DATE: Friday, September 5, 1997             TAG: 9709050821

SECTION: SPORTS                  PAGE: C5   EDITION: FINAL 

SOURCE: Jim Ducibella 

                                            LENGTH:   78 lines

REDSKIN REPORT

Healthy again, Dahl

is anxious to prove

himself on the line

ASHBURN, Va. - Terry Allen ran for 141 yards last Sunday against the Carolina Panthers. Bob Dahl walked a couple of miles watching him.

Dahl, the Washington Redskins' right guard, spent almost all of Washington's 24-10 win on the sidelines, resting his surgically repaired right knee while rookie Brad Badger took his spot.

``I was so anxious to get in there, I put in a couple of miles just pacing the sidelines,'' Dahl said. ``Not playing was the right thing to do - although I say that only because we won.''

Dahl actually contributed to the victory. He played a couple of snaps on Washington's short-yardage package.

His blocks helped spring Allen on both of his scoring runs. Sunday, when the Redskins face the Pittsburgh Steelers, Dahl will return to his starting spot at right guard; Badger will return to the bench.

``I feel like I never even went through training camp,'' Dahl said Wednesday. ``I haven't started a game since last December, and it's driving me crazy. Once you get the game in your blood, you can't get it out.''

Although he started Washington's first 15 games last season, Dahl never felt completely healthy. He swears that's not the case this time, and he's ready to prove that the near-Pro Bowl form he'd shown with the Cleveland Browns was no fluke.

With Dahl back, the rest of Washington's starting line will feature Jeff Uhlenhake at center, Joe Patton and Shar Pourdanesh at left guard and tackle, respectively, Dahl and Ed Simmons at right guard and tackle, respectively.

Homecoming for Gus

He spent far more time watching his beloved Pittsburgh Steelers on television from the family home in Ford City, Pa., but Sunday's game at Three Rivers Stadium is a homecoming of sorts for Redskins quarterback Gus Frerotte.

Four years ago, Frerotte had an internship with baseball's Pittsburgh Pirates, whose offices also are at Three Rivers. Although he didn't get to know many in the Steelers' organization, there was no mistaking the excitement in Frerotte's voice.

``It's going to be a lot of fun playing the Steelers in the regular season,'' Frerotte said. ``It's going to be special, because my family watched every Steelers game while I was growing up.''

Frerotte was decidedly less enthused about questions regarding his paltry quarterback rating of 68, born of his 10-of-27, 147-yard performance against the Carolina Panthers. Eight passes were caught by running backs and tight ends. Only two went to wideouts, both to Leslie Shepherd.

``We didn't need it,'' Frerotte replied testily when asked what happened to a passing attack that was supposed to terrorize the league. ``I don't care what my stats are, as long as we win. If I don't complete a single pass until the fourth quarter, and that helps us win the game, that's all I care about.''

Quick kicks

One of the six NFC quarterbacks who trail Frerotte is former Redskins' No. 1 pick Heath Shuler, now with New Orleans. His 8-of-21, two-interception passing performance leaves him with a QB rating of 17.1. ... Practice-squad players linebacker R-Kal Trueluck and center Larry Moore have been released and replaced by linebacker Malcolm Hamilton and tackle Jeff Miller. ... Allen has told coach Norv Turner that he will play against the Steelers, despite fractured thumb. The Redskins list him as doubtful and say they are planning to start Stephen Davis. ... Cornerback Darrell Green played in his 203rd game as a Redskin last Sunday, moving into a tie for third with Dave Butz on the team's all-time service record. The only two players ahead of him are receiver Art Monk (205) and linebacker Monte Coleman (216). ... Washington's defense is ninth overall, 24th against the run, third against the pass, after Week 1. ... Gates for the opening of Jack Kent Cooke Stadium on Sept. 14 will open at 10 a.m., three hours before kickoff of the Redskins-Arizona Cardinals game. Dedication ceremonies begin at 12:30. Workers begin their final cleanup of the stadium Friday, with the carpeting of both locker rooms, completion of the press box. Next week, the parking lots will be completed, the two Jumbo-tron scoreboards will be turned on for the first time, the concession stands will be completed and the team's ticketing and marketing staffs will move in. Everything else is done.

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