Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SATURDAY, August 28, 1993 TAG: 9308280287
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: JIM DUCIBELLA LANDMARK NEWS SERVICE
DATELINE: WASHINGTON LENGTH: Medium
The Washington Redskins may have closed their preseason with a 3-1 record, thanks to a 17-3 victory over the New York Jets on Friday night. But no one - certainly not coach Richie Petitbon - found much to cheer about, given the shabby nature of a performance he hoped would provide momentum heading into their Sept. 6 regular-season opener against Super Bowl champion Dallas.
"All I can say is that I'm glad that one's over," Petitbon said. "That was one sloppy game. It's obvious we're going to have to play a lot better if we're to beat Dallas."
Asked what specifically concerned him, Petitbon did not hesitate.
"Everything, everything, everything," he said.
As bad as it was, none of that mattered for a couple of minutes early in the fourth quarter.
After a routine 3-yard run by Ricky Ervins, reserve tackle Joe Jacoby walked back to the huddle, then collapsed as his right knee buckled beneath him.
With Pro Bowl tackle Jim Lachey already out for the season with a knee injury, Redskins trainer Bubba Tyer and a couple of doctors sprinted to Jacoby's side and eventually hauled the 300-pounder to his feet.
As Jacoby reached the sideline, he flashed the thumbs-up signal to his wife, Irene, sitting in the stands. The early diagnosis: a sprained right knee, the severity of which won't be determined until later today.
"They're optimistic [that it isn't serious], but you never can tell with knee injuries," Petitbon said.
The Redskins looked at all three quarterbacks, including newly acquired Rich Gannon, who received a nice ovation from an RFK Stadium crowd of 50,695 obviously frustrated at watching the offense sputter under the direction of Cary Conklin.
But with just three days of practice, Gannon didn't know enough of the offense to make anything happen.
Only Rypien, who played little more than one quarter and completed seven of 13 passes for 57 yards and one touchdown, looked like he knew what he was doing.
"We just wanted to do enough for him to keep comfortable," Petitbon said. "Besides, the other two guys need so much work."
The running backs weren't much better, trying the line 30 times for 90 yards. Rookie Reggie Brooks led the way with 31 yards on 10 carries.
"Off what I saw tonight, there's plenty of reason to worry about our running game," Petitbon said.
The uneven performances of Conklin and Gannon only put more of the spotlight on Goodburn, enjoying his first game as unquestioned Redskins punter after Ed Bunn's release.
But other than one 60-yard fourth-quarter boot, Goodburn was ordinary at best, averaging 40 yards on mostly line-drive kicks.
After the first two series of downs, the Redskins owned a 3-0 lead - and two potentially bothersome injuries.
The first was suffered by linebacker Andre Collins. He sprained a knee separating tight end Johnny Mitchell from the ball at the Jets' 34-yard line. Fellow linebacker Monte Coleman recovered the fumble.
Two plays later, Washington receiver Tim McGee was leveled by a vicious hit from cornerback Brian Washington as he attempted to haul in a slant pass from Rypien.
McGee lay motionless for about a minute before getting to his feet and stumbling to the sidelines for medical attention. He returned to the game later in the first half.
That "drive" led to a 51-yard field goal by Chip Lohmiller, a kick Cary Blanchard matched on the Jets' next possession.
Washington came out its next possession in a formation it hadn't shown all season, and likely won't unless desperate - four wide receivers with Brooks the lone running back.
That possession went nowhere when Brooks was stuffed at the line on first down by Jeff Lageman, who sacked Rypien two snaps later.
That play was another in a first quarter of misadventures for left tackle Mo Elewonibi. Lageman tipped Rypien's opening two passes by jumping over Elewonibi, playing in place of Lachey.
Then came the sack, then another by Marvin Washington on the following series - a play on which Washington got past Elewonibi even though the Redskins lineman was called for holding.
Elewonibi settled down after that, however, and so did the Redskins' offense.
Two plays from the end of the first quarter, Washington took over at its 11 and moved 89 yards in 16 plays and 8 minutes, 11 seconds.
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Keywords:
FOOTBALL
Memo: shorter version ran in the Metro edition.