THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Monday, September 25, 1995 TAG: 9509250172
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C1 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY JIM DUCIBELLA, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: TAMPA, FLA. LENGTH: Long : 105 lines
You wonder when, or if, the Washington Redskins will run out of ways to lose.
Sunday against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in sauna-like South Florida, the Redskins uncharacteristically held the advantage in time of possession and total yards.
They threw for nearly twice as many yards as the Buccaneers. They earned eight more first downs. They committed half-as-many penalties.
But after quarterback Gus Frerotte's underfloated end-zone pass for tight end Coleman Bell was picked off by ex-Redskins cornerback Martin Mayhew with two seconds to play, blunting what would have been a pressurized 80-yard drive, they trudged off the field 14-6 losers.
``The frustrating thing is that we can play good offense, defense and special teams,'' said safety James Washington. ``You've seen us when the offense is working. You've seen us when the defense is working. You've seen us when the special teams are working.
``But you haven't seen it all together, and that's what we've got to learn.''
At 1-3, the lessons don't figure to get easier. The Redskins face the NFC East champion Dallas Cowboys Sunday at RFK Stadium. They do so lacking any semblance of momentum and beset by question after question about the consistency of their play.
For the second straight week, there also is a questionable official's call to ponder. This one came seven seconds into the fourth quarter, on a seven-yard pass to Alvin Harper, and gave the Buccaneers their final margin of victory.
One official ruled it incomplete because Harper had just one foot in-bounds; he was overruled by another official who said Darrell Green's push was the reason Harper lost control of his body.
``They're 0 for 2 on calls,'' Redskins defensive coordinator Ron Lynn said. ``Maybe they'll be 0 for '95 with us.''
For 30 minutes at Tampa Stadium, the Redskins defense accomplished everything it wanted. Bucs running back Errict Rhett, who had gained 263 yards in two games against Washington last year, had been limited to 41 yards and had lost a fumble when tackled in the backfield by Dexter Nottage. Quarterback Trent Dilfer had thrown for just 11 yards, had been sacked twice.
But despite running twice as many plays, Washington held only a 6-0 halftime lead on Eddie Murray's field goals of 37 and 28 yards.
One drive was scuttled when Bell, 20 yards of open field ahead of him, dropped a screen pass. It was one of five passes dropped by Washington players, including one in the end zone by fullback Cedric Smith that would have pulled the Redskins to within two points with nine seconds to play.
Another drive ended badly when Murray barely missed to the right on a 44-yard field goal.
And the Redskins settled for Murray's second field goal in part because Frerotte took a sack on a first-and-goal from the Tampa 10 rather than throw the ball away.
``We had opportunities early, and we didn't do it,'' coach Norv Turner said. ``We talked in (the locker room); this season is awfully early. We have to do what it takes to make the next jump - to win. Whoever's involved has got to step up and make the play.''
Washington's failure to take advantage of its opportunities was the tonic Tampa Bay needed to gain its composure, especially in the muggy 114-degree conditions in which the game was played.
``If we're close at halftime, that's good for us,'' Bucs coach Sam Wyche said he told his team (2-2). ``We're used to playing in this heat.''
Dilfer, who threw for 125 second-half yards, took the Bucs 68 yards to the go-ahead touchdown on the first drive after the half. Rhett took it the last 10 yards, and finished with 104 yards on 27 carries.
The Redskins seemed to get a break on the ensuing drive when Leslie Shepherd recovered a fumble by Bell after a 17-yard completion from Frerotte. But center Vernice Smith had limped off the field with a mild ankle problem on one play and center/guard John Gesek left a play later with heat sickness.
That put long-snapper Trevor Matich at center. Twice, he and Frerotte had problems with the exchange. The third time, Tampa Bay's Santana Dotson burrowed under the pile at the line of scrimmage to recover the ball at the Buccaneers 29.
Eleven plays later, Dilfer passed to Harper, running a square-out, in the left corner of the Redskins end zone. Harper, with Green guarding him closely, caught the ball in the end zone, then stepped forward and went out of bounds at the 1.
Side Judge Doug Toole ruled it incomplete. But his call was overturned by head linesman Earnie Frantz, who claimed Green pushed Harper out of bounds. Replays showed body contact between the two, but no push.
``What am I supposed to do?'' Green said, moving backwards and throwing his arms out like a matador facing a charging bull. ``If that's how they're going to call it, I might as well let him go. There's no way I can win. I was thinking about the ball, not him. Whether I touched him or not, he wouldn't have had two feet in. It was ridiculous.''
Two possessions later, Frerotte began a marathon 16-play drive that consumed 79 1/2 yards and 4:14, but didn't get a touchdown.
A pass-interference penalty against cornerback Tony Stargell gave Washington a first down at the half-yard line with 13 seconds to play. Frerotte dropped and looked left, then quickly flipped a pass to Smith, alone in the end zone.
He dropped it.
Frerotte called the same play but went to Bell at the other side of the end zone. That pass didn't have the zip his throw to Smith had and Mayhew intercepted to seal the win.
``We're doing the big things well,'' Frerotte said. ``It's the little things that are hurting us. We had our opportunities, just like the Raiders game. We just don't put it in the end zone when we have to.'' by CNB