Redskins wide receiver Michael Westbrook, right, will be sidelined for the rest of the season after getting injured when San Diego's Charles Dimry, left, tackled him on this play. (AP)

By Liz Clarke
Washington Post Staff Writer
Monday, December 7, 1998; Page D1

With less than three minutes to play and only pride at stake, the Washington Redskins engineered a fourth-quarter comeback against the San Diego Chargers by playing with the passion and resolve that their season's early efforts lacked.

With a 20-yard touchdown pass to Leslie Shepherd just after the two-minute warning, the Redskins overcame the NFL's No. 1-ranked defense to claim a 24-20 victory yesterday before 65,713 at Jack Kent Cooke Stadium.

The outcome was as unlikely as the 75- degree December day, particularly after top wide receiver Michael Westbrook left the game after jamming his neck on his second catch, punter Matt Turk was hobbled by a torn calf muscle and backup wide receiver James Thrash played with a fractured clavicle.

San Diego won the battle of ball control, holding it 38 minutes 31 seconds to the Redskins' 21:29. But Washington came up with big plays when it counted – including a 101-yard kickoff return by Brian Mitchell for a touchdown, for Washington's 14-6 second-quarter lead. It was the second-longest return for a touchdown in team history.

The Redskins also benefited from a bit of serendipity, as San Diego's John Carney, the NFL's second-most accurate field goal kicker, missed a 20-yard attempt wide left in the fourth quarter.

The Redskins (4-9) have won four of their last six games, while the Chargers (5-8) lost their second straight. Yesterday's victory also marked just the fifth time in Coach Norv Turner's tenure that a Redskins team has come back from a fourth-quarter deficit.

"I mean, this was exciting," said quarterback Trent Green, who threw for 235 yards with a pair of touchdowns and one interception. "This was what we had anticipated at the beginning of the year – playing together as a team, having everybody work together. This is definitely a lot more fun than the way things started. You're seeing a lot more emotion; you're seeing guys flying around the field. It's carrying throughout the team."

San Diego's defense proved as formidable as billed, holding Washington to 66 yards rushing. Terry Allen, making his return at running back after spraining his ankle in Week 8, carried nine times for 28 yards.

Aside from a stretch in the third quarter in which they managed just two first downs, the Redskins compensated with their passing game. Green asked for better pass protection and generally got it.

"I really think Trent has become an outstanding leader," said left tackle Joe Patton. "He laid the law down and told us what he needed: He needed time to throw."

After taking a 17-14 halftime lead, the depleted Redskins defense made critical stands, holding San Diego to a field goal in the fourth quarter despite the absence of injured starters Dana Stubblefield, Ken Harvey and Jesse Campbell. In addition, starting right end Kelvin Kinney was suspended for skipping Saturday's practice. The backups took over: defensive end Jamal Duff had seven tackles and two sacks, and safety Leomont Evans sealed the victory with an interception with 53 seconds remaining.

On offense, Thrash, filled in for Westbrook and caught the first touchdown pass of his career, a 25-yarder, for a 7-3 lead.

"Our guys rose to the occasion," Turner said, "and kept rising to the occasion."

The Redskins opened with the kind of misdirection play Turner hoped would rattle San Diego's defense, and the reverse to Shepherd gained 25 yards to set a big-play tone. Washington couldn't convert, though, and San Diego took a 3-0 lead on its opening drive, thanks to Carney's 32-yard field goal.

Chargers cornerback Charles Dimry drove Westbrook's helmet hard into the turf on the next series, and the receiver lay motionless for several minutes before trainers helped him off the field. Nine plays later, Green hit a wide-open Thrash in the end zone.

Carney's second field goal made it 7-6, and his kickoff sailed one yard deep into the end zone, where Mitchell grabbed it and took off up the right sideline, with Thrash blocking ahead of him for the touchdown.

San Diego answered when running back Terrell Fletcher tossed a 23-yard touchdown pass to tight end Freddie Jones. A two-point conversion on a pass from quarterback Craig Whelihan to Jones, tied the game at 14.

Back-to-back fumbles followed. Green was sacked for a loss of seven on the San Diego 48 and lost the ball. The Chargers recovered, but Duff sacked quarterback Craig Whelihan on the next play as Redskins defensive tackle Dan Wilkinson recovered.

Thrash broke his clavicle trying to catch his second touchdown pass, but kicker Cary Blanchard salvaged the drive with a 35-yarder for a 17-14 halftime lead.

In the second half, Thrash tried warming up and couldn't raise his arm. But with Westbrook out and Albert Connell inactive, Turner had no choice but to leave Thrash in as a decoy receiver, leaving Shepherd and Thomas as the only healthy wideouts.

Without injured running back Natrone Means, the Chargers' offense wasn't exactly potent, either. Fletcher carried 34 times for 122 yards, which ate up the clock. The Redskins had the ball for 4:30 in the third period, and Carney's third field goal, a 41-yarder, tied the game at 17.

With Turk injured, Blanchard took over punting duties. Although his 29-yard effort started San Diego's drive at Washington's 34, the Chargers got nothing on their second possession of the quarter.

Starting a drive in Redskins territory, Green tried to go deep to Shepherd, but safety Greg Jackson intercepted. The Chargers got into field goal range, but Carney, whose career accuracy rate is 81.1 percent, missed wide left.

The Redskins were forced to punt after three plays, and a 39-yard gain put San Diego in scoring position again at Washington's 15. Carney hit from 25 yards this time to give San Diego a 20-17 lead with 4½ minutes left.

With less than three minutes left, Mitchell ripped off a 19-yard punt return that set up the Redskins at the San Diego 44. Confusion over coverage schemes forced the Redskins to take their final timeout, but with a pitch to Mitchell and a completion to Thomas, they drove to San Diego's 20 with 1:59 left.

Green smiled to himself as San Diego's defense lined up just as he'd hoped for the next play. "The corner was looking in," Green said, "and the outside receiver did a hook pattern." Meanwhile, Shepherd tore down the right sideline and caught the pass in the end zone to put the Redskins ahead.

"It all developed the way it was written up," Green said of the game-winning touchdown. "You enjoy it when things like that happen."

The Chargers' final drive went to the Washington 36, but backup linebacker Shawn Barber made a tackle for a loss and Evans, the backup safety, snagged an interception.