Turner’s Karma Kicks In

Warren Sapp presented the game ball to an emotional Norv Turner, who got to leave without a second thought to the whim of Redskin owner Dan Snyder.

The Oakland coach was victorious Sunday in his return to FedEx Field, leading his Raiders to a 16-13 victory over Washington.

It was the type of cliffhanger that never seemed to go Turner’s way when he was coach in the nation’s capital for seven years.

“We gave him the game ball, coming back to the team who ran him out,” defensive end Bobby Hamilton said. “He was very excited, very emotional. He dropped his head. He was excited because he got a win.”

Turner’s last game at the stadium was Dec. 3, 2000, when he was left waiting for hours while Snyder plotted a coaching change that was announced the next morning. Turner’s final loss was a 9-7 defeat to the New York Giants, which left him with a 10-20-1 record in games decided by three points or fewer.

Those nail-biters came to mind in the final minute, when the Raiders’ Derrick Burgess stripped Mark Brunell of the ball on fourth down after the Redskins (5-5) had moved the ball to Oakland’s 43-yard line.

“I coached in a lot of games here where if we could’ve got a sack on the last play like that before they had a chance to throw the ball, we would’ve won a lot more games,” said Turner, whose Raiders have lost three games in the final minute this season.

Sebastian Janikowski’s 19-yard field goal with 1:08 left was the difference. Kerry Collins’ 49-yard touchdown pass play to Jerry Porter was the game’s only touchdown on offense as the Raiders (4-6) rallied from a 13-3 halftime deficit.

Redskin Coach Joe Gibbs thought the pivotal call was when the officials ruled that LaMont Jordan was down before fumbling at the one on the Raiders’ game-winning drive.