THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Monday, October 3, 1994 TAG: 9410030126
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C1 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY JIM DUCIBELLA, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: WASHINGTON LENGTH: Medium: 91 lines
The champion Dallas Cowboys pounded the Washington Redskins so thoroughly at RFK Stadium that coach Norv Turner vowed Sunday his team will do more than merely practice this afternoon.
They'll begin training camp - again. Back to basics, like where to run, who to block, how to tackle.
And, unlike last July in Carlisle, this time rookie quarterback Heath Shuler will be on hand.
``We start tomorrow,'' Turner said shortly after watching the Cowboys whip the Redskins, 34-7, before 55,394 at RFK Stadium. It was the most lopsided game between the two played here since 1962, when Dallas cruised by four touchdowns.
This time, the Cowboys (3-1) used three Washington fumbles as a springboard to a 31-0 halftime lead. Dallas began its first half drives at the Washington 45, 43, 27 and at midfield.
The Cowboys never even missed Emmitt Smith. The NFL's three-time rushing champion left the game late in the second quarter after straining his right hamstring and never returned.
He still finished with two short-yardage touchdowns, runs of 4 and 6 yards on which he was barely touched. Once Smith departed, the Cowboys eased off the throttle.
Dallas rushed 23 times, threw just 11, after halftime. The Cowboys often gave the appearance they were toying with their NFC East rivals.
``We played a clock offense because we knew the Redskins weren't good enough offensively to be in a position to win the game,'' Dallas coach Barry Switzer explained. ``They're not a really strong football team.''
The Dallas defense, in particular end Charles Haley, who had just two tackles but at least a half-dozen ``hurries'' on Shuler, bulldozed the Redskins' offensive line from one end of the field to the other.
Washington averaged just 2.2 yards per play and had just one first-half first down that wasn't the result of a Dallas penalty. Total first-half yardage: Dallas 214, Washington 27.
``We're going to find some guys here who want to play football,'' Turner said, shortly before stomping out of the postgame media conference.
One of them will be Shuler, whose first NFL starting assignment was an unmitigated disaster. Turner announced he will stick with the team's No. 1 draft pick next Sunday against the Philadelphia Eagles.
The rookie from Tennessee completed just 11 of 30 pass attempts for 96 yards. During the pregame coin toss, he knelt on the sidelines with Darrell Green and Tim Johnson, praying.
He then spent most of the game either on his back or running for his safety.
``I'll never forget a game like this,'' Shuler vowed later, continually wiping blood from the corner of his mouth. ``I don't know what my percentage was, but I can count like everybody else. I know it wasn't good.''
With the game in hand, the Cowboys laid off Washington's receivers enough for Shuler to complete 8 of his 17 second-half attempts. Among them was an 8-yard touchdown pass to Frank Wycheck with 1:18 left in the third quarter.
``Yeah, we played better in the second half,'' Turner conceded, ``but the issue was settled.''
Reggie Brooks likely will join Shuler on overtime. The second-year back had two fumbles and five yards on five carries before being yanked.
On the Redskins' first series, Brooks fumbled when hit by linebacker Dixon Edwards, with Cowboys tackle Russell Maryland recovering.
That led to Smith's first touchdown, on a drive kept alive when end Leonard Marshall roughed Cowboys quarterback Troy Aikman on a third-and-17 incompletion.
Shuler was credited with a fumble on the next series, though he'd already handed the ball to Brooks when it came loose. Linebacker Darrin Smith recovered, though that turnover was negated when Tom Carter intercepted Aikman's late pass for Michael Irvin on the Washington 3.
Dallas went up, 14-0, on Smith's run on the first play of the second quarter. Brooks fumbled again, with Tony Tolbert recovering at the Redskins 27. Chris Boniol turned that into a 28-yard field goal at 17-0 advantage.
Kevin Williams' 38-yard punt return and a 17-yard shovel pass from Aikman to Darryl Johnston keyed the 50-yard touchdown drive that gave the Cowboys a 24-0 lead.
After Smith left, backup Lincoln Coleman took over and rammed 7 yards into the end zone with 1:10 to go to finish the rout, and drop Washington's home record to 0-3.
``We took a big step backwards today,'' kick returner Brian Mitchell said.
Back to July, according to Turner. ILLUSTRATION: PAUL AIKEN/Staff photos
It was a long and painful afternoon for Redskins quarterback Heath
Shuler, sacked twice in his first NFL start. Contributing to his
woes were Tony Tolbert, left, and Darrin Smith.
by CNB