DATE: Thursday, November 6, 1997 TAG: 9711060647 SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C4 EDITION: FINAL SOURCE: JIM DUCIBELLA LENGTH: 90 lines
Kinney putting his best and sore foot forward for Skins
ASHBURN, Va. - There's been a changing of the guard at right defensive end for the Washington Redskins.
The former starter, third-year pro Rich Owens, has been replaced by Kelvin Kinney of Virginia State, who spent last season on Washington's injured-reserve list because of chronic foot problems.
Kinney will make his second consecutive start Sunday when the Redskins play the Detroit Lions at Jack Kent Cooke Stadium.
Kinney still has problems with his left foot, into which a couple of pins were inserted during two surgeries a year ago. But he has played through the pain the last three weeks, amassing nine tackles.
Owens, meanwhile, has just three sacks after a 1996 season in which he led the team with 13. Run defense has never been one of Owens' specialties.
``Right now, Kelvin's playing a little better,'' defensive coordinator Mike Nolan said. ``But that doesn't mean Rich can't continue to compete for the job.
``We've seen what can happen in terms of injuries.''
Kinney got on the field because of injuries to Owens, Jamal Duff and Kenard Lang and the holdout of tackle Sean Gilbert. He plays more of a power game than Owens, and he plays with more emotion than anyone on the line except, perhaps, newcomer Chris Zorich.
``He's been given an opportunity to show what he can do and he's taken advantage of it,'' said Nolan. ``He plays with a great intensity and he's made some plays when he's been in there. He's made some mistakes, too, but he's a young player who's got a lot to learn. The good has outweighed the bad.''
Fuzzy quarterback
It's more a testimony to Washington's problems at quarterback this decade, but the two touchdown passes tossed by Gus Frerotte last week against the Bears gave him 14 this season. That's the most of any Redskins quarterback since 1991, when Mark Rypien had 28.
Frerotte, by the way, has been growing a beard the last three weeks, credited his wife with the inspiration for the change.
When a news guy from a radio station joked that ``that's all that matters, right?'' Frerotte shot back, ``That's right. I'm not sleeping with you.''
In Terry they trust
The Redskins are 5-1 when running back Terry Allen starts. They are 0-3 when Allen has been inactive. Allen reappeared after a couple of weeks off last Sunday and rushed for 125 yards in Washington's easy 31-8 trouncing of the Bears.
``We're a different team with Terry because the other players have tremendous confidence in him,'' Frerotte said.
``It doesn't have anything to do with (backup) Stephen Davis; he's a good running back. But he has a different style than Terry. With Terry, the guys know that if there's (a defender) in the hole, Terry's going to hit it head-on, then squirm away to get a couple of extra yards.''
Redskins coaches say the greatest difference between the two backs is experience.
Two weeks ago, they say, Davis aborted a pass play they'd called for him by breaking off a route before he should have.
They called the same play last week for Allen. He waited for Chicago defenders to move out of the coverage area and turned it into a sizeable gain.
Allen has 12 100-yard games since joining the Redskins in 1995, third-highest in franchise history behind John Riggins' and Larry Brown's 19.
Quick kicks
Assistant trainer Kevin Bastin says Redskins receiver Michael Westbrook may be back in the lineup for the game at Dallas on Nov. 16. Westbrook, who went down with a knee injury during Washington's win over Dallas on Oct. 13, is running straight-line pass patterns in practice and improving every day, Bastin added. ... Washington is an early nine-point favorite over the Lions, who haven't beaten the Redskins on the road since they were called the Boston Braves. ... Former Redskins linebacker coach Larry Peccatiello, who spent 13 seasons in Washington, is Detroit's defensive coordinator. ... In just seven seasons, ex-Virginia star Herman Moore has become the Lions' all-time leading receiver. Moore has 490 catches, for 7,045 yards and 48 touchdowns, also club records. Brett Perriman, who signed a free-agent contract with Kansas City last offseason, was the team's all-time leader. ... Detroit's loss at Green Bay Sunday night marked the fifth time this season the Lions have held an opponent to fewer than 300 yards. ... Ex-Redskins No. 1 pick Andre Johnson was claimed by the Lions after he was cut by the Miami Dolphins in late September. Johnson has been inactive for every game the Lions have played. ... TE Jamie Asher has 15 catches for 131 yards on third down - more than any tight end in the NFL. ILLUSTRATION: Photo
ASSOCIATED PRESS
When running back Terry Allen plays, the Redskins are nearly
guaranteed a victory. They are 5-1 when Allen starts, 0-3 when he
has been inactive.
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