Path: bloom-picayune.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: Victory provides no relief, only more doubts Date: Mon, 9 Nov 92 14:59:57 EST Message-ID: \SE C;SPORTS;NEWS ANALYSIS \HD Victory provides no relief, only more doubts \BY John Hawkins \CR THE WASHINGTON TIMES If you're Joe Gibbs, you're not feeling too good about playing the Kansas City Chiefs, pass-defenders extraordinaire, next week on the road. If you're Gibbs, you're thinking about asking Wilber Marshall if he might step in on the offensive line, or at quarterback, or . . . Maybe it's too easy to be hard on the Washington Redskins. Maybe we shouldn't expect so much from a team that looked so invincible last season, but yesterday's victory in Seattle reaffirmed far more doubts than it alleviated. Understandably, the defense shined against the Seahawks, whose offense is set on self-destruction. Outside linebacker Marshall perpetuated the havoc he has instigated all season by making a diving interception and forcing a fumble, back-to-back turnovers the Redskins failed to take advantage of in a first half that was as bad as this team has looked since Week 1. Not so understandably, Seahawks quarterback Stan Gelbaugh had more time to throw than did Mark Rypien, whose errant deep pass to wide-open Art Monk in the first quarter was 10 feet astray - and a tidy microcosm of Rypien's season. If the Redskins are to beat the Chiefs, they must protect the quarterback better against a more intense pass rush, particularly if Rypien is to have any chance of snapping out of his two-month throwing slump. Gibbs is operating with a skeleton crew of an offensive line, which has prevented him from using the four-wideout sets that were effective last season. This has allowed teams to cover the Posse more effectively, which forced Rypien yesterday to dump off at least a dozen passes to running backs Earnest Byner and Ricky Ervins and H-back Terry Orr. This made Orr and Byner, in that order, Washington's most valuable offensive players against Seattle. It won't be the same next week. Kansas City can dominate a football game with its big-back ground attack and Derrick Thomas, its own high-impact outside linebacker. The Redskins got away with a below-average performance yesterday because Seattle is simply incapable of moving the football. Even then, Washington struggled more than the scoreboard says. Again, the Redskins failed to convert two early short-yardage situations and didn't capitalize on the field position provided by Marshall's turnovers. AJ Johnson dropped an easy interception. Kelly Goodburn boomed a 10-yard punt. Chip Lohmiller is the best dome kicker on the planet, which is nice if you spend most of your time in a roofed stadium. The Redskins do not. Yesterday's lackluster performance only places more emphasis on next week's journey to Kansas City. Dallas hosts the Los Angeles Rams, a no-contest that surely will make the Cowboys 9-1. Philadelphia travels to Milwaukee, where they surely will handle the inept Green Bay Packers and move to 7-3. Washington heads to Kansas City for a game that could go a long way toward determining a playoff berth. If you're Gibbs, you're looking past yesterday's 16-3 count against a bad team for some answers. ****BOX REDSKINS GRADES QUARTERBACK (C-) Rypien's first half was comparable to week-old dog food. The stats got fat in the final 30 minutes, mostly on runs after catches. A poor early pass to Monk, open downfield, cost the Redskins seven points. Rypien threw a stinky interception on his next try. RUNNING BACKS (B) Everything Byner got was on his own, and he gathered lots of receiving yardage for an excellent day. Ervins stays in his season-long funk, but where's the blocking? Maybe it's time to send Robert Green in there. The kid can run. WIDE RECEIVERS (D) Not all their fault - Seattle refused to give up the big play. These guys are dependent on Rypien and the offensive line, but Posse production was particularly puny - seven catches, 77 yards. Orr outgained the trio by himself. TIGHT ENDS (A) Floundering down the river without a paddle, Washington found an Orr for help. He caught three passes for 82 yards, each meaningful, and was yesterday's offensive MVP. OFFENSIVE LINE (D) The Redskins are one sprained ankle from disaster here. Elewonibi had trouble containing the weak side before he got hurt. Run-blocking was clogged all afternoon. Seattle's defense looked fatigued late, and Rypien spent much of the day running from trouble. DEFENSIVE LINE (B) Pressure was mimimal from this crew, but who's to care against Stan Gelbaugh? The Seahawks did nothing on the ground, but they did nothing, period, and haven't against anybody this season. LINEBACKERS (A) Is Marshall a bad man, or what? That tip/interception was awesome. That sack/forced fumble was great. Too bad the offense can't capitalize. Filling in, Barker and Brantley were fine, at least this week. SECONDARY (B) Edwards appeared to play very well at safety - you just don't want a team like Seattle getting lucky on deep balls. Mayhew didn't account for much, a show of respect by Seattle. AJ Johnson dropped an easy interception in the end zone. Can't have those, AJ. SPECIAL TEAMS (B) Lohmiller just loves those domes. Should he talk to Mr. Cooke about a roof on RFK? Goodburn doesn't appear capable of punting anywhere. That 10-yarder wasn't a bad Joe Theismann impersonation. This article is copyright 1992 The Washington Times. 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