Schottenheimer

SAN DIEGO -- Perhaps San Diego Chargers coach Marty Schottenheimer is simply cursed in the NFL playoffs. With victory within grasp in an AFC divisional playoff against New England, Schottenheimer's Chargers, the top seed in the conference, made enough mistakes to give life to nearly beaten New England and allow the Patriots to escape with a 24-21 win at Qualcomm Stadium yesterday. The Patriots, the No. 4 seed, advanced to the AFC championship against the No. 3 Colts in Indianapolis on Sunday.

CARLISLE, Pa. -- In the regular season, Washington Redskins coach Marty Schottenheimer would likely be disturbed to see Jeff George throw 60 passes in a game, because it would probably mean the Redskins were in deep trouble. But, considering where George has, or in this case, hasn't been, namely on the field during training camp, Schottenheimer was as happy as could be to see his incumbent starting quarterback throw that many times yesterday. George, who has been mostly inactive since the first days of camp with tendinitis in his throwing shoulder, got his first extended work of the preseason yesterday in controlled drills where he was not required to throw longer than about 25 yards.

ASHBURN, Va. - Displaying some of the world-class sprinter's speed that has marked his tenure, Washington Redskins cornerback Darrell Green yesterday ran through a pack of reporters, issuing a terse statement regarding reports of his decision to retire at season's end. Green, 41, rushed off the practice field at Redskin Park, pausing just long enough to say that he was caught off guard by reports that he is on the verge of announcing his retirement....

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- They hyped this Joe Montana-John Elway thing as if they were combatants in the late-night television wars or something. And, come to think of it, what with all the penalties and punts and such, maybe they were.It was well past midnight in the East before they put an end to this dismal, little exercise. Montana was OK. Elway was OK. The game was awful. The game was worse than awful. The Chiefs beat the Broncos, 15-7.Montana vs. Elway.Wasn't the last one terrible, too?Montana vs. Elway.

CARLISLE, Pa. - With the incumbent starter nursing an ailing shoulder and the inexperienced backup nicked and ineffective, the Washington Redskins seem to be awfully calm about their quarterback situation, just three days before their second exhibition. That doesn't mean that coach Marty Schottenheimer isn't doing something about the matter. In fact, he brought in Danny Kanell (formerly a quarterback for the New York Giants and Atlanta Falcons) for a morning workout yesterday to see what he can offer the Redskins, what with Jeff George on the shelf with tendinitis in his throwing shoulder and Todd Husak nursing a strained oblique muscle near his left rib cage.

CARLISLE, Pa. -- Just when it looked safe to declare the Sage Rosenfels era open in Washington, Redskins coach Marty Schottenheimer applied the brakes to the mounting coronation. Schottenheimer, who on Tuesday all but declared the rookie third-string quarterback the starter for tomorrow's preseason home opener against the Atlanta Falcons, opened the door yesterday for backup Todd Husak to start. After watching Husak, who missed Tuesday's practice with a strained rib muscle, take some throws in yesterday's practices, Schottenheimer said if the team's medical staff clears the second-year player from Stanford to play tomorrow, he likely will start ahead of Rosenfels.

ASHBURN, Va. - Likely Hall of Fame Washington Redskins cornerback Darrell Green, who hinted last week that his decision to retire after the season may have been influenced by the lack of respect new coach Marty Schottenheimer showed him in training camp, announced yesterday that he will "unretire" and play his 20th season in 2002. "After discussing it with my wife, Jewell, and our family [Sunday night], I decided it was premature to retire this year," Green, 41, said in a prepared statement.

ASHBURN, Va. - Perspectives are slightly off-kilter these days in the Washington Redskins' locker room. Far from the somber tones one might expect from a team that is 0-5, Redskins players such as defensive end Kenard Lang and fullback Donnell Bennett have been heard singing lively '70s tunes at the top of their lungs in an effort, no doubt, to shake off the blues. By contrast, offensive tackle Chris Samuels admitted that he "cried like a baby" in private after Monday's 9-7 loss to the Dallas Cowboys.

LANDOVER - The Washington Redskins are due to break training camp on Thursday to return here Friday to meet the Cleveland Browns. But before they leave Carlisle, Pa., for the year, their quarterback situation promises to get even more intriguing. What coach Marty Schottenheimer hopes for, however, is not necessarily intrigue or entertainment out of the position, but consistency and better play than he has gotten in the first two exhibition games, in which his quarterbacks have thrown for fewer than 250 yards combined, with four interceptions, one that was run back for a touchdown.

When the Green Bay Packers claimed wide receiver Andre Rison last Nov. 19, coach Mike Holmgren said he didn't want to hear why Rison had a habit of wearing out his welcome with teams in the past."