Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: TUESDAY, August 10, 1993 TAG: 9308100226
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: Jim Ducibella Landmark News Service
DATELINE: WASHINGTON LENGTH: Medium
Too unbelievable.
In his head coaching debut as the replacement for Joe Gibbs, Richie Petitbon looked like he had a team bound to challenge the Dallas Cowboys as the NFL's best, not one that squeaked into the playoffs last season and came to camp with lots of question marks.
Quarterback Mark Rypien played like the Super Bowl MVP he was two Januarys ago, even drawing occasional polite applause from the usually harsh RFK Stadium crowd.
"He was great," Petitbon gushed.
Former VMI star receiver Mark Stock gave a national TV audience three reasons he's been the camp standout - two spectacular punt returns and a touchdown catch.
Offensive coordinator Rod Dowhower's two-back attack worked smoothly with Brian Mitchell and Earnest Byner. When it wanted to do something other than work on the running game, the offense was unstoppable, gobbling up 387 yards, 5.9 per play.
"We played like it was our first preseason game and the Redskins like it was their second or third preseason game." Browns coach Bill Belichick said . "We can play a lot better and the Redskins looked a lot sharper."
Even venerable Art Monk, clearly the favorite among the crowd of 36,455, got into the act. He caught a short pass from Cary Conklin, then lumbered 49 yards toward the end zone, the crowd exhorting his every step. Football's all-time leading receiver, now an unhappy reserve, did not make it, caught from behind. That merely gave rookie running back Reggie Brooks a 1-yard chance for some glory two snaps later.
With the possible exception of rookie punter Ed Bunn, who averaged a mere 35 yards on three kicks in his opening bid to unseat veteran Kelly Goodburn, it was a strong performance - especially when 80 players are shuttled in and out of the lineup.
"I was very, very pleased with the effort," Petitbon said. "Frankly, I would have been very disappointed if we hadn't played well. Our three weeks of practice have been very, very good."
Rypien and Stock led the Redskins to a 24-6 lead after a half in which they outgained the Browns 231-60.
Rypien, trying to bounce back from a season in which he was the lowest-rated starting quarterback in the NFC, played the first two series. Both resulted in touchdowns. He hit eight of 12 passes for 123 yards and a touchdown in less than one quarter of work.
"One of the goals we set for tonight was to take our first drive down the field and score," Petitbon said. "I was very glad we won the coin toss.
The first drive Rypien engineered showed how overpowering Dowhower's new short-pass attack can be. On the second play, Rypien hit Mitchell for eight yards. The next play was a 25-yard completion to free-agent acquisition Tim McGee. Then came an 18-yard slant to Ricky Sanders, the kind of pass that used to go to the man Sanders' must replace, Gary Clark. Two snaps later, Rypien drilled another pass into Sanders' belly, one good for an 8-yard touchdown.
by CNB