THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, August 14, 1994 TAG: 9408140182
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C3 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY JIM DUCIBELLA, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Long : 102 lines
It took rookie quarterback Heath Shuler just 13 plays before the home crowd Friday to become a full-fledged Redskins quarterback - that is, to be booed lustily.
Likewise, Norv Turner needed just one night of a half-dozen dropped passes, 10 ill-timed penalties, countless missed tackles and a brief fight in which free agent Dondre Owens was ejected, to become an angry head coach.
``We did a million stupid things,'' Turner said before vowing, ``We're not going to be a stupid team. It was a tough night. . . . I did not like many of the things I saw.''
Evidently, the honeymoon is over for Shuler and the fans, even though they've barely begun dating. After the Redskins' 17-14 loss to Kansas City, fans jammed talk shows in the nation's capital critical of the team's No. 1 draft pick, a guy who's barely been in camp a week.
Shuler heard the jeers of the crowd of 44,778 after one of his passes was nearly intercepted and the next sailed over the head of running back Cedric Smith.
``I thought it was pretty funny,'' Shuler said of the catcalls.
Shuler, who signed an eight-year, $19.25 million contract after a 13-day holdout, bemusedly admitted that he'd never before been booed.
``Not even at Tennessee?'' someone asked.
``That was . . . forbidden,'' he replied, cracking a wide, sincere smile as the media broke up. ``I went to a great high school and was never booed. Tennessee fans are the best in America. I assumed the same thing when I came here.
``Maybe they were frustrated at how we played. We'll see what happens when we're winning again. That'll give them a chance to jump back on the bandwagon.''
Despite only two additional days of practice, Shuler appeared much more poised than against Buffalo. Turner's game plan didn't exactly help him showcase his skills any.
Shuler might have attempted three passes to wide receivers. Until he hit Tydus Winans with an 18-yarder late in the fourth quarter, every pass Shuler completed had been to a running back or tight end.
``There isn't a rookie football player in America who isn't behind,'' Shuler said. ``It's not so much that I feel I have to catch up, but that I've got so much to learn.
``It's not like we aren't trying. Every player out here is giving 110 percent. No one's trying to drop those passes.''
Later, Shuler pulled a member of the media aside and inquired, wide-eyed, ``What was that? What did I do?''
Not much, which may have been one of the problems. Shuler completed just nine of 22 passes for 61 yards, although several were dropped.
``It wasn't like he was horrible,'' Turner said. ``He was just a little off.
``One of the problems we're having is that Heath throws the ball much quicker than John Friesz. He also has more velocity on his passes, and it is an adjustment for the receivers to make between the two.''
Turner saved some of his most righteous indignation for Friesz, even though the free-agent signee from San Diego led the team to both of its touchdowns.
Friesz's 37-yard touchdown strike to Desmond Howard was perfect, and he completed eight of 16 attempts for 140 yards. But he also was picked off twice, the second of which led to a Kansas City touchdown late in the first half.
``I was very disappointed in John's (lack of) consistency,'' Turner said. ``He's got to play better.''
``I missed some plays which may have allowed us to get more points,'' Friesz added. ``I need to have more consistency.''
The play that galled Turner most was a second-quarter rollout. Friesz executed that portion well, but his pass was thrown directly into the hands of defensive back Dale Carter.
Had he paid for his entry to the game, Turner might have been among those displaying their dissent. By the fourth quarter, Turner's face was as red as a stop sign.
He inflicted a little Norvally wisdom on two players in particular, tight end Kurt Haws and defensive back Owens.
Haws heard the wrath of Turner when he returned to the sidelines after committing an offensive-interference infraction, one of 10 penalties called against Washington. The penalty erased a 10-yard completion from Shuler to running back William Bell that would have moved Washington from the shadows of its own goal line to the 26. Instead, the Redskins began their next play at their 8.
Haws said the tongue-lashing ``wasn't too bad.'' Others who heard it might disagree.
Haws, a fourth-round pick from Utah, had been a favorite of Turner's prior to Friday.
No one knew who Owens was before camp started, and his little tiff and ejection aren't likely to help him. In fact, one of the problems Turner bemoaned was the number of players who have played these first two games because he is trying to evaluate basic football skills.
Turner even hinted that he might trim the roster earlier than league guidelines mandate. He'd like to get to his final 53 and build a little more cohesion in a team that had 37 members whose first home game Friday night was less than enjoyable. ILLUSTRATION: Photo
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Rookie quarterback Heath Shuler said he'd never been booed. ``We'll
see what happens when we're winning again,'' he said. ``That'll give
them a chance to jump back on the bandwagon.''
by CNB