Dan Wilkinson had an interception Sunday for a defense that played with an intensity that was lacking for much of the season. (John McDonnell - The Post)

By Mark Maske
Washington Post Staff Writer
Monday, November 16, 1998; Page D1

The Washington Redskins thought there would be many days like this in 1998, days when they not only would win but win comfortably and have time to sit back and savor their accomplishments. They were oh so wrong about that.

But they still allowed themselves to crack a few smiles yesterday as they interrupted their season of disappointment and misery with their most complete performance of the year and beat the Philadelphia Eagles, 28-3, in front of 67,704 at Jack Kent Cooke Stadium.

The Redskins (2-8) won for the second time in three weeks and rebounded from a deflating, last-second loss at Arizona in their previous game. The Eagles (2-8) did their part with some stumbles and bumbles. But the Redskins certainly aren't in a position to be picky about victories, and they weren't about to shift the focus from their big day because of the Eagles' mistakes.

"That's the way it should be," left guard Tre Johnson said. "You look at our team, and we felt this is the way it should have been from the jump. The defense played their butts off, and we got some big plays on offense and special teams."

Johnson, playing on a sore knee, was part of an offensive line that allowed quarterback Trent Green to be harassed at times but opened enough holes for rookie running back Skip Hicks to rush for 94 yards and three touchdowns. Brian Mitchell, sharing the running load with Hicks in the absence of Terry Allen, added 54 yards on only five carries, and Green provided a 56-yard third-period touchdown pass to wide receiver Albert Connell to put the Redskins ahead 21-3.

The defense dominated, limiting the Eagles to a second-quarter field goal by Chris Boniol. Philadelphia managed only 215 yards of offense. The Redskins began the day with only two interceptions this season but had three yesterday – one of them by defensive tackle Dan Wilkinson on a tipped ball to set up a first-period touchdown and two of them by cornerback Cris Dishman, who has begun to right himself after struggling mightily early in the year. The Redskins' five sacks included linebacker Ken Harvey's first two of the season.

"This was a team victory," Harvey said. "It wasn't just offense, defense or special teams. This was an example of what we can do when we play well in all areas."

Said Coach Norv Turner: "It's nice to play well. It's nice to be physical and aggressive. You don't turn the ball over. You get ahead, and that's when you're able to turn it loose and rush the passer."

The Redskins' performance was less than perfect. Green completed only 14 of 33 throws for a modest 169 yards and fumbled twice, recovering one but losing one to set up the Eagles' field goal. Left tackle Brad Badger had trouble containing Eagles right end Hugh Douglas. Green was sacked four times and was forced to scramble on other occasions. Place kicker Cary Blanchard pulled a 32-yard field goal try wide left.

But the Philadelphia offense is far from fearsome, and the Redskins had little trouble containing it. The Eagles managed only 105 rushing yards on 29 carries, and quarterback Bobby Hoying was shaky before being yanked in the fourth quarter in favor of Koy Detmer. Hoying completed 16 of 34 passes for 118 yards, and both of his interceptions led to Redskins touchdowns.

"We couldn't make any type of plays to get the ball in the end zone," Hoying said. "It's the most frustrated I've ever been in my life. . . . As a team, I don't think we have a lot of confidence."

The Redskins' day began with Green connecting with wide receiver Michael Westbrook, who returned to the starting lineup after being benched for two games for disciplinary reasons, for eight yards on the first play from scrimmage. The Redskins' opening drive ended with Green being sacked after Turner opted to try for a first down on fourth and four from the Philadelphia 38-yard line. But the Eagles returned the favor on their opening possession, with running back Duce Staley being stopped for no gain on fourth and two from the Redskins 36.

The Redskins' second drive also stalled in Eagles territory, and Matt Turk punted into the end zone for a touchback. The Eagles tried to set up a screen pass on their first play. But Redskins defensive end Kelvin Kinney tipped Hoying's toss into the air, and Wilkinson made the interception. Hoying managed to chop down the burly defensive lineman at the 10, but the Redskins offense was in the end zone three plays later. Hicks went around the left end for nine yards on first down. Green threw incomplete for fullback Stephen Davis on second down, but Hicks burrowed into the end zone for a 7-0 lead with 1 minute 53 seconds remaining in the first quarter.

Green gave the Eagles a chance to get even midway through the second quarter, when his fumble was recovered on the Redskins 8. It set up Boniol's 19-yard field goal to cut the Redskins' lead to 7-3 4:42 before the intermission.

The Redskins increased their advantage to 14-3 at the break, going 66 yards in a little more than a minute after Hoying's run came up short on a fourth-and-two keeper from the Washington 35. Mitchell sandwiched runs of 13 and 16 yards around a near interception by Green. The Redskins got 21 yards when Eagles cornerback Bobby Taylor was called for interfering with Westbrook. Mitchell's seven-yard run put the ball at the Philadelphia 9. Green hit wide receiver Leslie Shepherd for eight yards to the 1. Davis dropped a would-be touchdown pass, but Hicks flopped into the end zone.

The outcome was all but sealed on the Redskins' second possession of the third quarter. On third and 10 from the Washington 44, the Eagles blitzed and Green stumbled as he dropped back to pass. His foot slipped again as he threw, but he managed to get the ball to a wide-open Connell at the Eagles 26. The wide receiver – who was held without a catch against the Cardinals in his second consecutive start in place of Westbrook – got a good block from Westbrook, weaved his way to the sideline and got into the end zone to up the lead to 21-3.

The Redskins lost veteran cornerback Darrell Green to a bruised knee, but Dishman got the job done after Turk pinned the Eagles at their 2 early in the fourth quarter. Hoying had a pair of passes dropped, then attempted to get the ball to wide receiver Russell Copeland on a third-down slant pattern. Safety Stanley Richard made a jarring hit and the ball popped into the air to Dishman at the 12. Dishman made the grab and returned the ball to the 1.

"The main thing we stressed all week is to try to get turnovers," Dishman said. "Once we got going, they came in bunches."

Hicks lost four yards on first down, but got into the end zone from five yards on the next play to become the first Redskins runner to have a three-touchdown day since Allen on Dec. 22, 1996, against the Dallas Cowboys. Hicks had runs of 28 and 24 yards yesterday and has five touchdowns in 2½ games since taking over for Allen, who has a sprained ankle.

"Skip will be a great running back," Johnson said. "He's a good running back now. If we do our job, Skip will get it done."

Said Turner: "When you quit turning the ball over, then you have a chance in every game you're in. Then you start running the ball a little bit and play run defense. . . . The players have competed."

The Redskins, after losing their first seven games of the season, have emerged from their bye week to sandwich triumphs over the New York Giants and Eagles around a 29-27 loss to the Cardinals on Joe Nedney's 47-yard field goal with two seconds to play.

"Everyone thought we were going to give up," Harvey said. "It's good to know you're still in there, and you're going to fight to the end."

Said Mitchell: "It's too late to play as well as we wanted to play. But we have six games left, and we can go out and win them all. We have to show some pride. Individually, there's a lot guys can salvage. I feel every time you step out on the field, it's your resume, and I want to put good things on it.

"Having that bye week gave guys a chance to do a self-check. We came back and played a lot better. The last three weeks, this team is playing like I thought we should play."