10 halftime deficit.
Shepherd scored two touchdowns, one a 12-yard run, the other a 52-yard pass to carry Washington to a 4-1 record and at least a share of first place in the NFC East heading into tonight's game between Philadelphia and Dallas at Veterans Stadium.
And Allen rushed for 101 yards and two touchdowns as the Redskins ran their home record this season to 2-1. They're off this week before heading to New England on Oct. 13.
The Redskins opened the second half with a 79-yard drive, highlighted by the passing combination of Gus Frerotte to Henry Ellard. Frerotte, who completed 15 of 22 passes for 257 yards, came out firing after the kick return, hitting Ellard on first down for 32 yards. Three plays later, he found Ellard again, this time for 17. After an 18-yard slant to tight end Jamie Asher on third-and-seven, slashed over from the 8 to put Washington ahead to stay at 17-13.
It was the 10th straight game in which Allen scored a touchdown, third-longest streak in NFL history.
After Nick Lowery's 33-yard field goal sliced the Jets' deficit to one, Frerotte and Shepherd hooked up on the Redskins most spectacular touchdown play of the season.
Frerotte handed to Allen, who turned and pitched back to Frerotte. Shepherd, starting on the left side, ran across the field and got behind New York safety Gary Jones. Frerotte's pass was perfect and Shepherd finished off a 52-yard touchdown bomb with an emphatic spike against the far stadium wall.
The Jets refused to fold. O'Donnell, who threw for 292 yards, guided the Jets on a 16-play march to the Washington 7, aided by a crucial defensive holding penalty against safety Stanley Richard.
It was the continuation of a bad weekend for Richard. He missed a team meeting, walk-through and team meeting on Saturday. The unexcused absence caused him to be fined and coach Norv Turner did not play the safety until the start of the second quarter.
On the next play, O'Donnell's pass and the officials' call set off the season's first major officiating controversy.
The Redskins ended the suspense by driving 80 yards in 11 plays. Allen did most of the work, carrying eight times on the march. On third-and-1 from the New York 28 - and with New York stacking nine men on the line - Allen busted clean and pranced into the end zone for the final points. ILLUSTRATION: ASSOCIATED PRESS
Terry Allen by CNB