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Hail to the Redskins!
To me, the obsession with the Redskins began in roughly the 2nd quarter of Superbowl 22. Before that I had always liked the Redskins (as being a Washingtonian gave me that birthright), but as I watched the cocky Denver Broncos strut all over their sideline with an early ten-point lead, I couldn't help but get angry. The Redskins reeled off 5 touchdowns on five straight possesions in the quarter and the rest was history.
The Redskins returned to the Superbowl in 1992 with a thrilling win over the Buffalo Bills, however the history since then has been spotty. They've been to the playoffs only three times in the 14 years since. Each time, they've won their first game and lost the second. Despite that, they've moved from a 55,000 seat stadium to a 90,000+ seat stadium and have continued their home sellout streak dating back to 1968.
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The RFK faithful shower the field with seat cushions during a 1992 playoff game against the Falcons |
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Kurt Gouveia (#54) had three interceptions during the playoffs in the Redskins 1992 Super Bowl run |
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Here's a list of some of my favorite Redskins games ever:
- January 31, 1988 - Redskins 42, Broncos 10
The underdog Redskins overcome some early jitters in winning Joe Gibbs' second Super Bowl title. After giving up 10 early points to John Elway and the 'Three Amigos', the Redskins, led by QB Doug Williams, score a single-quarter-record 5 touchdowns in the second quarter and cruise to victory in Super Bowl XXII
- October 27, 1991 - Redskins 17, Giants 13
Down 13-0 at halftime, the Redskins regroup in the unfriendly confines of Giants Stadium and go on to beat the Giants, preserving their then-perfect season.
- January 26, 1992 - Redskins 37, Bills 24
WORLD CHAMPIONS! The Redskins trounce the hapless Bills and become 3-time Super Bowl Champions. Mark Rypien finishes of an incredible season with an awesome Super Bowl XXVI performance and the rest is history.
- October 12, 1992 - Redskins 34, Broncos 3
My first Redskins game ever, the defending World Champions get to take on the Denver Broncos, and we destroy them. Art Monk catches 7 passes to become the receiver with the all-time most catches in NFL history. This record was later broken, but for a while, Art Monk was #1.
- September 6, 1993 - Redskins 35, Cowboys 16
In his first game as the new head coach, Richie Pettibone defeats the wildly favored defending Super Champion Dallas Cowboys on national TV. The Redskins go one to win only 3 of the remaining 15 games that season and Pettibone is promptly fired.
- October 23, 1994 - Redskins 41, Colts 27
The Redskins dismal season in Head Coach Norv Turner's first year is made a bit brighter when a young scrub QB named Gus Frerotte is chosen to lead the team instead of the experienced John Friez or the highly touted Heath Shuler. Frerotte gives a stunning performance and leads the Redskins to one of their three victories.
- October 22, 1995 - Redskins 36, Lions 30
Washington and Detroit head to overtime. When the Redskins pin the Lions inside their own 10 yard line on a punt, it sets up an incredible Darrell Green interception, which he runs back in to the endzone for a touchdown and the win.
- December 3, 1995 - Redskins 24, Cowboys 17
The Redskins march into Texas Stadium and beat the Cowboys for the second time in the season, a stunning accomplishment when one considers that the Redskins were having yet another mediocre season, and the Cowboys were on the path to their fifth Super Bowl title.
- October 27, 1996 - Redskins 31, Colts 16
The Redskins win their seventh consecutive game, going to 7-1 on the season, against a very good Colts team, and Super Bowl talk returns to the nations capital. Unfortunately their late season slide finishes their season at 9-7, just short of the playoffs.
- September 14, 1996 - Redskins 19, Cardinals 13
In the very first game at "The Big Jack" -- Jack Kent Cooke Stadium in Raljon, MD, Gus Frerotte hits Michael Westbrook with a long bomb in OT to give the Redskins the victory. Jack Kent Cooke stadium now bears the corporate logo of FedEx.
- November 23, 1997 - Redskins 7, Giants 7
A bizarre must-win game for both teams ends with neither team winning. The Redskins and Giants struggle to overtime, but both self destruct. The Giants do so by missing some relatively easy field goals. The Redskins do so with Gus Frerotte injuring himself by ramming his head into a wall while celebrating a touchdown. Later on as the Redskins are driving into field goal territory in the closing minutes of overtime, Michael Westbrook protests a bad spot by ripping his helmet off and screaming at a referee. The outburst costs the Redskins 15 yards, putting them just outside field goal territory.
- November 1, 1998 - Redskins 21, Giants 14
The Redskins wait till 2 months into the season to notch their first victory, after losing their first seven games. A late surge saves some face, as well as Norv Turner's job.
- January 8, 2000 - Redskins 27, Lions 13
The Redskins return to the playoffs. The Redskins play their first postseason game in seven years and beat the listless Detroit Lions by a 14 point margin. The victory creates the first Redskins "buzz" in the nation's capital in years.
- September 12, 2005 - Redskins 16, Buccaneers 10
After 12 years in retirement, a familiar face returns to the Redskins sidelines. Joe Gibbs comes back and wins his first game in his second tenure with the Washington Redskins.
- September 19, 2005 - Redskins 14, Cowboys 13
Trailing 13-0 with less than five minutes left, the Redskins score a pair of miracle touchdowns on passes from Mark Brunell to Santana Moss to stun the Cowboy faithful.
- December 18, 2005 - Redskins 35, Cowboys 7
After taking the first game in Dallas early in the season in a close battle, the tension was high for a rematch. The Redskins came out and trounced the Cowboys enroute to their return to the NFL playoffs. During the fourth quarter, one could clearly hear the FedExField PA system playing Willie Nelson's "Momma, don't let your babies grow up to be Cowboys."
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