Gus Frerotte, right, replaced Trent Green in the third quarter Sunday and is expected to start against Minnesota next week. (John McDonnell - The Post)

By Mark Maske
Washington Post Staff Writer
Monday, October 12, 1998; Page C6

PHILADELPHIA, Oct. 11 – Coach Norv Turner said he plans to reinstate Gus Frerotte as the Washington Redskins' starting quarterback for next Sunday's game at Minnesota.

"I would think Gus would start," Turner said after today's 17-12 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles.

Turner made no secret last week of his intention to replace Trent Green with Frerotte today if Green struggled. Turner made the move after Green failed to get the Redskins moving on their first two possessions of the second half. By then they trailed, 10-3.

Green threw an interception on the Redskins' first second-half possession when wide receiver Leslie Shepherd was knocked down by Eagles linebacker James Willis, but the officials didn't make a call. With Shepherd on the ground, Green's throw was intercepted by safety Brian Dawkins.

Green threw three incompletions on the Redskins' second third-quarter possession to cap a day in which he completed 12 of 21 passes for 115 yards. His fumble set up Philadelphia's first touchdown.

"Did I think that I did anything in the game to deserve to be yanked? No," said Green, who has an 0-5 record as the Redskins' starter.

"We just weren't getting things done. [Turner] came to me and told me that he wanted to make a change to give us a spark. It's always frustrating. You always want to be a starter."

Frerotte completed 7 of 16 passes for 73 yards in his first appearance since being replaced by Green in the third quarter of the Redskins' season-opening loss to the New York Giants on Sept. 6.

"I felt good," Frerotte said. "It was like returning home after not being there for a while."

He acknowledged that he's reinheriting the job under trying circumstances.

"It's going to be hard," Frerotte said. "You have to look at yourself: 'I'm an individual. I'm a man, and I'm going to do what I get paid for.' . . . I don't feel good about our situation. But there's only one way to get out of it, and that's to go out and win. It's very difficult to be in this situation because no one expected it."

Hicks Suits Up, but Is Idle
Rookie running back Skip Hicks was on the Redskins' active list for the first time this season, but didn't get into the game. Terry Allen ran for 87 yards on 20 carries, but fumbled for the fourth time this season.

Allen said that he won't sulk if the Redskins' coaches decide to cut into his playing time to get a look at Hicks.

"That's something I can't control," Allen said.

"I'm a coachable player. If that happens, I'll coach him just like I coached Stephen [Davis] last year when I was hurt." . . .

The Redskins defense limited the Eagles to 198 yards, including 115 rushing yards. Philadelphia averaged only 3.6 yards per rushing attempt against a Redskins defense that was ranked 29th in the league against the run entering the game.

"The defense played well," running back and kick returner Brian Mitchell said. "The offense, we made turnovers and mistakes."

But linebacker Marvcus Patton pointed to the Eagles' 15-play, 75-yard drive that produced a fourth-quarter touchdown, and said: "We didn't play as well as we could have played. We can't sit here and say we played well." . . . Davis started at fullback for the injured Larry Bowie. Leomont Evans started at strong safety. . . .

Mitchell had a productive day on punt returns, with 70 yards on four returns – including a 28-yarder.