Running back Brian Mitchell scored this second-quarter touchdown after his 100-yard touchdown return on the opening kickoff was called back. (Reuters)

By Mark Maske
Washington Post Staff Writer
Monday, November 9, 1998; Page C9

TEMPE, Ariz., Nov. 8 – The Washington Redskins had plenty of events to ponder after their 29-27 loss to the Arizona Cardinals today at Sun Devil Stadium. Perhaps the most exasperating was what happened on the opening kickoff, when Patrise Alexander tried to make a block that Brian Mitchell didn't need and was called for a penalty that negated a 100-yard touchdown run by Mitchell.

Alexander was 10 yards behind Mitchell when he tried to block J.J. McCleskey and was called for an illegal block from behind. It was the first play of the season for Alexander, who had been on the Redskins' physically-unable-to-perform list until this game.

"I was just so excited to be out there, and I couldn't believe he flagged me for it," Alexander said. "I was way behind the play."

Mitchell had what would have been the longest kickoff return of his career nullified, but he was quick to accept Alexander's apology on the sideline after the play.

"That was the opportunity I'd been waiting for," Mitchell said. "I thought it was a touchdown. But things happen on the field, and you can't get upset about it. Patrise came up to me and apologized and I told him, 'Don't worry about it.' There are other times where guys make the block for me and I don't hit the hole."

Hicks Starts Fast, but Fades
The Redskins placed running back Terry Allen on their inactive list for the game because of his sprained ankle, and rookie Skip Hicks provided 64 yards rushing on 15 carries in his first NFL start. Hicks, who ran for 65 yards after taking over for Allen in last week's win over the New York Giants, got his second touchdown in two weeks with a two-yard dive in the second quarter.

"I really didn't look at it like it was my first start," Hicks said. "I looked at it like it was a continuation of playing the second half last week, so I wasn't nervous."

But the Cardinals shut down Hicks after he ran for 57 yards in the first half. The Redskins offense couldn't manage a first down on its first three possessions of the second half. The Redskins had 88 yards of total offense after halftime, including two yards rushing.

"It was obviously a devastating third quarter offensively and defensively," quarterback Trent Green said. "We couldn't get anything generated. We didn't give the defense a break at all. We didn't move the ball. We didn't get first downs. We didn't play the field-position game like we did in the first half."

Blanchard's Best Is Outbooted
Joe Nedney's winning field goal for the Cardinals kept Redskins place kicker Cary Blanchard from being the game's kicking hero. Blanchard drilled a 54-yard field goal to give the Redskins a 27-26 lead with 37 seconds left, and the kick would have been good from even further.

"It's an awesome feeling when you come through when you're needed," Blanchard said. " . . . I hit it really good. It wasn't a problem that I didn't know if I could get it there. I was just trying to get it to go in the right direction." . . .

Green completed only three passes to wide receivers today, with James Thrash making two catches and Leslie Shepherd one. Coach Norv Turner elected not to play wide receiver Michael Westrook one week after placing Westbrook on the inactive list for missing a team meeting and practice-field walk-through. The Redskins' passing game also suffered from the virtual absence of rookie tight end Stephen Alexander, who played sparingly a week after being sidelined by an ailing shoulder.

Telling Numbers
The Cardinals' Adrian Murrell became the seventh running back to have a 100-yard game against the Redskins this season. . . . The Redskins' past six losses to the Cardinals, dating from 1994, have been by a total of 15 points. . . . The Redskins have been outscored by their opponents, 80-20, in the third quarter this season. . . .

Today's game was full of odd plays. Green completed a pass to himself in the first quarter, making an ill-advised catch for an eight-yard loss after his throw was batted back toward him by Arizona linebacker Tony McCombs. And Cardinals return man Eric Metcalf was tackled by a teammate in the second quarter.