The Los Angeles Times from Los Angeles, California • 447

that Steve Holden wasn't. And he was at his sensational best against the Browns, catching three touchdown passes in the first half of Cincinnati's win, Cleveland's defensive backfield has been built with high draft choices. But Curtis can tear it down. Notes The Bengals finished the exhibition season 4-2, while Browns went 2-4. What docs that mean? Not much.

In 1971, the Bengals were 5-0-1 in preseason and 4-10 in games that counted. In 1972, the Browns were 0-6 in practice games and qualified for the playoffs with a 10-4 mark Essex Johnson has missed the Bengals's last two games with a tender knee. If he's not ready, rookie Charlie Davis and second-year man Lenvile Elliott will split time at the Bengal speed backs Cincinnati has always won its home opener. The line: Cincinnati by three. CLEVELAND BROWNS NUMERICAL ROSTER Bengals have a front four that is tough and talented and rapidly maturing.

Mike Reid is an all-pro and Ron Carpenter probably should be. The Browns will have trouble keeping those two tackles away from quarterback Mike Phipps. Of course, getting through the line does not necessarily mean getting to Phipps. The baby-faced quarterback from Purdue must study an awful lot of old Fran Tarkenton movies. He scrambled for 395 yards last year slightly less than Steve Owens, but slightly more than Jim Kiick, Ken Willard or Ed Marinaro, Phipps' running puts an extra burden on the Bengal secondary, which is still adjusting to new comer Jim Leclair at middle linebacker.

Leclair replaces Bill Bergey, who turned left at the world football league and wound up with the Philadelphia Eagles. When the Bengals have the ball the best way to move against the Browns, Cincinnati has discovered, is to run around them. Defensive tackles Walter Johnson and Jerry Sherk are agile, mobile, and hostile. If j'ou get past them, you run into middle linebacker Bob Babich. Cleve-land's defensive ends, however, are another matter.

Cincinnati has juit the backs to turn the corners in veteran Essex Johnson and rookie Charlie Davis, If they must go inside, Bobbie Clark will be the mover. As a rookie, he moved for 988 yards. When quarterback Ken Anderson fades back to pass, he keeps one eye on the pass rush and the other on wide receiver Isaac Curtis. Last year, Curtis was the rookie dian import with a Thomas reputation, did little to distinguish himself this summer, tore thumb ligaments and was completely overshadowed by Kotar, picked up in July from Pittsburgh because the Steelers, in time of strike, had only one quarterback in camp and thr Giants four, including someone named Leo Ga-siencia, who became Steelcr. "You just never know what you're likely to find if you look hard enough," said Arnsparger, watching Kotar run for 154 yards and two touchdowns in Buffalo, Kotar'g fourth straight eye-popping performance.

What he would like to find against the Redskins is a pass rush, something hopefully to be provided by Jack Gregory at the expense of the left tackle: something provided by Gregory in 72 but not 73 something delayed by Gregory's summertime holdout and 10-day-lafe-checking-in-time. With trouble in the secondary, especially at right cornerback where youthful Eldridge Small has been trying to replace the veteran Willie Williams, Arnsparger would prefer that Kilmer not be allowed to unpack lunch waiting to pass not with Roy Jefferson and Charley Taylor waiting for the' sandwiches. By the same token, AUt-n would prefer that Norm Snead, the Giant quarterback, also be pressured enter Bill Brundigc and Verlon Biggs because ol' Norm has a history of rushitis, a deadly quarterback disease. But gues? what ol' Norm's been doing lately? Rolling out. It what you call preventive medicine.

Notes one of the thinj." irlease Torn Tp. 12. Of. i game isn't coming up with the big play like it used to." The previous week, in a 21-19 loss to powerful Pitt, No. 4 in the six exhibitions, ex-eagle Mark Mose-ly missed two extra points, marring an otherwise sensational summer as a replacement for the retired Curt Knight.

"We've still got a lot of improving to do," said Arnsparger following the Giants' 23-17 sudden-Jeath loss in Buffalo, also their fourth in six tuneups. But they have so many new looks that blinking can be disastrous, as disastrous as their 2-11-1 record of last year when Alex Webster was coach. The only holdover from the coaching staff (Joe Walton moving on to Washington) is Ray Wie-tccha, offensive line coach, a job made much more pleasant by the presence of John Nicks, No. 1 draft pick from Ohio State, and Tom Ullen, No. 2 pick from Southwest Missouri State.

It is with these two kids that the Giants are basing their comeback. It is with these two kids that Arnsparger dreams of his days as a Dolphin, days of Larry Little and Bob Kuechen-berg. It is with people like Ron Johnson, Leon McQuay, Doug Kotar, Joe Dawkins and Ed Jenkins that he hopes to emulate Larry Csonka, Mercury Morris and Jim Kiick. He knows, of course, that once past Johnson, it's like reaching for the moon. Over Miami, naturally.

Johnson, a proven all-pro, missed the entire pre-' season with a hamstring pull. He didn't even start practicing until early this week. But the Giants vow he'll be ready for the Redskins. McQuay, anothor Cana Washington is a need for experience, savvy and knowledge a need most recently satisfied with people like Jim Tyrer from Kansas City, 13 years an offensive tackle; Walt Sweeney, 12 years a San Diego guard, and defensive end Deacon Jones, a Ram all pro in the time, it seems, of Bob Waterfield. Of the four, however, only Sweeney figures to start against the Giants, He'll be at right guard with John Wilbur swinging to the left side next to Ray Schoenke, an old swing man filling in at tackle for Terry Harmeling, out for the year with a bustcd-up knee.

But whether it's Schoenke or Tyrer at tackle, that's not the big question, football-wise, in Washington. The big question is: will age catch up to the Redskins? Another big one is: Which way Duane Thomas? The veteran 73 defense is back intact with only middle linebacker, where Harold McLinton fights off Rusty Tillman, in doubt. Billy Kilmer, not quite as ancient as Sonny Jur-gensen, leads off at quarterback while Allen nurtures Joe Theismann, the old Heisman trophy winner imported from Canada. Who leads off as Larry Brown's running mate is another matter. Thomas, some day, was accepted back, after his altercation with assistant coach Charley Waller, simply to maintain his market value, especially in Kansas City.

Allen says he was taken back "for the good of the Redskins." For the good of the Redskins, there was Duane playing the second half of their final exhibition, looking aggressive, but not impressive. Looking anxious are Larry Smith, ex-Ram. and Moses Denson, last year's Canadian import, because Allen let a rookie named Jon Keyworth get to Denver. None of the three may make up for the loss of Charley Harra-way, Brown's running-blocking mate now running and blocking in the WFL. Ask Larry Brown.

''I'm glad the pre-season is over," said Allen following the concluding game, A 7-6 squeaker over supposedly-hapless Baltimore. "We just didn't play very well, we still can't run the football and our kicking 40 Pritciard, LB 41 White, 42 Lapham, 44 Shinners, 45 Phillips, t7 Bishop, DT 48 Kellar, DT 70 Carpenter, DT 71 Hayes, 72 Fest, 73 Matson, 74 Reid, DT 75 Walters, 76 Holland, 77 Maddox, DE 71 Thomas, DE 10 Johnfon, DE 11 Chandler, TE 12 Berry, LB 13 White, DE 14 Trumpy, TE 15 Curtis, WR 14 McDaniel.WR 17 Williams, WR 18 Coslet, TE 19 George, WR Washington vs. N.Y. Giants Sunday, Ch. 210:00 a.m.

George Allen leans forward in his chair, cups his hands, squints his eyes and wonders if the future is still now. In another chair many miles away, Bill Arnspar-ger leans back, stuffs his hands into the pockets of his giant blue bermudas, smiles and says: "Nope. It doesn't bother me when somebody else hires my people." It did bother George Allen when he lost assistants like Mike McCormack, Charley Winner and Boyd Dowler to other NFL teams and Marv Levy to Canada. Maybe that's why, when George takes his Washington Redskins into New Haven, Connecticut's Yale Bowl, to open the season against Arnsparger's Giants, there'll be a gleam of satisfaction In those squinty eyes because Maxie Baughan is with 'em, not against 'em. Maxie Baughan, 35 and retired two years as a linebacker, typifies the Allen philosophy of age before beauty.

Maxie Baughan, an old Allen associate from his Los Angeles days, is back with George as play-er-coach when in fact he started in the spring as defensive coordinator for Arnsparger. "Maxie called and asked if 1 had any objection to his going back to Washington," said Arnsparger, who last remembered Maxie packing it in due to the pressures of his marble ta blctop business. ''I told him I didn't, that his job here had been filled." Actually, Arnsparger filled it with a mere linebacker coach, Ed Rutlcdge. What Baughan in AOVttWNe SUmiMtNT TO It Muhlmsn, 17 Ernst, OB 18 Joiner, WR 19 Johnson, RB 20 Parrish, CB 22 Sawyer, 23 Jackson, CB 24 Stanbach, RB 25 Myers, WR 26 Davis, RB 24 Bryant, CB 29 Blackwood, 30 McClinon, 32 Herd, WR 34 Craig, 35 Clark, rb 34 Elliott, RB 37 Casanova, al Green, 43 Williams, RB 44 Dressier, RB 44 Wilson, RB 50 Deleone, 51 Avery, LB 52 Adams, LB 54 Johnson, 10 Gartner, 11 Gcoden, K-QB 12 Cockroft, 15 Phipps, OB It Cureton, QB 17 Stpe, OR 54 Romanisjyn, LB 57 Darrow, 5 Hall, LB tO Babich, LB tl Demarco.C 2 Morris, t4 Copeland, t5 Demarie, G-tt Seifert, DE t7 Hutchinson, 6 tV Adams, 70 Sampson, 72 Johnson, CT 73 Dieken, 74 Barisich, DT 75 Alridqe, DE 77 llqenfritr, DE 71 McKay.T 7 Sullivan, 10 Jones, DE 11 Roman, DE 2 Puestow, WR 13 Coldqell, WR 15 Smith, TE Wankowski.WR 17 Campbell, DE Holder), WR Torin.TE 10 Smyrl, TE 3 Combs, LB Fuje, Richardson, 20 Steinke, CB 21 Green, 22 Scott, tb 23 Brooks, CB 24 Jones, DB 25 Pitts, WB 26 Lefear, RB 27 Darden, CB Brown, 29 Sumner, 30 Brown, RB 31 Hunt, RB 34 Pruitt, RB 35 Scott, RB 37 McKinnis, R8 3 Pritchett, RB 40 Anderson, CB 41 Jackson, 42 Richardson, ViH 43 Hooker, WR 41 Sullivan, WR SO Darlington, LB 52 Andrews, LB 53 Long, LB 54 Beams, 55 Buchanan, DT CINCINNATI BENGALS NUMERICAL ROSTER 11 Clark, OB 55 Leclair, LB 13 Riley, CB 51 Kearney, L8 14 Anderson, OB 57 Jolitr, LB 15 Lewis, SI Beauchamp, L( CINCINNATI DEFENSE Pes. Wl, Nam L6 543 Royee Berry, LT 255 Mike Reid RT 241 RonCarpenter.

..12 ,,.74 ,..70 ,,,13 ,.,54 ,,.55 ,,.40 ,..20 ,..13 ,,34 ...37 RE 255 Sherman LLB 237 Al MLB 224 RLB 235 i i LC 115 RC 111 Ken S3 191 Neat ps jo? Tommy Casanova i CLEVELAND DEFENSE Pes. Wgt. Nam! N. LE 250 Joe Jones' LT 25 Walt ,7 1 RT 255 Jerry 72 RE 244 NickRoman, LLB 22S CharlieHall, ,59 MLB 231 eobBsbich 40 RLB 211 50 LC 110 Clarence Scott, 22 RC 190 SS 195 Walt Summer, ,,29 FS 195 ThcmDarder, .27 WASHINGTON OFFENSE Nam Wft. Pes.

42 Charlie Taylor 210 WR-LE 0 JohnWilbur 251 LT-LT 73 PaulLaaveg 250 LG RT 5 LenHauss 235 C-RE It Walt Sweeny 254 RG- LLB Walter Rock 255 RT-MLB 17 Jerry ,,,,,,,208 TE-RLB 17 Bill Kilmer 704 QR-LCB Roy 195 WR-RCB 43 Larry Brown .,.195 RB-LS 47 Duane Thomas ,,.,,,,..,,,215 PB RS NEW YORK OFFENSE N. Name, Wii. res. 27 BobGrlm. 200 WR-LE 52 John Hill 245 LT-LT 73 Tom Mullert ,541 LG-RT 7 Bob Hyland.

,,.255 C-RE 74 John Hicks RG-LLB CXiua Van RT-MLB 31 BobTucker. 230 TE-RLB 14 NormSnead iiniiumi.205 OB-LCB 15 WR-RCB 38 Ron Johnson ,101 25 twMtQway FS WASHINGTON DEFENSE 4jl, Nam 765 RonMcDole 270 Bill Brundige 255 DironTalbert 275 Verlan Biggs 245 Dave Robinson 230 Rusty Tillman 211 Chris Henberger 170 Pat Fischer 190 Mike Bass 178 KenHouston 41 140 Brig Owens NEW YORK DEFENSE Wt. Name 260 Ray Hilton If 2(0 Larry Jaccbon hki.iu,. 7'. 255 JohnMendenhatiainmuM 2 Jack Gregory 23S PatHughes KonHorrisby 235 Rick Dvorak 1IJ PeteAthas ISO Willie Williams.

in VS Clyde Powers VS C.r! LKrrurl CINCINNATI OFFENSE N. Name Wjt. 11 Charlie Joiner, Stan Walters ,,,,,,,,,,,.,,270 11 Howard Fest ,,,.,.,,..,.,,262 54 Bob Johnson 44 John 25i 14 BobTrumpy 14 Ken Anderson ,,,211 15 Isaac Curtis 7t Vernon Holland 2 BcbbleClark ,245 WR LT LG RG RT TE Q8 WR RT PB CLEVELAND OFFENSE WR LT LG RG RT TE OB WR R8 H. Name 41 Dave Sullivan, Wt. ......145 71 Doug Dieken 49 Pete Adams, i 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 ,254 imiitix tfil ,...24 250 ..234 41 Bob Demarco 45 John Demarie i inrisftAorna ttt 49 MlltMerln IS AAike Phipps, 205 Steve Holden 34 Gary Pruitt KenBrflwfl IIIIIUtllil'B 1 1 tt 1 1 1 .190 $ri f4 THC LOS ANClES TlMtS.