Quick Kicks

Turner blows a gasket

The Washington Redskins’ frustration and disgust with a winless season finally spilled over in full force for everyone to see during - and especially after - a 41-7 loss to the Minnesota Vikings Sunday at the Metrodome.

Coach Norv Turner basically called some of his players quitters during tirades at halftime and following the game. His face was red with anger during a postgame news conference in which he said the Redskins’ offense is “totally inept” and vowed that changes are on the way.

“That’s as poor a performance as I can say I’ve ever been involved with,” said Turner.

He praised several veteran players by name, and said the defense “has a chance” to be “decent.”

Of the offense, Turner’s area of responsibility when he was an assistant coach, he said: “We can’t snap two plays together in a row and not jump offsides. When we do get the ball snapped properly and a guy’s open, we can’t get him the ball. When we get him the ball, he doesn’t catch it. We’ve got guys going the wrong way. We’re just not capable of performing offensively right now.”

Tears were in veteran cornerback Darrell Green’s eyes as he sat on the sideline during the third quarter, contemplating just how low the Redskins have sunk during his 16th season with the team.

“Some guys think riding in nice cars is what the NFL is all about,” running back and kick returner Brian Mitchell said.

Colts angry over officiating

There were no smiles in the Indianapolis locker room Sunday afternoon after a loss to San Francisco at 3Com Park.

This was a game the Colts believed they should have and would have won had the officials been a little kinder to them in the second quarter. Indianapolis led 21-0. But by the time the teams trotted off the field at halftime, the lead had diminished to 21-17.

Three crucial calls in the first half aided the 49ers’ 34-31 victory.

“It was a horrible, horrible job,” Colts coach Jim Mora said of the officials. “I don’t think we lost the game because of the officiating, but I guarantee that it contributed.”

Two very questionable holding calls took away Colts interceptions and both times the 49ers scored touchdowns. The third call came when Young connected with J.J. Stokes in the back corner of the end zone. Stokes held on to the ball but got only one foot inbounds.

First, the officials ruled it an incomplete pass. But after a brief meeting, they determined that Stokes would have scored had he not been shoved out.

“I don’t know what the rules are now - I really don’t,” Mora said. “They’re giving everything they can to the offense. And I think they’re really making it tough to play pass defense in this league.”

Rice ties Monk’s record

Jerry Rice grabbed a share of another receiving record Sunday.

Rice caught a 10-yard pass from Steve Young during the 49ers’ opening series against the Colts. It was his 183rd straight game with at least one reception.

That tied Art Monk’s NFL record set from 1983-1995 while with Washington, the New York Jets and Philadelphia.

The last word …

“He’s a big-time player who made big-time plays. His heart’s a lot bigger than his size.”- Bills star DE Bruce Smith on diminutive QB Doug Flutie.