DATE: Monday, October 6, 1997               TAG: 9710060184

SECTION: SPORTS                  PAGE: C7   EDITION: FINAL 

SOURCE: BY JIM DUCIBELLA, STAFF WRITER 

                                            LENGTH:   64 lines

REDSKIN REPORT CARD

THE GOOD: The diving 38-yard catch Michael Westbrook made against Eagles CB Bobby Taylor was more than ``good.'' Splice it onto the same reel - entitled Phenomenal Grabs - with the game-winning catch against Arizona a few weeks back. . . P Matt Turk's 62-yard boot from deep in his own end zone one series before the start of the fourth quarter. . . QB Gus Frerotte's touchdown pass to Terry Allen in the third quarter. Frerotte started the play looking left and sold Philadelphia on the idea that that's where he was going. Suddenly, he pivoted to the right and lobbed the ball to a wide-open Allen, who literally could have walked into the end zone.

THE BAD: Where to start. The O-line's pass and run blocking. . . The D-line's play against Philly's pass and run games. . . The penalties, eight against the Redskins. Four of them were false starts against offensive linemen. Like Brian Mitchell said, ``If they can't hear the snap, watch the ball.'' . . . Norv Turner's record the week before games against Dallas. He's 0-6.

THE UGLY: One Washington series in which the Redskins had to burn a timeout because receiver Alvin Harper started running his pass pattern to the wrong side of the field. After the timeout, Washington ran the same play - a deep down-and-in - that the Eagles secondary ate up. . . . Another Redskins series in which, on second-and-10, Tre' Johnson committed a false start, followed before the next snap by another false start against Ed Simmons., a dropped pass by Jamie Asher and a holding penalty against Asher.

TURNING POINT: It's a stretch, but after Turk's 62-yard punt and Troy Vincent's minus-8-yard return, the Eagles were down at their own 25 with the Redskins a touchdown from drawing even and the entire fourth quarter still to play. A defensive stand would have turned momentum, but the Eagles rammed the ball 75 yards on 10 plays for the touchdown that gave them their final margin of victory. Otherwise, Philly ruled.

AND DON'T FORGET: The Redskins could have had sole possession of first place in the NFC East because the Dallas Cowboys were upset by the New York Giants. Instead, the two are tied, and the Eagles, Giants and Cardinals are all still very much in the division picture.

UNSUNG HEROES: RB Brian Mitchell. Not only does he turn his brilliant, shoetop catch of Frerotte's desperation into a 20-yard gain, Washington's longest of the first half and the first show of offensive spark in the game. Overall, he gains 103 yards on kickoffs, another 37 on punt returns and 31 on pass receptions.

NUMBERS CRUNCHING: 39:22 - Philadelphia's time of possession. . . 3-of-12 - Washington's third-down efficiency. And to think Frerotte was the NFC's top quarterback in that category. . . 12-for-60 - Philly reserve RB Charlie Garner's totals Sunday. The former Northern Virginia resident has averaged six yards per carry against the Redskins during his four-season NFL career. . . 4-and-3 - The number of times Philadelphia fumbled, the number of times they recovered. . . 1-for-minus-8 - Philadelphia's punt-return figures Sunday. . . 26 - Number of first downs the Eagles made by rushing.

INJURIES: DT William Gaines (strained ankle and knee), G Tre' Johnson (separated AC joint in shoulder), OT Ed Simmons (chronic knee problem), CB Darrell Green (jammed left ring finger), QB Gus Frerotte (bruised left elbow), G Joe Patton (re-aggravated ankle).

NEXT OPPONENT: The Redskins host NFC East rival Dallas at Jack Kent Cooke Stadium Monday, 9 p.m. Both teams are 3-2. ILLUSTRATION: GRADES VS. EAGLES

GRAPHIC

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