Redskin Junior Varsity Shines in 10-3 Win Over Philadelphia

For Jeff Bostic, the unwinding would be slow, emotions coming before the tape.

“I looked around the huddle one time,” he said, “and there were eight people who hadn’t started at the start of the year. And that’s just on offense. That doesn’t count (Neal) Olkewicz and (Darrell) Green.”

Pretty good show by the Redskins’ Junior Varsity in a 10-3 victory over Philadelphia. The backups proved to be stand-up guys after all here Sunday, holding together (and the Eagles when they had to) during one of the most beautifully boring games most will ever experience.

The only numbers that really matter are 42 and 37:10. The first is how many times the Redskins ran the ball; the second is how well they did it, gaudy time of possession gained largely by some blockers even Redskins-mad Washingtonians couldn’t name two weeks ago.

“We ran our basic stuff, 40 and 50 gut, and for six and seven yards a pop,” said Bostic, some sarcasm starting to creep into his voice. “Supposedly, this is a team you don’t run against. And surely not with a patchwork line.”

Bostic’s math was shaky. Those pops he and the unfamiliar Hogs helped produce were more like 75 inches than six or seven yards. But that made the victory even more satisfying, because the Redskins’ defense and quarterback Doug Williams also were routinely popping the Eagles.

Anyone recall a time when the prime runner (Jamie Morris) averaging 2.3 yards on 38 carries was cause for at least mild celebration? Redskins Coach Joe Gibbs dictated the slow, slower, slowest pace -- and the Eagles could do little about it.

The superior team is supposed to lead each of these NFL dances -- and for a couple of very good reasons (injured receivers Mike Quick and Keith Jackson) Eagles Coach Buddy Ryan chose to be as plodding as the Redskins.

Randall Cunningham, who threw five touchdown passes in the Eagles’ comeback victory over the Redskins earlier in the season, was erratic and the victim of several drops this time. Also, he seemed less feisty after a belt from Monte Coleman on the Eagles’ second series from scrimmage.

For the second straight week, an important Redskin fell to serious injury. Players need not be medical scholars to root out vital information in a hurry, as Bostic did when Joe Jacoby dropped by on crutches to retrieve some gear.

In ligament lingo no one ever wants to utter, Bostic looked at his buddy and said: “Cruciate?”

Jacoby nodded.

“Medial?”

Jacoby nodded again.

Double misery.

“When (Ray) Brown came in (after Jacoby was hurt on the Redskins’ third play),” Bostic said, “it meant we were using a line that hadn’t worked together more than a few snaps all week. Maybe 10 at most.”

Generally, it takes considerable time to develop an offensive line. Enormous bodies move quickly in restricted amounts of space; communication between blockers must be quick and accurate -- and in the few seconds from when the center puts his hands on the ball until he hikes it.

“I was a little skeptical when he (Jacoby) went out,” Bostic admitted. “But we continued to be successful with what we were running.”

The statistics do not totally reflect it, but Williams was much sharper than in his debut a week earlier. This game, Williams missed no wide-open receivers at critical moments.

Such as (left to right) Ed Simmons, Raleigh McKenzie, Bostic, Mark Schlereth and Brown and tight end Mike Tice usually gave Williams decent protection and Morris enough free space to squeeze upfield.

The signature drive came early in the fourth quarter. Washington got the ball with 12:37 left in the game and did not surrender it until almost eight minutes later.

Four times on first and second down the Eagles absolutely knew Morris would carry the ball. Gibbs was telegraphing the Redskins’ punches, yet Morris always pushed ahead. On three of those four third downs, Williams completed short passes far enough to keep going.

The longer the restructured line played the better it got. Brown and Schlereth moving left on one of those counter plays did not collide head-on with Simmons and McKenzie driving right, as some skeptics imagined.

It helped immensely that Dexter Manley had three sacks, that Alvin Walton had seven tackles and that Kurt Gouveia didn’t drop that dumb pass Cunningham threw his way during a nice Philly drive early in the second half.

Inexperienced Anthony Johnson (for Green) and Martin Mayhew (for the benched Brian Davis) went mostly unnoticed by the fans, which for cornerbacks is fine. The Redskins appreciated their quiet good work, giving each a game ball.

“We gave ‘em to the new guys,” said guard Russ Grimm, adding that Schlereth and Brown also walked out with game balls in their bags.

Nearby, Bostic said: “We were pulling the rope pretty tight before (Jacoby) went down; we didn’t have any rope at all to pull after that.”

He paused.

“An amazing victory.”