THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Tuesday, November 5, 1996 TAG: 9611050450
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C1 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY JIM DUCIBELLA, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: 83 lines
Bill Brooks raced after Washington Redskins' quarterback Gus Frerotte as he ran off the field after Sunday's 38-13 loss to the Buffalo Bills.
``Gus, you know what this game means?'' asked Brooks, an 11-year veteran. ``It means we start the second half of the season the same way we started the first half.''
Brooks was referring to Washington's 17-14 home loss to the Philadelphia Eagles on opening day. Those are the same Eagles with which the Redskins are tied for first place in the NFC East at 7-2.
``And know what else it means?'' Brooks continued. ``It means we can finish the second half of the season the same way we finished the first half.''
Brooks means with seven straight wins. Not even America's most optimistic man - is that Bob Dole or George Shinn? - would buy into that logic. Not with two games against the Cowboys, one with San Francisco and one with the Eagles still on the slate.
But there's no reason to go the other way, either. The national sporting media might argue that the first eight weeks of the Redskins' season were a mirage. Don't believe it.
There isn't a soul out there, including owner Jack Kent Cooke, who thought the Redskins would go undefeated on the road this season. Home teams are winning eight of every 12 games. Since 1988, the Bills have been better than that, winning 51 of 64 at Rich Stadium, or 79.6 percent.
Granted the loss was far more lopsided than anyone believed, including in Las Vegas, where the Bills were three-point favorites. But there were seven plays Sunday that may or may not have changed the outcome - but would have made the game as competitive as expected.
The first came with the Redskins ahead 7-0 and on the Buffalo 39. Receiver Leslie Shepherd was wide open at the Bills' 25, no one between him and the end zone. Frerotte overthrew the pass that would have put Washington ahead 14-0. Think the Bills rush 56 times if they're down two touchdowns starting the second quarter?
The Redskins trailing 10-7, Jamie Asher dropped Frerotte's third-and-five pass at the Washington 33. Asher already had the first down had he held on. Instead, the Redskins punted and the Bills, their offense clicking, cranked out another touchdown.
Then, there was the holding penalty against James Jenkins on the kickoff opening the second half. Brian Mitchell had given the Redskins field position at the Washington 40. After the penalty, Frerotte's offense began at the 18. Four plays later, Frerotte fumbled when blindsided by Bryce Paup and Buffalo turned that into seven points and 24-7 lead.
On Washington's next possession, Frerotte hit Shepherd with a 23-yard pass to the Buffalo 21. There were still six minutes left in the third quarter. But the play was wiped out on a holding penalty against guard Tre' Johnson. Instead, Frerotte faced third-and-17 and underthrew Michael Westbrook, open down the right sideline.
There's more. After Frerotte's incompletion, Matt Turk's punt was downed at the Bills' 3. On first down, defensive tackle William Gaines jumped offsides, giving them a much-easier first-and-five. Two plays later, safety Darryl Morrison had Steve Tasker dead in the backfield, but missed the tackle and instead of a five-yard loss and third-and-nine, Tasker turned the corner and gained 11.
On the same drive, Gaines gave the Bills a first down on third-and-two when he jumped offsides at the Washington 14.
What do the plays have in common? They are correctable. Given how far the Redskins have come this season, there's every reason to believe that will happen.
Frerotte isn't as good a passer as he's going to be when he fully matures. Neither is Asher as good a receiver, Morrison as good a tackler, Gaines as disciplined at the line, and Johnson as proficient a pass-blocker.
Someone asked Redskins linebacker Marvcus Patton if the Bills had embarrassed him.
``I'm not embarrassed,'' he said. ``The Bills have some consistent Pro Bowl players, some Hall-of-Fame players. We're young. We don't have that yet. Embarrassed? No.''
What would embarrass Patton would be for the Redskins to be throttled by every good team they face the same way they were handled by the Bills. But no one should expect that to happen, any more than they should expect another seven-game winning streak.
What happens to the Redskins the next seven weeks should be somewhere in between those two extremes. A win over Dallas, Philadelphia or San Francisco and the Buffalo loss becomes the mirage. ILLUSTRATION: ASSOCIATED PRESS
Bills quarterback Jim Kelly passes in front of Redskins defensive
tackle Romeo Bandison, a scene all-too-familiar Sunday. by CNB