THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, October 17, 1996 TAG: 9610170547
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C4 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY JIM DUCIBELLA, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: ASHBURN, VA. LENGTH: 57 lines
There will be another home-grown player on the field Sunday for the Washington Redskins when they take on the New York Giants at RFK Stadium.
Ryan Kuehl, the former University of Virginia star who grew up in Bethesda, Md., will be activated from the practice squad this week to help shore up an injury problem the Redskins have along their defensive line.
Tackle Marc Boutte had arthroscopic surgery on his right knee Monday and probably won't be able to play again until Nov. 10, when the Redskins host the Arizona Cardinals. End Sterling Palmer had knee surgery last week and isn't expected back for a couple more weeks.
Keuhl, 6-foot-4, 276 pounds, started 11 games for Virginia in 1994 and spent last season on San Francisco's practice squad. To make room for Kuehl, the Redskins will have to waive a player from the active roster.
Kuehl joins receiver Leslie Shepherd as ``local'' Redskins. Shepherd, who has scored touchdowns in two consecutive games, is from Forestville, Md.
Replacing Kuehl on the practice squad is defensive end Mark Lee, a 6-4, 265-pound rookie who played at Western (Colo.) State. The Redskins waived practice-squad tight end Ed Smith to make room for Lee.
BROWN-PATTON II: Near the end of the first Redskins-Giants game this season, New York quarterback Dave Brown had his helmet off and was going after Washington linebacker Marvcus Patton, who had spent the better part of the afternoon needling Brown about how bad his team was playing.
First, Brown bumped Patton, with Patton's helmet slamming into Brown's unprotected face. Then, he tried to slap the Washington linebacker across the face.
They face each other again Sunday. Neither man expects a reprise of the incident. Patton was asked if he thought other Giants would be gunning for him as retaliation for his spat with Brown.
``They take pops at you every week, no matter what has happened in other games,'' Patton said. ``I don't think this week will be any different, though I think they'll be fired up after what happened with me.''
There was one thing about which Brown was certain.
``If there was a lesson to be learned from the last time, it was that I need to keep my helmet on,'' Brown laughed. ``I got the worst of that deal. This time, the chinstrap will remain buckled all day long.''
ODDS 'N ENDS: Where have we heard this before? Wide receiver Michael Westbrook practiced Wednesday and may play Sunday. ``Last week, he did exactly the same thing as today, and the next day he was very sore,'' trainer Bubba Tyer said. ``We're going to take it day-by-day.'' . . . Darrell Green's interception against the Patriots was his career 42nd, three behind Green Bay's Eugene Robinson, the active leader. . . . QB Gus Frerotte's three interceptions is the lowest total in the NFC, second-lowest in the league after Indianapolis' Jim Harbaugh, who has two. Frerotte has moved into third place among NFC passers with a rating of 84.9. He trails only Green Bay's Brett Favre (116.4) and Detroit's Scott Mitchell (85.6). . . . Washington is an early seven-point favorite over the Giants. If they win, it will be the first time they've swept a season-series from the Giants since 1991. by CNB