By Mark Maske and Liz Clarke
Washington Post Staff Writers
Monday, November 2, 1998; Page D8

A draining weekend for Washington Redskins cornerback Darrell Green came to a satisfying end yesterday. His son was released from the hospital, and the Redskins got their first win of the season.

Green's youngest son, Jared, was hospitalized Friday with pneumonia. Green spent all night with his son at the hospital, and telephoned trainer Bubba Tyer at 7 a.m. Saturday to tell him about the situation.

Green was told to stay with his son, but was at Redskin Park at 10 so he wouldn't be late for a 10:30 meeting.

Green found out yesterday morning his son was being discharged, then gave his usual steady performance in the Redskins' 21-14 victory over the New York Giants at Jack Kent Cooke Stadium.

"You couldn't ask for anything better than that," Green said. "It was tough Friday night. If the game was Saturday, I couldn't have played."

Strahan Sidelined

The Redskins haven't gotten many breaks this season, but they got a major one yesterday. Giants defensive end Michael Strahan was too much for Redskins right tackle Shar Pourdanesh in the teams' first meeting of the season. Strahan had two of the Giants' eight sacks and returned an interception for a touchdown in New York's 31-24 win on Sept. 6. But Strahan missed most of yesterday's game because of a sore back.

"I'm not going to complain," Pourdanesh said. . . .

The Redskins placed rookie tight end Stephen Alexander on their inactive list yesterday. Alexander hurt his shoulder making a diving catch in practice on Friday, but team officials said they don't believe the injury is anything more serious than a strain. . . .

Rookie running back Skip Hicks got his first extended playing time of the season after Terry Allen sprained an ankle. Hicks rushed for 65 yards on 15 carries, and provided a four-yard touchdown run. Coach Norv Turner said it may have been the start of something big.

"Young players, they've got to thrive on opportunities," Turner said. "When you get an opportunity and do something good, like Skip Hicks, usually you get a bunch more opportunities."

Hicks, who scored his first career touchdown, kept the ball he scored with and planned to send it home today to his family in Texas. "I know my parents are happy at home," he said.

Brown's First Start

Marc Boutte's sprained ankle kept him from playing yesterday, and as a result, first-year defensive tackle Doug Brown got his first NFL start, filling in for Dana Stubblefield, who will undergo arthroscopic surgery on his left knee today in Vail, Colo.

Brown played for nearly all of the game – except for some passing downs. Brown, a member of the Buffalo Bills' practice squad last season, said he was surprised the Giants didn't attack his side of the line more than they did.

Turner said he thought Brown played "pretty well." Brown gave himself a grade of "solid, at best" and said he thought he could build on the performance if given the chance.

"I just appreciate the opportunity from coaches," said Brown, 24. "I was going to say, 'They showed a lot of faith in me,' but they didn't really have much choice. Hopefully I can keep improving."