Gus Frerotte

Seven quarterbacks in five years - from Doug to Cary to Rich to the multimillionaire Heath - have stood behind center for the Washington Redskins when they've faced Philadelphia. So what can the Eagles expect from their division rivals this Sunday? "They should be tough, especially now that they have that quarterback, ahh, what's his name, Gus?" offered Eagles defensive end William Fuller. Yeah. Gus. As in Gus Frerotte. On Sunday afternoon in the cozy confines of RFK Stadium, the rookie out of Tulsa will become the eighth Redskins quarterback to face the Eagles since 1989.

Their records are identical and, win or lose, both have found the 1995 NFL season a struggle from one game to the next. But when the Redskins and Eagles renew their rivalry this afternoon at Veterans Stadium, one difference between the teams could be painfully obvious - big plays. Plays that cover 25 yards or more have been produced 25 times by the Redskins' offense, defense and special teams, whose offensive mind-set and emphasis on kick returns make the long-distance strike something more than a happy accident.

Four months ago, Gus Frerotte was such an afterthought with the Washington Redskins that his name was misspelled in the media guide. He is listed among the 1994 draftees as "Grerotte. " When you are a seventh-round pick, the 197th player chosen overall (the media guide had that wrong, too, saying he was the 1997th pick), it is easy to get lost in the shuffle. But Frerotte (pronounced Fur-OTT) now is the talk of the nation's capital after his sparkling debut last Sunday, a 41-27 win over Indianapolis in which he passed for 226 yards and two touchdowns.

Six players were fined a total of $40,000 yesterday for their roles in the sideline scuffle that marred the end of the Vikings-Packers game Sunday night. Packers defensive tackle Cletidus Hunt was not fined, despite running across the field to join the fray before the final play was over. The Packers' Antuan Edwards, Mike McKenzie and Nate Wayne and the Vikings' Hunter Goodwin, Jim Kleinsasser and Chris Walsh were fined. All said they would appeal, except for Walsh and Wayne, who refused to comment.

Until now, James Parrish's most glaring distinction was being cut by virtually every good NFL team. The Miami Dolphins cut the former Temple star. The San Diego Chargers cut him. The San Francisco 49ers let him go - twice. The Dallas Cowboys, refusing to be outdone by the 49ers, cut him, too. And even the Indianapolis Colts released him. Then the Pittsburgh Steelers signed the offensive tackle, and so far, they've kept him. Now he probably will replace the injured John Jackson at left tackle Sunday against Minnesota.

On the eve of free agency, NFL commissioner Paul Tagliabue last night stepped into a power struggle involving the Washington Redskins and declared president John Kent Cooke in charge of the team. Tagliabue's move came after trustees of the estate of Cooke's late father demanded final authority for any and all dealings, leaving general manager Charley Casserly and coach Norv Turner powerless and the team in danger of losing several key free agents. "Commissioner Tagliabue today confirmed that current Redskin management retains full authority to direct the operation of the team, including player and coach employment, until the sale of the Redskins is approved by NFL clubs," read a statement from the league.

Michael Irvin, who had considered retirement, ended such speculation by reporting to the Dallas Cowboys training camp at St. Edward's University in Austin, Texas. Irvin, suspended five games last year by the NFL because of drug possession, recently said, "I have lost my love for the game. " However, after attending a morning hearing on another legal matter, Irvin came to Austin yesterday, said owner Jerry Jones, and will be ready for today's morning's first practice. "I talked to Mike and he is really excited to get on the field and get on with it," Jones said.

Heath Shuler wants to make a couple of things perfectly clear. First, he's not a crybaby and, second, the preseason competition with Gus Frerotte that cost him the Washington Redskins starting quarterback job was not "rigged. " Published reports last week quoted Shuler as saying "the decision [to go with Frerotte] was made a long time ago. The decision who was the quarterback was not made in the preseason . . . " That's not so, Shuler said. "There were four reporters around when we were talking," said Shuler, who has not played this season.

The Eagles aren't exactly a tricky team, even if they did run a reverse yesterday on offense. Their offense is going to be run-oriented until you can stop it, although they will vary what they do out of different formations. Their defense almost never blitzes, and doesn't even move players around that much. You know what's coming. You still have to stop it. "It's no secret that at times we've struggled stopping the run," Washington coach Norv Turner said, on a day when the Eagles had 272 running yards and 524 total yards in a 37-34 overtime victory.

The estate of the late Jack Kent Cooke formally opened bidding yesterday for the sale of the Washington Redskins. Cooke's son, John Kent Cooke, the team president, wants to buy the Redskins but lacks the personal wealth to do so. The will of the elder Cooke, who died in April 1997, left his son $10 million and directed that the bulk of his estate, estimated at more than $800 million, be sold to fund a foundation that would provide scholarships for...

The text message came across Tarvaris Jackson's phone just after news of his demotion broke. Stay confident. Keep working. It happens. You'll get another shot. Make sure you're ready. The sender? Donovan McNabb. Jackson followed McNabb's instructions and today, after enduring a 10 1/2-game benching, will start the first playoff game of his three-year career against a 10-year veteran with a 7-5 postseason record. Is it a coincidence? Not likely. While McNabb has had his own tumultuous season, including a benching during the second half of the Eagles' loss at Baltimore, this season has been a particularly trying one for the 25-year-old Jackson.

Tarvaris Jackson fulfilled the Minnesota Vikings' preseason goal, leading the team into the postseason as NFC North champions. How the third-year quarterback reached this point was bumpier than anyone could have expected: being benched after an 0-2 start; enduring the health care of his infant son, Tarvaris; then capitalizing on veteran Gus Frerotte's back injury by rallying the Vikings to a victory in Detroit, then winning two of his final three...

ADRIAN PETERSON isn't invincible. He fumbled the ball nine times this season, five times in December, so, apparently, he isn't perfect. He aggravated a left ankle sprain, so, apparently, he is not bionic. He failed to crack the 100-yard rushing mark six times this season. The Vikings lost three of those games - so, he isn't unstoppable. Still, the Eagles realize what Peterson is: "One of the best, if not the best running back in the National Football League," coach Andy Reid said.

Tarvaris Jackson has reclaimed his starting spot at quarterback for the Minnesota Vikings. The team announced the move yesterday, and coach Brad Childress said the decision has nothing to do with the health of Gus Frerotte and everything to do with the way Jackson has played the last 2 weeks. "I thought it gives our team the best chance right now," Childress said. "It takes nothing away from Gus. It's more a product of what Tarvaris has done with the ball in his hand. " It's been quite a turnaround for Jackson, who was benched after losses to Green Bay and Indianapolis to start the season yet now finds himself leading the Vikings (9-5)

HOME TEAMS IN CAPITAL LETTERS COWBOYS (-17) over Bengals (CBS3) Last week, we played against Dallas in this spot, and the Redskins bumped the best mark to 4-0, and we're now looking at one for the thumb. Don't let the big, fat 17-point spread scare you away: Cincinnati is in town. And the Cowboys have more than enough offense to handle the Bengals and the spread. The 'Boys are averaging 30 points per game, while Cincy is scoring 13 points per. And that was with Carson Palmer. Even if he plays, Palmer ain't anywhere close to 100 percent and will be running for his life all day. If he doesn't, it's Ryan Fitzpatrick at the controls, and that's dreadful.

That the Minnesota Vikings will take a 5-0 record into their showdown with the Denver Broncos on Sunday can be attributed to several factors, but two stand above all the others. One is Gus Frerotte, the Vikings' highly efficient backup quarterback. The other is the astonishing U-turn the team has taken on the NFL turnover chart. Frerotte, 32, a 10-year-veteran, was pressed into duty Sept. 21 at Detroit. He took over the offense in the second quarter shortly after Daunte Culpepper, the Vikings' 260-pound starting quarterback, suffered three broken bones in his lower back.

Six players were fined a total of $40,000 yesterday for their roles in the sideline scuffle that marred the end of the Vikings-Packers game Sunday night. Packers defensive tackle Cletidus Hunt was not fined, despite running across the field to join the fray before the final play was over. The Packers' Antuan Edwards, Mike McKenzie and Nate Wayne and the Vikings' Hunter Goodwin, Jim Kleinsasser and Chris Walsh were fined. All said they would appeal, except for Walsh and Wayne, who refused to comment.

The Baltimore Ravens signed Terry Allen, a veteran running back, to a one-year contract yesterday, continuing their search for a replacement for Jamal Lewis, their injured starter. The team did not disclose financial terms. ESPN said Allen, 33, agreed to a pact worth the league minimum of $477,000. Allen was one of five veterans who worked out for the team on Friday, along with Mario Bates, Robert Chancey, Greg Hill and Chris Warren. The Ravens are looking for an experienced running back to replace Lewis, who probably will miss the season after tearing the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee at Wednesday's practice.

As is usually the case, history will be among the opponents facing the Detroit Lions when they open the NFL playoffs today against the Washington Redskins. The Lions, 42 seasons removed from their last league championship, limped into the postseason with an 8-8 record and four consecutive losses. No team with a .500 record has ever won an NFL playoff game. Adding to the daunting challenge is the fact that the Lions have never won a road game against Washington, compiling an 0-19 record, including playoff games.

On the eve of free agency, NFL commissioner Paul Tagliabue last night stepped into a power struggle involving the Washington Redskins and declared president John Kent Cooke in charge of the team. Tagliabue's move came after trustees of the estate of Cooke's late father demanded final authority for any and all dealings, leaving general manager Charley Casserly and coach Norv Turner powerless and the team in danger of losing several key free agents. "Commissioner Tagliabue today confirmed that current Redskin management retains full authority to direct the operation of the team, including player and coach employment, until the sale of the Redskins is approved by NFL clubs," read a statement from the league.