DATE: Monday, October 20, 1997              TAG: 9710200142

SECTION: SPORTS                  PAGE: C1   EDITION: FINAL 

SOURCE: BY JIM DUCIBELLA, STAFF WRITER 

DATELINE: MEMPHIS                           LENGTH:   98 lines

OILERS GREASE THE SKINS FLAT WASHINGTON HELPS STRUGGLING TENNESSEE FIND ITS GROOVE

Call in a couple of shrinks. Wheel in the extra-wide couches. The Washington Redskins have a problem between the ears - a third-degree case of identity crisis - that surfaced again Sunday in a 28-14 loss to the Tennessee Oilers.

Just six days after their dominant, emotional victory over Dallas - and playing before a crowd of 31,042 that seemed as thrilled for them as for the Liberty Bowl's new tenant - the Redskins were steamrolled by the struggling Oilers and their two emerging stars, quarterback Steve McNair and running back Eddie George.

George, the second-year former Heisman Trophy winner, dashed 31 times through and around the Washington defense for 125 yards and two touchdowns.

Like a karate king, McNair beat on the Redskins with his arms and legs. The former Alcorn State star threw for 192 yards and ran 10 times for 53 yards, a tactic that befuddled the Redskins almost as much as their own lethargy.

``It's like being on a roller-coaster,'' safety Stanley Richard said in a cramped, somber locker room. ``You don't know when the next dip's coming, when you're going to hit the next curve.

``It's a lot easier to lose 10 games in a row than to play like this, where you win the tough games, but lose the ones you're supposed to win. Make no mistake, this was a game we should have come out of with a win.''

Instead, the Redskins limp home with a 4-3 mark - 0-6 in games following Dallas since Norv Turner became coach.

That's good for second place in the NFC East behind the surprising New York Giants, who beat Detroit 26-20 to finish the first half of their season at 5-3. Dallas, which beat Jacksonville, is even with the Redskins at 4-3, with Philadelphia at 3-4 and Arizona a dismal 1-6.

The Redskins played with little verve until the second half. By then, they trailed 21-0. McNair scored the first touchdown from two yards out when he faked into the line, suckering safety Leomont Evans, then rolled right and easily beat defensive end Rich Owens to the corner.

George, who seemed to get stronger as the game progressed, used Michael Roan's crushing block on linebacker Ken Harvey to score the second touchdown from three yards out.

George's backup, Rodney Thomas, burst over from five yards out early in the third quarter - after Marcus Robertson recorded the Oilers' first interception of the season on a pass that slid through Henry Ellard's fingers - to give Tennessee a 21-0 lead.

``Every week you come out and compete against some damn good players; to win, you have to go out and make plays,'' coach Norv Turner said. ``When the plays are there, you have to make them. If you don't, a lot of times, you don't get a second chance.''

Despite the interception, that first series of the third quarter was the one that finally jump-started Frerotte. He hit Ellard twice before Robertson's pick. After Thomas scored, Frerotte came back and passed the Redskins back into contention.

Four passes, two to Ellard, consumed 73 yards and only 2:12 to draw the Redskins to 21-7.

After the Redskins held, Frerotte started the offense on another drive. Four snaps after Leslie Shepherd had the wind knocked out of him by cornerback Darryl Lewis, Shepherd beat rookie Dernard Walker down the right sideline and hauled in a 37-yard pass. Three plays later, Ellard broke across the middle and in front of Walker to easily grab Frerotte's 10-yard touchdown throw.

Then, it was like someone flicked a switch and the Washington offense went back to sleep.

``From that point on, we struggled,'' admitted Frerotte, who hit 16 of 31 passes for 228 yards, but had three intercepted.

``He made some good plays, he made some bad plays,'' Turner added about Frerotte. ``Bottom line, we have to have more consistency from our passing game.''

Washington's defense tried to give the offense additional chances, stopping Tennessee twice in the fourth quarter. But Alvin Harper ran the wrong route on a deep pattern, Frerotte threw it anyway, and Walker made an easy interception. On Washington's following series, running back Stephen Davis, subbing for the injured Terry Allen, was thrown for a yard loss on third-and-2 from near midfield.

Washington punted, and didn't see the ball again until it was much too late. Tennessee - make that George - gobbled up 6:13 in putting together a 10-play touchdown march that was the epitome of the brutal effectiveness with which the Oilers controlled the line of scrimmage. On the day, Tennessee had nearly a 12-minute edge in time of possession.

``I think the one thing we did, which wouldn't have shown up a couple of years ago, is that when we gave up a couple of scores, this team kept playing,'' Tennessee coach Jeff Fisher said.

After George finished the scoring with his six-yard run, Frerotte finished off another mediocre effort with his ninth interception of the season, a pass on which Lewis cut in front of Ellard with 2:18 to play.

``We need to go into every game with the same attitude,'' said kick returner Brian Mitchell. ``Last week, we beat Dallas, a big rival. But it doesn't matter whether we beat them by one point or 50 points - it counts one victory. We should have had that same attitude for Tennessee today. We didn't, and I don't know why.'' ILLUSTRATION: Color Photo

ASSOCIATED PRESS

Tennessee Oilers quarterback Steve McNair runs two yards for the

game's first touchdown in the second quarter Sunday in Memphis. The

former Alcorn State star frustrated the Redskins by throwing for 192

yards and running nine more times for 53 yards on the day.

Send Suggestions or Comments to webmaster@scholar.lib.vt.edu