DATE: Sunday, November 23, 1997             TAG: 9711230178

SECTION: SPORTS                  PAGE: C1   EDITION: FINAL 

SOURCE: BY JIM DUCIBELLA, STAFF WRITER 

DATELINE: LANDOVER, MD.                     LENGTH:   62 lines

SKINS FACING MUST-WIN GAME TODAY AGAINST THE FIRST-PLACE GIANTS.

From the first day of training camp, the Washington Redskins envisioned being involved in games with playoff ramifications at this point in the season. They just never expected one of them would be against the New York Giants.

``A big part of winning is believing you can win,'' quarterback Gus Frerotte said, trying to explain the Giants' 7-4 record. ``Somehow, the Giants have it right now.''

Meanwhile, Frerotte injured his throwing shoulder in practice Friday and left the field for treatment. Trainers said Frerotte suffered a mild strain and is expected to start today's game. A victory would vault the Redskins back into a tie for first place in the NFC East.

The Giants have come honestly by their record, best in the NFC East. After a 1-3 start, New York has captured six of its last seven games and sent the city into delusions of grandeur. At a time nearly everyone thought they'd be playing out the string, the Giants have a one-game lead over the Redskins and Dallas Cowboys and are on track for their first playoff visit since 1993.

``It's amazing how the expectations go up dramatically,'' Giants coach Jim Fassel said. ``We were picked dead last in all publications. Now people are saying we're going to win the division and go to the Super Bowl. I'm like, `Wait a minute, what's all this? This is crazy talk.' When you win, all of a sudden they think it's going to be one of the greatest seasons of all time, and that's way ahead of where we are.''

The Giants have vaulted into playoff contention by combining a safe, run-oriented offense with a hustling defense that puts constant pressure on the quarterback. New York has at least five sacks in four games this season - and 38 for the year. That's eight more than they recorded all last season.

``The Giants really like to stop the run,'' Frerotte said. ``Detroit hit some play-action things against them. We're going to try to do some of the same things.''

On offense, the Giants have a rookie quarterback in Danny Kanell, but a massive, veteran line that clears paths for running backs Ty Wheatley and former University of Virginia stars Charles Way and Tiki Barber.

There were serious doubts about Kanell's ability to lead a pro offense. His rating of 78.2 isn't great and he has just five touchdown passes, but he has been more consistent than Dave Brown and continues a streak started his freshman year in high school of never having lost back-to-back games.

``They don't make mistakes on offense,'' Redskins defensive end Rich Owens said. ``You can disrupt some things, but they play really steady.''

The Redskins, who began last season with a 7-1 record only to fall short of the playoffs by losing six of their last eight, readily admit this is a must-win game in their drive to making the playoffs for the first time since Norv Turner became coach.

``If we lose, no question we then have to win them all the rest of the way,'' Frerotte said. ``At that point, we're backed into a corner. We're playing the Giants twice (in the next four weeks) and we want to get things tied up.''

They say a devastating loss like last Sunday's in Dallas would have had a lingering effect on their morale. That's not the case this time, because they have no time to feel sorry for themselves.

``It's not like last year, where we had all these wins bagged and we were trying to do just enough to get over the top,'' defensive tackle Ryan Kuehl said. ``We're fighting every week. We've still got to get some wins to be a player in this whole thing. This team forgot about Dallas on Monday morning.''

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