Point of discussion

Spurrier on running up the score: 'That's the way we play'

Steve Spurrier says the Skins will be excited for their regular-season game against the 49ers. AP

CARLISLE, Pa. (AP) -- It took only one NFL exhibition game for Steve Spurrier to get quizzed about running up the score.

The Redskins never quit throwing in the 38-7 victory against the San Francisco 49ers in the American Bowl, including a fourth-and-1 post pattern to the end zone for a 31-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter.

On Monday, San Francisco head coach Steve Mariucci was diplomatic when asked about the blowout, but he was clearly not happy with what he called "a different sort of a preseason game."

"I know the Redskins wanted to start off with a bang and come away feeling good and getting the organization and the players and the fans excited," Mariucci said. "By playing their [first-string] guys a bit longer, they tried to accomplish that. The teams had two different goals in mind, I think."

Asked to respond Tuesday, Spurrier laughed long before answering.

"That's the way we play," Spurrier said. "We play everybody. They had eight, nine guys around the line of scrimmage on that fourth-and-1, so we couldn't run for it. They're too tough up front, so we had to try to throw for it.

"But that's OK. If he feels that way, that's OK."

Spurrier pointed out that many of the big plays were made by players who didn't start the game, such as Danny Wuerffel. He also noted that Mariucci didn't directly accuse him of running up the score.

"I don't think he said that," Spurrier said. "I think he said something about his backups against our starters. I guess Chris Doering and Darnerien McCants and Danny, they're our starters."

Most of the Redskins premier starters -- including Stephen Davis and the entire first-team defense -- did not play after the first quarter. The starting offensive line did return briefly in the second half when Wuerffel entered the game, giving a give him fair shot in the team's three-way quarterback competition.

While Spurrier was exposing his playbook, Mariucci ran a bland offense and used the game primarily to evaluate fringe players trying to make the roster. That's the way most coaches would handle an exhibition opener, and Spurrier said he understood that.

"Supposedly, we had a lot to prove against the Niners, and they didn't have much to go for, so that was the reason we got them pretty good," Spurrier said.

The punch line is that the two teams meet in San Francisco in the third week of the regular season. But the revenge factor is nothing new to Spurrier, who so often was accused of piling on the points at the University of Florida.

"I'm sure they'll be excited when we play them again," Spurrier said. "And we'll be excited, too."

 

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