European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - November 6, 1991, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Washington s defense exemplified Here by linebackers Andre Collins 55 and Kurt gov Erie a manhandling of Houston running Back Lorenzo White on sunday is a major Factor in the redskins unbeaten Start. Although Gibbs denies it,49ers lose Byoung indefinitely Santa Clara Calif. Apr Steve Young the of cd Stop rated passer is out indefinitely because of ligament damage to his left knee making former third Stringer Steve Bono the san Francisco 49ers�?T starting quarterback. Team physician or. Michael Dillingham said monday that Young sustained a a tear or a sprains of the medial collateral ligament when he was tackled at the end of a run in sundays 17-14 loss at Atlanta. Dillingham and coach George Seifert said Young would at least miss sundays game at new Orleans. Neither would say or could say when they expect Young to be Able to return. An electronic scan monday of Youngs injury a indicates there May be some other things going on in there but no obvious major other damage a said Dillingham who also raised the possibility of surgery on Young. A i expect this will have an Impact on this season and not on Nis future at All a Dillingham said. A a we re going to follow him through the week depending on How he does possibly arthroscope him at the end of the week. At that Point depending on what we find he May or May not need further  Dillingham refused to take questions from reporters despite earlier assurances from Seifert that he would. The two addressed a news conference separately. Young once part of the leagues Best quarterback tandem joins Joe Montana on the sidelines. A torn right Elbow Tendon that eventually required surgery has kept Montana out All season. A obviously those Are two outstanding players that we be lost a Seifert said. A at the same time there Are still a number of other very Good players on the club. We be just got to keep going on with business and try to win a game. A there arc Many ways to win football games. There arc a lot of teams that win games without having great quarterbacks. I think though that we have a very Good quarterback in Steve  he also is the Only Hall Jim quarterback on the 49ers�?T roster. Seifert without mentioning names said the team plans to audition several quarterback candidates on tuesday and will consider activating Rookie Bill Musgrave now a member of the practice squad. Bono s Only starts came during the three strike games in 1987 for the steel cars. Hell be tested in a hurry in his first Start in a no strike game. New Orleans 34 sacks leads the league. A a it la be Tough no question about it a Seifert said. A but he a paid to be a professional to do Well and to be Able to handle those  oilers Cut kicker Houston apr Ian Howfield a Brief career with the Houston oilers which took a turn for the worst in a loss to Washington came to a tearful end when the Rookie kicker was waived monday. Howfield missed a 33-Yard Field goal with one second left in regulation play sunday in the oilers 16-13 overtime loss to the redskins. A week earlier he missed three extra Points in a 35-3 Victory Over Cincinnati. Coach Jack Pardee gave Howfield the news when he arrived at the Oiler practice facility. Howfield then faced the Media choking Back his emotions. A a in a proud of the Way 1 played and i have to say thanks to the Houston organization for giving me the shot a he said. A a in be just got to go Back to the beginning again. A i had a Long Road to get Here and its going to be a Long Road to get Back but in a not going to give up. In be worked too  Pardee said he Felt a decision needed to be made quickly. A with thief extra Point problems he a had and alter the kick yesterday the Confidence Factor that he a going through plus the rest of the team i just thought we ought to make an Early move. 1 done to know who we re going to get in a Pardee said. Oilers general manager Mike Holovak said he was upset about allow Fields a predicament. A a he a a great boy and this is a hard thing to do. He a a great boy and 1 believe hell be Back in the nil a Holovak  chasing by Richard Keil Herndon a. Apr coach Joe Gibbs May not want to talk about it but the time has come to ask if he thinks his 9-0 Washington redskins can become the second undefeated team in nil history. A a that a not in my mindset a Gibbs said monday when asked whether his squad could duplicate the feat of the 1972 Miami dolphins. A a in a be surprised. A can you dream about things sure you can dream about things but no you just can to look at that and say its very  j its True Washington would have lost sunday to Houston if Lan Howfield Quot a Cut monday a Hadnot thanked a 33-Yard Field goal attempt at the end of regulation. The redskins also trailed Dallas and Cincinnati earlier this season but Breaks helped them win. But every Good team has a Houston game to build a great record it helps to be both Good and Lucky. And try As he might to downplay Washington a Success history indicates that Gibbs would be foolish not to Start doing More than dreaming about How far his team can go. The redskins Are the eighth nil team since 1970 to Start off at least 9-0, and three of them won the super bowl. Two others got there and lost while another made it to the conference championship game before falling. Only one the 1975 Minnesota Vikings lost in a divisional playoff. Naturally that was the example Gibbs Dweller on monday and he underscored the Point by worrying about the four turnovers the redskins had against the oilers. A chances Are if you turn the Ball Over that Many times nine times out of 10, you re going to lose a Gibbs said. A we got off the Hook there because they missed a Field  and the game saving break against Houston raises another question How Good is this 9-0 team Well Washington s nine victims have a collective 42-38 record. By contrast the 8-1 new Orleans saints have faced teams with a 38-43 Mark the 7-2 Chicago bears opponents Are 48-33, but that includes a game each against hapless Green Bay and Tampa Bay a a combined 315. A Washington a offence is ranked fourth in the nil its defense third. And in their remaining games the redskins will be at Frk for each opponent with a winning record. For 72 dolphins tuna Ely for them All four Road opponents a Pittsburgh the rams Phoenix and Philadelphia a have losing records. 1 collectively the teams Washington faces Between now and the end of the season Are 28-34. After taking on the 5-4 Falcons on sunday the redskins travel to Pittsburgh the following week to take on the 3-6 Steeles. The Steeles who lost sunday to Denver Are struggling As they make the transition from Bubby Brister to Neil of Donnell at quarterback. On nov. 24, the redskins Host the rapidly improving cowboys who at the moment Are in the Hunt for a wild card playoff spot. Given the development of Cowboy quarterback Troy Aikman this could be a Tough Challenge for Washington. But the redskins have already beaten Dallas this season coming from behind at Texas stadium in week 2. After playing the cowboys Washington travels to Anaheim for a contest against the 3-6 los Angeles rams. The following week the redskins Are in Phoenix to play the cardinals a team they be beaten five straight times. On dec. 15, Washington hosts the new York giants in a game that will be a must win for new York if the 44 defending super bowl champs Are to have any Hopes of gaining a wild card spot. Even though Washington beat new York last week it was the first time the redskins had Defeated the giants in seven tries. Washington closes out the season against the 3-5 Philadelphia eagles who saw their season go South on opening Day when quarterback Randall Cunningham went Down with a knee injury. Since then eagles quarterbacks might Well have qualified for the endangered species list Jim Mcmahon has missed several games with injuries and other backups like Jeff Kemp have also been Hurt. Besides the bragging rights that go with finishing the regular season undefeated there Are tangible benefits too. Although the redskins remain unbeaten they Are just one game ahead of the 8-1 saints in the race for the pfc Home Field advantage. The last place Gibbs wants to end up in mid january is the boisterous super dome or a frigid Soldier Field. A a in a not thinking about the wins in a Row. Want to win the division and we want Home Field advantage a Gibbs said. A if we do that then i think we be got a Strong Chance of winning two games and that a what it takes to get to the super