WP:One Play's Performance Almost Meant Curtains

[TK]

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A24128-2003Nov10.html

One Play's Performance Almost Meant Curtains

By Nunyo Demasio

Washington Post Staff Writer

Tuesday, November 11, 2003; Page D01

Steve Spurrier always reacts with glee when opposing coaches punt on fourth and one. In the go-for-broke philosophy that shapes Spurrier's Fun 'n' Gun, teams will almost always convert a fourth-and-one, gaining new life in the pursuit of a score.

But Spurrier's characteristic ****iness had dimmed as the Washington Redskins suffered four straight losses, the longest skid of his career.

Sunday, against the Seattle Seahawks, the Redskins faced fourth and inches at their 25-yard line with the score tied at 20. The expected call would have been for Spurrier to play it safe, punt and hope to get another chance. But several Redskins encouraged their coach to go for it, and Spurrier took the gamble. Running back Rock Cartwright got the first down, the Redskins capped the drive with a touchdown -- and the losing streak ended with a 27-20 victory.

"I felt like at that point we need to stay on the field," Spurrier said nonchalantly yesterday.

Spurrier's decision to buck convention was so instinctive, he didn't feel that his season -- or NFL tenure -- hung in the balance. But the Redskins knew what was at stake if that play -- which even Seahawks Coach Mike Holmgren called "gutsy" -- failed.

"Basically the game is over," said defensive end Regan Upshaw, "and the season is over."

Instead, the Redskins (4-5) regained some self-assurance with their first victory since Sept. 28. And Spurrier's roll of the dice -- on top of his decision to turn over the bulk of the play-calling chores to offensive coordinator Hue Jackson -- may have marked a defining moment in his short Redskins tenure.

"It's not like we didn't respect him before," kick returner Chad Morton said. "But I respect him so much for that, and I think everybody else does too. He benched himself.

"That's really big for him. I'm sure he has a lot of ego just because he's been so successful in college. And then for him to call those two plays says so much about him."

Spurrier followed up the "gutsy" call with a trick play on third and five from Seattle's 10-yard line. Wide receiver Rod Gardner received a lateral from quarterback Patrick Ramsey and floated a 10-yard pass to Trung Canidate with about two minutes left for the final score. Spurrier had told Gardner several times this season to prepare for the chicanery, but the wideout never believed Spurrier would use it in such a pressurized situation. (Gardner -- a star quarterback at Raines High in Jacksonville -- turned down Spurrier's scholarship offer for Florida in 1995, opting for Clemson.)

Virtually all the offensive schemes in Sunday's game were created by Spurrier. But Redskins players were impressed that Spurrier submerged his infamous ego to allow Jackson to call almost every play.

"It felt weird for a while," admitted Spurrier, who said it was the first time in his 20-year career that he allowed another person to call plays. He intends to maintain the set-up Sunday when Washington goes on the road to face the Carolina Panthers (7-2).

No Redskins player had publicly criticized Spurrier, but during the losing streak there had been a few subtle jabs regarding his ability to adapt from college. Spurrier has resisted changing his approach, wrestled with his offensive identity and groused about being "NFL-ized," and had taken a pounding from the media as a result. That increased his players' admiration of his gumption in making the two risky calls.

"I've always had confidence in Spurrier," guard Randy Thomas said. "But he really showed what he's made of this week. He's a different type of coach. He's laid back but at the same time he demands a lot from his coaches and players."

Few players can grasp the significance of Sunday's victory like the four former New York Jets who joined the Redskins during the offseason.

Last year, the Jets started 1-3 and 2-5 before eventually winning the AFC East with a 9-7 record. They reached the second round of the playoffs, losing 30-10 to the eventual AFC champion Oakland Raiders.

In their 70-year history, the Redskins have not made the playoffs after being under .500 at this point in the season. But Washington has the same record as the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and New York Giants, both of whom are still considered playoff teams after initially being viewed as Super Bowl contenders.

Former Jets Morton and Thomas see the parallels and potential because of New York's dreary start, which also spurred heavy media criticism. New York's low point occurred with a 28-3 loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars, which dropped the Jets to 1-3.

Morton and Thomas remember Coach Herman Edwards calling a few fourth-and-one plays as the club won four straight to turn the season around. But fourth and inches so deep in Jets territory?

"Never," Thomas said, smiling. "Never."

© 2003 The Washington Post Company