By Mark Maske
Washington Post Staff Writer
Monday, October 5, 1998; Page C10

The competitive portion of the Washington Redskins' season might have ended with yesterday's 31-10 defeat to the Dallas Cowboys at Jack Kent Cooke Stadium. No NFL team has rallied from an 0-5 start to reach the playoffs. Even last week, people at Redskin Park conceded that a loss to the Cowboys almost certainly would squash the team's postseason hopes, and the rest of the season would be about carving up the blame and the job security of Coach Norv Turner and General Manager Charley Casserly.

But if Turner is going to be dismissed, it probably will be later rather than sooner. The Redskins have 11 games remaining and Turner faces the enormous task of trying to keep his players from giving up on him.

"The one thing you have to do, no matter what's going on, is you have to continue to compete," Turner said following yesterday's loss, then added of his players: "They're professionals. They'll do that."

The Redskins are 0-5 for the first time since 1981, which was Joe Gibbs's first season as coach. This is Turner's fifth season, and he said before it began that he didn't disagree with those who maintained that this year would be a failure unless the Redskins reached the playoffs.

Redskins President John Kent Cooke repeatedly has said he supports Turner and reiterated it last week. But when Cooke was asked under what circumstances he might reconsider and reevaluate Turner's status, Cooke declined to discuss specifics and said he wouldn't attempt to predict the future.

The Redskins players know their coach's job is on the line – and they know they're the reason.

"Until we go out and perform and do the things we're capable of doing, we can't complain and talk about coaching changes and that sort of thing," wide receiver Leslie Shepherd said.

Said defensive tackle Dana Stubblefield: "It's not just Norv. ... I think all of our jobs are on the line."

Turner did not hesitate last week to call this a must-win game. But yesterday he would not offer a concession speech.

"Next week is even more of a must-win, isn't it?" Turner said.

Some changes are on the way. Turner said he might reinstate Gus Frerotte as the Redskins starting quarterback this week. But mostly, it's about pride and long-shot playoff dreams for the Redskins.

"We've got to find a way to win a football game," Turner said. "We're going to do everything we can to find those answers, to play better. ... I think you have to put faith in your veteran players. Your players that are true professionals, they're going to give direction to everyone else on your team. As a coaching staff, we've just got to coach that much harder."

Darrell Green is one of the veterans on whom Turner will lean. The 38-year-old cornerback is one of the few Redskins playing well, and he did his best to remain upbeat in the gloomy locker room. But Green conceded that this is the lowest point in his 16 seasons with the team.

"Each week is an individual week," Green said. "But then when you look at the accumulation of five weeks, failing five weeks at winning, I think that would [be] equal to the worst situation I've been in as a Redskin.

"I try to maintain it on a week-to-week basis, see where I am as an individual, where we are as a team and where we are in terms of reaching our goals. When you start calculating numbers, you start to run out of days and weeks and games. When you put the five together, it's tough. But ultimately, to be a pro football player, you have to have sort of a bad memory and be a guy who can focus on one day, one play, one game at a time."

Green said he doesn't believe the Redskins should change their approach in what began as a playoffs-or-bust season.

"At this point, 11-5 will get you in the playoffs," Green said. "Just in looking at numbers, I don't see any reason for us to adjust it. ... We do still have our goals. If you did change that, I think that would be the worst thing you could do. That would show a lack of commitment, a lack of character. If you do hear anyone do that, please let me know. ...

"There are a lot of questions. There's only one answer. That's winning."