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: Redskins' offense confidence hit low Date: Wed, 25 Nov 92 16:20:05 EST Message-ID: Lines: 83 \SE D;SPORTS;WEDNESDAY MORNING QUARTERBACK \HD Redskins' offense confidence hit low \BY Dave Fay \CR THE WASHINGTON TIMES If the Washington Redskins were going to beat the New Orleans Saints on Monday night, they needed something to boost what appears to be shattered confidence and they needed it early in the game. They came close to getting that much-needed boost, but not close enough. And a game that probably was winnable slipped away the way so many have recently. Washington got its first possession about four minutes into the game and slowly advanced down the field. Slowly? It took 18 plays and more than 10 minutes of clock time to move the ball 70 yards. That's slow, but it's also designed to keep the Saints' defense on the field for lengthy spells and wear it down. The drive will be remembered for several things - Desmond Howard's first and only reception as a pro; Kelly Goodburn's mad gallop to his right on a fake punt for a first down; Terry Orr's recovery of a Mark Rypien fumble; Earnest Byner's near-miss with Ron Middleton on an option pass; and the worst-timed penalty in Raleigh McKenzie's career. It was obvious from the start that trying to rush the ball on New Orleans was going to be next to impossible - eight attempts in that first drive gained only 12 yards, and five of those came on Goodburn's fake punt. But there appeared to be ample opportunity to complete passes against a highly-rated Saints defense if only Rypien could get about half the 2.5 seconds he or any other quarterback needs to get the ball away. Near the end of the drive, the Redskins appeared to finally make the right move, with Rypien hitting Gary Clark over the middle and Clark taking it in for an 18-yard score. Finally, a touchdown scored by the offense. But before Clark could regain his feet the flags were flying. McKenzie, a guard trying to play tackle, was called for holding and the Saints were called for a face mask penalty. No play, no touchdown, play it again. Last season, riding the crest of a wave that would take them to pro football's championship, the Redskins might have put the ball right back in the end zone. But not this season. This is the season where the team is trying to kick opponents to death with Chip Lohmiller's size 10. Washington has now gone almost 24 full quarters - that's six games - while scoring just two touchdowns offensively. The Redskins haven't put more than 16 points on the board since the second week of October. Monday night was the weakest effort yet. Other than Lohmiller's 34-yarder to end that first-quarter drive, there wasn't even the hint of a threat. One could see the team sag when it was once again forced to settle for a field goal instead of seven points. What confidence may have been building during the 10-minute drive evaporated. The next three possessions were dismal, three cracks at the line and punt. The last time they couldn't even do that right, getting penalized for not having enough men on the line and forcing Goodburn to punt a second time. New Orleans gained 24 yards because of the mistake. How brutal did it become? Washington's initial first down of the second quarter came 14 minutes, 23 seconds after the period started. By that time New Orleans had put 14 points on the board and these days, that's far too high an advantage for the Redskins to overcome. "I don't know if it's a confidence thing or not," Orr said. "What we need is a win, just to go out and beat somebody. That's magic like you wouldn't believe, cures everything. Hey, when was the last time a team around here lost two in a row? We're not used to that." Matter of fact, it was 50 games ago, Weeks 8 and 9 of the '89 season. But in between there were a lot of reasons for confidence to be high, reasons that no longer appear to be present. 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