Washingtonpost.com: Redskins Postgame Quotes



	Statistics From The Post Game story Michael Wilbon: There is much to talk about after a loss like this one. The Redskins believed the officials fumbled a key call late in the fourth quarter. Norv Turner appealed to the Redskins sense of pride at halftime. Notebook: Sunday's loss was costly in the injury department. For Arizona, Sunday was just another wild ride this season. On Our Site Online Only: The Redskins rallied behind Trent Green. Resources on the Arizona Cardinals are available in Sports Across America. NFL Week 12 Report

Redskins Postgame Quotes

Compiled by Gene Wang
Washingtonpost.com Correspondent
Web Posted: Sunday, November 22, 1998; 7:45 p.m. EST

Norv Turner | Trent Green | Stanley Richard | Ken Harvey
Norv Turner
General comments:
The only thing I said to the team at halftime was the you have to compete, you have to go play, whatever it takes we have to fight our butts off to see if we can get back in the game. They did that. I am proud of the way they competed, stayed in it and fought. You can't do what we did in the first half and play that way. You can't spot a team and expect to have a chance. We did have a chance, but we just dug ourselves too big of a hole.

On goal-line controversy:
A: The explanation I got was that basically . . . back when you were 8 years old and you used to play in the backyard and you're playing with your buddies, you have five on each side, and you are not sure what it was, you called it a do-over. You know, you play it again . . . and that is what [the call] was. They couldn't make a decision if the ball crossed the plane, or if it was a fumble, so they made no decision. They said it was down wherever they put it down. They may as well have made it third down. You would just like to see them make a call. Hey, we are all out there-players, coaches and officials. There are some tough calls and tough decisions, but you have to make them.

On Michael Westbrook and Leslie Shepherd:
A: You get in that type of game, and in the second half we protected the quarterback. When we protect the quarterback, we get guys that can get open. They got open, we threw it to them, and they caught it.

On the first half:
A: You can sit, and that is what I will do for the next couple of days, and figure out what happened. I thought we had a great week of practice. You play well over a period of two or three weeks. You prepare well, and you play well. We played this team two weeks ago, and we played this same game. I don't think anyone who was in that game would take who they were getting ready to play against lightly. This is a team we had a great game with, a real fight the first time. The first time they get the ball, we were very physical, and they were three and out. You look at that and say, 'Hey, we are ready to have a hell of a game.' We fumble the punt. You obviously can't do that. And then we couldn't protect the quarterback early.

Trent Green
On difference between halves:
A: First half, our first couple series stand out in my mind. We had things going. We had a couple calls for penalties that didn't help us out any. When we did get down in field goal range, we had one tipped and one long one that would have been a good kick on [Cary Blanchard's] part, but came up a little short. I don't know how to explain it. It is just two completely different football games.

On frustration:
A: Well, two losses to Arizona, one by three points and one at the end of regulation. It's frustrating because coming off the bye week, we approached this thing as a completely different season. We wanted to put the whole 0-7 thing behind us and come out with a fresh start. We've done that. It is frustrating. Whatever we have to do as a team to win those, we have to.

On next season:
A: I am not going to think about, worry or discuss next year. I am just going to go out, prepare the same way and do whatever I can to put this team in a position to win. There were some great calls today. Coach did a great job of play-calling and getting it down the field. By mixing it up the way we did, it took some of the pressure of the offensive line. In terms of how this is going to help me next year, how this helps me, I am just concerned with winning games this year, with this team, and we'll worry about all that next year.

Stanley Richard
General comments:
They just got on a roll. We couldn't produce anything on offense, and defensively we could not stop them. They came out, took us out of our game and created a lot of big plays for themselves.

On close losses against the Cardinals:
A: They have shown a pattern in the past, and it has worked well for them. You have to give them credit, and you have to respect what they have done over the past four years. It's frustrating, but they have a formula.

On the goal-line play:
A: The ball pops loose, it's on the ground, and Derek [Smith] recovers it. It was such a big pile, and the referees couldn't see it happen. And no one was able to stand up and make the call.

Ken Harvey
On his injury:
A: I am going to get it looked at Monday. It's probably something simple. You are bound to get some bumps and bruises during the season, and this is normally something I consider a bump or bruise.

On the comeback:
A:Years from now, it's still a loss. But I think the good thing is that the team did not give up, and you saw a lot of heart our there. Unfortunately, we ended up losing.

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