Path: bloom-picayune.mit.edu!enterpoop.mit.edu!snorkelwacker.mit.edu!americast.com!americast.com!americast-post Newsgroups: americast.twt.sports From: americast-post@AmeriCast.Com Organization: American Cybercasting Approved: americast-post@AmeriCast.com Subject: Green activated; Meads waived Date: Tue, 24 Nov 92 14:12:10 EST Message-ID: Lines: 197 \SE D;SPORTS;SAINTS 20, REDSKINS 3;REDSKINS NOTES \HD Green activated; Meads waived \BY Dave Fay \CR THE WASHINGTON TIMES The Redskins waived linebacker Johnny Meads to make room for cornerback Darrell Green, brought back off injured reserve after breaking an arm Sept. 13 against Atlanta. Meads, a nine-year veteran with the Houston Oilers, was signed Oct. 28 as a free agent. The Oilers had waived him after four games to make room for free-agent wide receiver Webster Slaughter. Meads was brought in at a time when the Redskins were down to just one healthy regular at linebacker, Wilber Marshall. He saw action in two games as a backup. There are no immediate plans to bring him back this week, but injuries may change that. "Right now our only goal is to get through one game this season without suffering an injury," one Redskins official said last night. "So far we haven't been able to do that this season." That was apparent by the two players who were inactivated for last night's game, strong safety Danny Copeland and offensive guard-tackle Joe Jacoby, both starters in better days. Copeland suffered a sprained neck in the New York Giants game, attempted to come back last week against Kansas City but only aggravated the condition. Jacoby, 33, is sidelined with a variety of problems, the latest of which is a back injury suffered in the first period of the Chiefs game. Todd Bowles started in Copeland's position, and rookie Shane Collins started at defensive end in place of Fred Stokes, held out of the starting lineup with a sprained knee. John Brantley played middle linebacker in running situations to relieve Kurt Gouveia, who still is recovering from a neck injury but plays on passing downs. Green broke the radius in his right forearm, and it was feared, because of the nature of the break, that he would be lost for at least three months, possibly not returning until just before the playoffs. He was operated on 10 days after the injury, and a metal plate was inserted to speed his recovery. FIRST THINGS FIRST Center Matt Elliott and Heisman Trophy winning-wide receiver Desmond Howard both achieved important firsts last night. Elliott, the last player selected in the 1992 NFL draft, made his first career start along an injury-decimated offensive line. Howard, who had been used sparingly through the first 10 games, was in on the offense's first possession and hauled in his first career reception, an eight-yarder on a square-out pattern. FAKE PAYS OFF Washington appeared to be stalled near midfield on its first possession. But the usually conservative Redskins, facing fourth-and-three at the New Orleans 44, kept the ball after getting a first down on a fake punt. The Saints were caught off guard as punter Kelly Goodburn hesitated, then took off to the right sideline, gaining five yards and keeping the drive alive. The gamble paid off several minutes later when Chip Lohmiller kicked a 34-yard field goal to give Washington a 3-0 lead. The Redskins held the ball for 10:07 during the 19-play, 70-yard drive. During that drive, Earnest Byner carried the ball six times for seven yards, while Mark Rypien gained seven and Goodburn five on one carry apiece. MONK WATCH Maybe it has something to do with Monday Night Football, the two-decades-old fixture on ABC-TV. Washington wide receiver Art Monk, barely thrown to in the first half, came alive in the second last night and caught a pass in his 143rd consecutive game. The last time the Redskins were on MNF was against Denver on Oct. 12, which turned out to be a 34-3 Washington victory. With the result no longer in question but a nationwide TV audience watching, coach Joe Gibbs gave Rypien the signal late in the fourth quarter and Monk was the target. Three straight passes went to the gifted receiver and he caught all three to become the NFL's all-time leading receiver, a mark he improves on every week. ****ILLUSTRATION TEXT PLAY OF THE GAME Quinn Early's TD catch. Score: Saints, 14-3 Time: 1:06, 2nd quarter Down/distance: 3rd/goal Field position: Redskin 5 Details: Early's score just before the first half ends gives the Saints their second touchdown. 1) Early, lined up wide left, cuts behind two other WRs and angles across the end zone. 2) Saints QB Bobby Hebert avoids pressure, circles to the right and finds Early in the back of the end zone. ****BOX A SCORING SUMMARY FIRST QUARTER * REDSKINS - Lohmiller 34 FG (:42 to play in quarter; 10:07 elapsed on drive). Drive: 70 yards, 19 plays. Key play: Goodburn's fake-punt scramble on fourth down preserved the lengthy drive. Redskins 3, Saints 0 SECOND QUARTER * SAINTS - Hilliard 18 run, Andersen PAT (4:12 to go in half, 3:20 elapsed in drive. Drive: 69 yards, six plays. Key play: Hebert throws 32-yard pass to Carroll down left sideline on third-and-4. Saints 7, Redskins 3 SAINTS - Early 5 pass from Hebert, Andersen PAT (1:06 to go in half, 1:43 elapsed in drive). Drive: 46 yards, three plays. Key plays: Edwards bumps Early, drawing 41-yard pass interference penalty. Saints 14, Redskins 3 THIRD QUARTER * SAINTS - Andersen FG 43 (5:27 to play in quarter, 3:57 elapsed in drive). Drive: 54 yards, six plays. Key plays: Hebert hits Martin with 45-yard pass, taking the Saints to the Washington 35. Saints 17, Redskins 3 FOURTH QUARTER* SAINTS - Andersen 45 FG (4:02 to play, 4:16 elapsed). Drive: 45 yards, 7 plays. Key play: 27-yard pass interference penalty against Mays put Saints at Redskins 45. Saints 20, Redskins 3 ****BOX B NEXT FOR REDSKINS: PHOENIX CARDINALS * When: Sunday, Nov. 29, 1 p.m. * Where: RFK Stadium. * TV/radio: Chs. 9, 11; AM-570 * Last meeting: Phoenix (3-8) surprised the Redskins 27-24 in the teams' first meeting Oct. 4 at Sun Devil Stadium in Tempe, Ariz. Washington bolted to a 17-0 lead but helped Phoenix back into the game with turnovers. CB Robert Massey's two interceptions for touchdowns led the rally. Washington had a chance to tie the game in the closing seconds, but Chip Lohmiller missed a field-goal attempt from 40 yards. * Cardinals' big guns: Phoenix QB Chris Chandler was taken from Sunday's game against Dallas on a cart after injuring his ribs. Backup Timm Rosenbach wasn't effective. Doctors said yesterday Chandler can play Sunday if he can tolerate the pain. This article is copyright 1992 The Washington Times. Redistribution to other sites is not permitted except by arrangement with American Cybercasting Corporation. For more information, send-email to usa@AmeriCast.COM