By Leonard Shapiro
Washington Post Staff Writer
Monday, October 20, 1997; Page D9

As usual, veteran running back Brian Mitchell played with a fiery fury and passion yesterday against the Baltimore Ravens. And when the Washington Redskins walked off the field after losing to what he believes was an inferior opponent, he went to the locker room and had himself a good cry. He also had a message for his struggling teammates.

"We have got to have guys fight play after play after play," Mitchell said. "We can't just expect to walk over anyone. ... We can't have false starts, all those incomplete passes, all the mistakes. I don't give a hell who we're playing, you've got to play football. When you step on the field, you've got

John McDonnell/The Washington Post

to have an attitude. You can't be timid. I thought we should have beaten them easily."

But Mitchell (pictured) and the rest of the Redskins must surely know that nothing will come easy any more, not after falling to 4-4 by losing three of their past four games, all to teams with losing records. They also know that unless they can reverse this midseason swoon, matters will only get worse.

Mitchell did his part. He set up one touchdown with a 61-yard kickoff return, and scored one on a six-yard reception. And he kept his team's final drive flickering alive with a gritty fourth down, 13-yard pick-up on a dump-off pass from Gus Frerotte.

On the very next play, he also was the target for the quarterback's final throw of the day, another short pass that bounced off the Ravens' Bennie Thompson and into the hands of linebacker Ray Lewis for an interception with 30 seconds left. Mitchell said he saw Frerotte scrambling for time and tried to get free. "I slid inside, he threw it outside," Mitchell said. "What else can you say?"

But Mitchell had plenty to say afterward, mostly that it was time for his teammates to replace words with positive deeds and action on the field.

"I'm tired of telling people they should do this thing or that thing," he said. "If you need someone to lead, watch me. ... Motivating is on you. If you need a coach to motivate you, you shouldn't be on the field. Norv Turner does everything Joe Gibbs did. I don't feel like cutting somebody is [the solution], threatening someone's job.

"You don't see or hear [Turner] in our meetings. He hasn't thrown a chair yet, but he can rant and rave. I fear for my job. That's the way I play. ... My words won't do anything. I'll be like Art Monk. I'll play the game the way it's supposed to be played. I'll lead by example. Everyone should be embarrassed."

Many players were. Henry Ellard, the usually sure-handed receiver, dropped two critical passes, both eminently catchable. He blamed no one but himself. "It was just taking my eye off the ball," he said. "I guess every dog has his day. I guess mine was today."

Still, no one blamed Turner's decision to kick a field goal on fourth and two at the Ravens 7 with 6 minutes 40 seconds left, a call that cut the lead to three points and left the Redskins three behind. The Redskins had been ready to run a play and go for the first down until the Ravens called a hasty timeout. Turner said "we talked it over and felt we would get at least another shot or two at [a touchdown], and we did."

"I thought that was the right call because it makes it easier to tie," Mitchell said. "That's his [Turner's] decision, and I agree with it."

Mitchell also said he was in total agreement with teammate Leslie Shepherd's assessment in the locker room.

"Shep said instead of having it become a battle where you always have to win in the last round, it's time to start takin' 'em out in the first round. I'm not saying I'm not gonna say something [to the team this week]. But I'm not gonna call any special meeting. If you can't get it going yourself, no one else can do it for you."