Skins Top Rams on 'Monday Night Football'
S T. L O U I S, Nov. 21 -- Daniel Snyder finally got what he paid for.
Jeff George, one of Washington owner Snyder’s high pricedoffseason acquisitions, threw three touchdown passes as theRedskins upset the St. Louis Rams 33-20 Monday night and putthemselves back in prime playoff position.
George, filling in for the injured Brad Johnson, had plenty ofhelp from a defense that sacked Trent Green five times and thespecial teams, which recovered an onside kick and a fumble. Thosetwo plays came during a stretch late in the third quarter and earlyin the fourth in which the Redskins got 12 points without the St.Louis offense getting the ball.
3 Sacks for Smith
Bruce Smith, the 16-year veteran who was another offseasonsignee, had three sacks, including one in the end zone with 3:44left.
And 44-year-old Eddie Murray, signed during Washington’s byeweek as the team’s fourth placekicker of the season, added fieldgoals of 37, 47, 41 and 39 yards as the Redskins (7-4) moved into atie with the New York Giants for second place in the NFC East, ahalf-game behind Philadelphia. The Eagles play at Washington nextSunday, while the Giants are at the Redskins in two weeks.
The key sequence came late in the third quarter, with the Rams(8-3) leading 20-19.
George, who had first-half TD passes of 19 yards to James Thrashand 3 yards to Larry Centers, hit Irving Fryar from 34 yards out togive the Redskins a 25-20 lead.
On the ensuing kickoff, Scott Bentley, like Murray a recentsignee, kicked the ball 10 yards and fell on it himself, setting upMurray’s 41-yard field goal that made it 28-20. On the nextkickoff, Sam Shade recovered Tony Horne’s fumble to set up Murray’s39-yard kick and it was 31-20.
Champ Bailey ended the next St. Louis threat by interceptingGreen’s pass in the end zone with 5:38 left, and Smith capped itoff with his sack of Green for a safety.
Early Lead Falls Apart
The Rams jumped out to a 10-0 lead in the first 5:25, but theRedskins bounced back to tie it at 13 at halftime with 10 points inthe final 1:50 of the second quarter.
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