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| | | | | | | | Tuesday, November 14, 2000
Cards' historic return helps bury Redskins
Associated Press
TEMPE -- In 10 seasons with the Arizona Cardinals,
Aeneas Williams has excelled while the team failed -- again and
again.
On Sunday, with a 103-yard return of Stephen Davis'
fumble in the first quarter, followed by a crucial interception,
the six-time Pro Bowl performer set the tone for the Cardinals'
stunning 16-15 upset of the Washington Redskins.
|  | | Aeneas Williams' fumble return was changed to a record-tying 104 yards on Monday. |
The second-longest fumble-return in NFL history will rank among
Williams' most coveted moments as a player.
"It ranks even higher when you can do it against a very good
team, Williams said. "It wasn't for nothing. We won the game and
it makes it that much more enjoyable."
When the game ended, Williams celebrated with a double flip on
the sideline.
"I have been around only two other people like Aeneas Williams
in my life -- Mike Singletary and Walter Payton," Cardinals interim
coach and longtime Chicago assistant Dave McGinnis said. "He's got
it all, both on the field and in the way he lives his life."
The Redskins dominated the game on the ground and through the
air -- but they managed just one touchdown in Jeff George's first
start at quarterback for Washington.
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TOM DONAHOE'S BREAKDOWN |
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Question on the Redskins: Does Jeff George's performance erase any
QB-controversy talk?
Donahoe: Jeff George's
spotty performance today will probably ease some of the
quarterback-controversy talk in Washington, but as long as he's there, the
controversy will not go away, because he appears to be the owner's
preference. It's difficult anytime you're forced to change quarterbacks in
this league, even if your backup is Jeff George. Jeff is not in good playing
condition in terms of getting enough quality reps in practice -- he missed a
day of practice last week, which probably hurt his performance somewhat
today.
Question on the Cardinals: How much will the Cardinals' big win help
in Tuesday's stadium vote?
Donahoe: The Cardinals' win today probably means more for team morale
and attitude than it does for Tuesday's stadium vote. One victory won't
likely sway the opinions of that many people. What has been impressive about
the Cardinals' two wins under Dave McGinnis is how much harder they have
played. The Cardinals are playing aggressively and with emotion, and it paid
off today with a big win.
Tom Donahoe, ESPN.com's NFL analyst, was formerly the Steelers' director
of football operations.
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"You've got to make touchdowns," George said. "You can't
expect to be a Super Bowl-caliber team if you kick field goals
every doggone time. They beat us. They made plays whenever they had
to. Who cares how many yards we got in total offense? You score,
what, 15 points? Come on. That's ridiculous."
MarTay Jenkins took the second-half kickoff 72 yards to set up
Michael Pittman's 7-yard run for Arizona's other touchdown.
The difference turned out to be Washington's botched conversion
kick early in the second quarter.
"You can't make the kind of errors we made and expect to win,"
Washington coach Norv Turner said. "There were a lot of key plays,
and all we had to do was make one of them."
Washington (6-4), coming off a 27-21 home loss to Tennessee on
Monday night, had a 27-11 advantage in first downs and led 331-178
in total yards, but Arizona's defense tightened when it counted
most.
"I could care less how many yards they had," McGinnis said.
"We had more points."
The fiery McGinnis earned his first victory in his second game
as interim head coach.
"He has us believing we can win again," Williams said.
The upset came two days before Maricopa County voters decide on
a measure to build Arizona a new stadium.
"The guys asked me, `Did you think about downing the ball?"'
Williams said of his long fumble return. "No way. I looked at them
and said, `Man, didn't you know there's an election on Tuesday?"'
The only longer fumble return was 104 yards by Jack Tatum of
Oakland against Green Bay on Sept. 24, 1972.
Kris Heppner, the Redskins' third kicker this season, made field
goals of 35, 28 and 29 yards, but his 33-yarder that would have
given Washington the lead with 5:10 remaining was wide. Heppner
also missed a 51-yarder earlier in the fourth quarter.
"You expect to make every kick. I missed two today," Heppner
said. "I made three, but it's still the fact that I missed two.
You've got to forget about them. Hopefully, I'll still be around
here."
Davis rushed for 124 yards in 30 carries and scored for
Washington.
George, starting because Brad Johnson is out with a sore knee,
completed 20 of 39 passes for 276 yards but was intercepted twice,
once by Williams to set up Cary Blanchard's 30-yard field goal that
put Arizona up 10-0 with 7:28 left in the first quarter.
The Cardinals (3-6) survived two turnovers by Jake Plummer. He
fumbled the snap at the Washington 9-yard line early in the second
quarter, and the Redskins' Dana Stubblefield recovered.
Washington then went 91 yards in 10 plays, with Davis bulling
over from the 1. But on the conversion try, Joe Zelenka's snap
skidded to holder Tommy Barnhardt, who couldn't catch it and had to
fall on the ball, leaving Arizona ahead 10-9.
In the fourth quarter, Plummer threw 42 yards to David Boston to
the Redskins 17. But two plays later, Plummer's pass was picked off
by Deion Sanders.
Only Plummer's tackle at the Washington 47 saved a touchdown.
Moments later, Heppner missed the 33-yarder.
Jabari Issa's sack of George on third-and-goal at the 2 forced
Washington to settle for Heppner's 29-yard field goal that cut the
lead to 16-15 with 4:43 left in the third quarter.
Game notes
Davis hurt his right wrist late in the third quarter and
went to the locker room, but X-rays were negative and he returned
to the game. ... Plummer, Rob Moore and McGinnis went door-to-door
in Tempe on Saturday to campaign for the stadium measure. ...
Intended receiver Frank Sanders said he was held by a defender on
Deion Sanders' interception. ... A poll published by The Arizona
Republic on Saturday showed the stadium measure favored 53 percent
to 38 percent.
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