When I sat down almost four hours ago to watch the Washington Redskins play the Houston Texans, I’d have felt pretty good, as a Redskins fan, if I had known the following…
The defense would play a credible football game, only giving up one big play of note
The punt coverage would be excellent
Alfred Morris would find holes and run the ball effectively
Robert Griffin III would not make any mistakes
That’s generally a pretty good formula for winning football games. So why are the ‘Skins on the wrong side of a 17-6 loss? The short-term answer is this—the ‘Skins got a punt blocked for a touchdown, had an extra point blocked and Jordan Reed Niles Paul fumbled on the 10-yard line when the team looked to be going in (both teams had fumbles in the red zone, which canceled each other out).
The long-term problem though is what’s on my mind and it’s this—are the Redskins aware that yes, it is permissible to have a pass attempt more than five yards down the field? RG3 completed 15 of his first 16 passes and managed to accumulate less than 50 yards in the process. It wasn’t that he was doing anything wrong—the play appeared to be executed as called. It’s that he wasn’t doing anything at all.
I didn’t know what to expect in Week 1, and I was prepared for extremes. When I was in a good mental state, I saw the RG3 of 2012, whirling about, making plays. When I was in a low mood, I saw him trying to force plays and making mistakes. The one thing I didn’t see was a game that would be ultra-vanilla.
There’s nothing wrong with building a football team around the notion of a quarterback playing it safe and not making mistakes. In fact, in my ideal world that’s what I would do. But that presumes certain things—it presumes you’re not just going to play competent on defense, you’re going to wreak havoc. It assumes you won’t have any hiccups—certainly not get a punt blocked. Marty Schottenheimer built an entire career of winning football doing it exactly this way. The Seattle Seahawks could do this every week and go 13-3.
But based on what we’ve seen from the Redskins in recent years, it’s completely unrealistic to think they’ll get through an entire game without doing at least one or two things that are insanely stupid. The hope is that the dumb plays will be kept to a minimum and the playmakers on offense can do enough to compensate. Washington played well enough in the defense, special teams and running game phases for that work. But not only didn’t it work, there was no real effort to even try.
At the heart of this is an identity problem when it comes to RG3. The coaching staff—apparently with the approval of the quarterback himself—seem determined to make him a generic pocket passer. But why do you draft someone with speed to burn and a clear ability to throw down the field—as he did the few times he was allowed in the second half—and then put him in a system that 90 percent of NFL quarterbacks can run.
Let’s be more blunt—if all Washington wants to do is find someone who will make the right read and drop a three-yard dump to the wideout, Scott Tolzien can do that.
The person with the most at stake here is Robert Griffin III. I know he believes he can be a great pocket passer. I think his pocket game gets too much unnecessary heat, a fallout of the Mike Shanahan-orchestrated media campaign last December. But that doesn’t mean I think he’s Peyton Manning in the pocket either. RG3 is pretty good as a pocket quarterback. The only way his team is going to win is if the quarterback is dynamic, and the only way Robert Griffin III is going to be dynamic is if he’s unleashed. I’d rather have a dynamic QB for 12-13 games, even if taking off costs him a handful of starts with injury.
The NFL establishment mindset doesn’t like anyone that varies from the rule that every quarterback must look exactly the same, like they all came off the assembly line. Jay Gruden and RG3 are giving in to that.
I don’t expect Gruden to change, but if I were in a room alone with Robert Griffin III and had the chance to tell him one thing it would simply be this—In sports, as in life, there are times when you have to decide if you’ll succeed or fail based on who you are, not what others would have you be. Your legs and ability to improvise are a part of your athletic package. Embrace it.
Or in a town that loves political slogans, let’s sum it up thusly—Run Robert Run.
When I sat down almost four hours ago to watch the Washington Redskins play the Houston Texans, I’d have felt pretty good, as a Redskins fan, if I had known the following…
The defense would play a credible football game, only giving up one big play of note
The punt coverage would be excellent
Alfred Morris would find holes and run the ball effectively
Robert Griffin III would not make any mistakes
That’s generally a pretty good formula for winning football games. So why are the ‘Skins on the wrong side of a 17-6 loss? The short-term answer is this—the ‘Skins got a punt blocked for a touchdown, had an extra point blocked and Jordan Reed Niles Paul fumbled on the 10-yard line when the team looked to be going in (both teams had fumbles in the red zone, which canceled each other out).
The long-term problem though is what’s on my mind and it’s this—are the Redskins aware that yes, it is permissible to have a pass attempt more than five yards down the field? RG3 completed 15 of his first 16 passes and managed to accumulate less than 50 yards in the process. It wasn’t that he was doing anything wrong—the play appeared to be executed as called. It’s that he wasn’t doing anything at all.
I didn’t know what to expect in Week 1, and I was prepared for extremes. When I was in a good mental state, I saw the RG3 of 2012, whirling about, making plays. When I was in a low mood, I saw him trying to force plays and making mistakes. The one thing I didn’t see was a game that would be ultra-vanilla.
There’s nothing wrong with building a football team around the notion of a quarterback playing it safe and not making mistakes. In fact, in my ideal world that’s what I would do. But that presumes certain things—it presumes you’re not just going to play competent on defense, you’re going to wreak havoc. It assumes you won’t have any hiccups—certainly not get a punt blocked. Marty Schottenheimer built an entire career of winning football doing it exactly this way. The Seattle Seahawks could do this every week and go 13-3.
But based on what we’ve seen from the Redskins in recent years, it’s completely unrealistic to think they’ll get through an entire game without doing at least one or two things that are insanely stupid. The hope is that the dumb plays will be kept to a minimum and the playmakers on offense can do enough to compensate. Washington played well enough in the defense, special teams and running game phases for that work. But not only didn’t it work, there was no real effort to even try.
At the heart of this is an identity problem when it comes to RG3. The coaching staff—apparently with the approval of the quarterback himself—seem determined to make him a generic pocket passer. But why do you draft someone with speed to burn and a clear ability to throw down the field—as he did the few times he was allowed in the second half—and then put him in a system that 90 percent of NFL quarterbacks can run.
Let’s be more blunt—if all Washington wants to do is find someone who will make the right read and drop a three-yard dump to the wideout, Scott Tolzien can do that.
The person with the most at stake here is Robert Griffin III. I know he believes he can be a great pocket passer. I think his pocket game gets too much unnecessary heat, a fallout of the Mike Shanahan-orchestrated media campaign last December. But that doesn’t mean I think he’s Peyton Manning in the pocket either. RG3 is pretty good as a pocket quarterback. The only way his team is going to win is if the quarterback is dynamic, and the only way Robert Griffin III is going to be dynamic is if he’s unleashed. I’d rather have a dynamic QB for 12-13 games, even if taking off costs him a handful of starts with injury.
The NFL establishment mindset doesn’t like anyone that varies from the rule that every quarterback must look exactly the same, like they all came off the assembly line. Jay Gruden and RG3 are giving in to that.
I don’t expect Gruden to change, but if I were in a room alone with Robert Griffin III and had the chance to tell him one thing it would simply be this—In sports, as in life, there are times when you have to decide if you’ll succeed or fail based on who you are, not what others would have you be. Your legs and ability to improvise are a part of your athletic package. Embrace it.
Or in a town that loves political slogans, let’s sum it up thusly—Run Robert Run.
There are times I even wonder why I bother to get excited about the Washington Redskins. My favorite NFL team has made a habit of consistently letting me down on the field since TheReign Of Joe Gibbs (1981-92), save for a modestly successfulreturn by Gibbs from 2004-07 (two playoff trips) and the electrifying NFC East title run keyed by Robert Griffin III to end the 2012 NFL season.
Although even Gibbs’ second term was saddled with a pair of 6-10 years and the magic of RG3 was quickly squandered when he tore up his knee in a first-round playoff loss to the Seattle Seahawks. But this past offseason was just more raised hopes followed by bad decisions and I fear that yesterday in the 2014 NFL draft was more of the same.
The Redskins were making their first selection at the 34-spot, with no first-round selection due to the trade to get in position to draft RG3 in 2012. Players I liked ranged from Florida State corner Lamarcus Joyner to Wisconsin middle linebacker Chris Borland. Both players filled positions of need. I liked the notion of grabbing Joyner at 34, and then taking Borland with the second selection of the third round.
Even when Washington decided to trade down with the Dallas Cowboys, I was happy. The ‘Skins would still get the 47th pick, and they added the 78th pick. It was a great opportunity to still get Borland at 47 and have an extra pick. Borland was an ideal fit for the Redskins—he could step into a position that was being vacated by retiring London Fletcher. Borland was also known for his sure tackling, his heart and his mental toughness while in college. All three of those virtues are badly needed on the Washington defense.
Instead, Washington drafted an offensive lineman from Virginia (Morgan Moses), an outside linebacker from Stanford (Trent Murphy) and another offensive lineman from Nebraska (Spencer Long). The only area of the defense the ‘Skins addressed was the OLB spot—and with Brian Orakpo and Ryan Kerrigan in those spots, it happens to be the one area the defense actually looks pretty good. Borland ended up with the San Francisco 49ers, taken with the #77 pick.
There are any number of defenses that can be made of the Washington Redskins’ decision-making. Here are a few I’m trying to hang my hat on this morning (by “hang my hat on”, I mean, not run screaming from the house in a suicidal rampage). Here they are…
*Offensive line is a significant area of need. In fact, if a recording could be made of me each Sunday last fall, I would have been found repeatedly griping about the line play, from the inability to get Alfred Morris holes consistently, to RG3 seeing the interior of the pocket collapse almost immediately upon the snap.
*Murphy was an excellent player at Stanford, and this program has become one of my favorites in recent years, for their blue-collar toughness. Furthermore, I’ve been a believer over the years in getting the best player available, even if it doesn’t meet an immediate need. You never know what’s going to happen, from injuries to trades. And if this were another organization, you could hope for some strategic creativity to get three outside linebackers on the field if Murphy really proves he can play.
*Since I live in Wisconsin and follow the Badgers, it’s well possible that some hometown bias is inflating my opinion of Borland.
All of these things are possible, and I’m hoping that those are what prove to be true. If the front office had built any credibility over the years, I’d even given those thoughts the benefit of the doubt. But one quote from Washington Redskins general manager Bruce Allen, who had final say on this selections sent me over the edge.
Allen said the Redskins had a roster “with no holes.”
Are you bleepin’ kidding me!!!!!!
The Washington Redskins just went 3-13 and over the past six years (since Gibbs’ last season of 2007) have shown that the only way they can win is if a healthy Robert Griffin III can basically lift the entire team and carry them, with some help from Morris. If RG3 is slowed even somewhat with a brace, the team loses 13 games. The only way this qualifies as a roster with no holes is if Allen is taking the literal interpretation of those words and is assuring the fan base he has enough players to field a team this fall.
Washington had a chance to hire a quality head coach—either someone with a track record that knew defense like Lovie Smith, or one of the well-established young coordinators with an established resume, like Greg Romans with San Francisco. Instead, they opted for Jay Gruden, who was the second-best coordinator on his own staff in Cincinnati (defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer, the new Viking boss being the best).
Now they had a chance to get a talented corner and a solid middle linebacker in the draft and screwed that up. I really hope I’m wrong, and it certainly wouldn’t be the first time. But the fact we have a general manager who thinks his 3-13 team has a stacked roster at every spot doesn’t exactly inspire confidence in the people making the decisions.
The 1983 Washington Redskins were a defending Super Bowl champion that came into the season lacking in respect. The ‘Skins didn’t repeat as champions, but they produced an MVP, a high-powered offense, a ballhawking defense and NFC title and earned plenty of respect along the way.
Joe Theismann had the best year of his career at age 34. The quarterback threw for over 3,700 yards and posted a 29/11 TD-INT ratio, excellent in that era. Theismann won the MVP award and had plenty of support on offense. John Riggins, also 34-years-old, ran for over 1,300 yards. Joe Jacoby and Russ Grimm manned the left side of the line and joined Theismann and Riggins as 1st-team All-Pro.
Other Pro Bowlers included wide receiver Charlie Brown, a shifty little target that accumulated 1,225 yards, along with center Joe Bostic. With head coach Joe Gibbs orchestrating the attack, the Redskins averaged 34 ppg, the best in the NFL.
The defense wasn’t as dominant, but they were still pretty good and the absolutely excelled at taking the ball away. Free safety Mark Murphy made the Pro Bowl with nine interceptions. The secondary also benefitted from the addition of a rookie named Darrell Green, who would one day make the Hall of Fame.
Up front, the Redskins got a career year from 33-year-old defensive tackle Dave Butz, who recorded 11.5 sacks. With Butz coming up the middle, opposing offensive lines couldn’t key on the edge, where Dexter Manley came for 11 more sacks.
The defense finished 11th in the NFL in points allowed, but more important, they set an NFL record with a stunning (+43) turnover margin.
When the season began the Redskins were still seen as mostly a fluke team that had come out of nowhere to win the Super Bowl in the strike-shortened year of 1982. They were actually a home underdog in the first game of the season, on Monday Night against the Dallas Cowboys.
Washington spent the first half looking ready to prove everyone wrong. They built a 23-3 lead and Theismann, who would throw for 325 yards, was rolling. Then it all came apart in the second half–the biggest flaw of the defense over the season would be giving up the deep ball, and they allowed two long touchdown passes from Cowboy quarterback Danny White. Dallas scored four successive touchdowns and won 31-30.
The highlight of the night from the Redskins’ perspective was an electric moment when Green showcased his speed by coming from across the field to chase down Dallas’ fast running back Tony Dorsett, a play that lives on in Redskins lore today. But Washington was still searching for respect.
Oddsmakers made the defending champs a pick’em in Week 2 at the Philadelphia Eagles, a team that had not made the playoffs the prior year and would finish 5-11. The game was tied 10-10 after three quarters before a 14-yard touchdown run by Riggins broke the tie. He finished with 100 yards, while the defense held Philly to 35 yards rushing. Washington won 23-13.
Another sluggish start against a bad team followed at home against Kansas City. The Redskins played poorly in the first half by repeated red zone stops kept the halftime score at 12-0. In the second half, Theismann got going and found his tight ends, Clint Didier and Don Warren, for touchdown passes and Washington pulled away 27-12.
The ‘Skins played their best game of the season at Seattle, holding a good running back in Curt Warner to 34 yards rushing and Washington was in control throughout in a 27-17 win. The Seahawks would make the AFC Championship Game by season’s end. The other future participant in the AFC title game was the Los Angeles Raiders, and the more heralded opponent was coming to D.C. on October 2.
An offensive shootout was on tap. Theismann threw for 417 yards, three touchdowns and no interceptions. He repeatedly connected with Brown, who caught 11 balls for 180 yards and with running back Joe Washington, who caught five passes for 99 yards.
One of the passes to the shifty Washington was a swing pass that went a long way. Its success would later come back to haunt the Redskins.
For today, all was good. While Raider quarterback Jim Plunkett threw four touchdowns, including a 99-yarder, the Redskins also got four interceptions and preserved a 37-35 win. They followed it up by going to a decent St. Louis Cardinals’ team and winning 38-14 behind 115 yards from Riggins.
The Monday Night stage awaited again, this time at Lambeau Field. The Green Bay Packers had made the playoffs for the first time in a decade the prior year and were hungry to get back. They had a high-powered passing attack of their own and on this night, Theismann and counterpart Lynn Dickey put on a amazing display.
Theismann threw for 398 yards, spreading the ball among all his receivers. Dickey threw for 387. An early defensive touchdown scored by the Packers proved to be huge, and they eventually won the game 48-47 on a late 20-yard field goal.
The Redskins were 5-2, with both losses by one point. But from a standpoint of getting respect, they had come on their only forays to prime-time. What’s more, Dallas was 7-0. But the ‘Skins were about to really take off.
WATCH THESPORTSNOTEBOOK’S VIDEO DISCUSSION OF THE JOE GIBBS ERA WITH THE REDSKINS
Even with Riggins missing the following week’s home game with Detroit, the ‘Skins got 147 rush yards from Joe Washington, shut down the Lion running game and won 38-17. A Monday Night visit to San Diego–Gibbs’ first return to the place he built his reputation as an offensive coordinator–produced a 27-24 win, as the Redskins picked off backup quarterback Ed Luther six times.
The defense kept making plays at home against the Cardinals, with Vernon Dean and Mel Kaufmann each scoring defensive touchdowns, the team forcing five turnovers and winning 45-7. The following week on the road against the New York Giants, the ‘Skins held the Giants to 25 rush yards, led as much as 33-3 and won 33-17. Another blowout followed on November 20 at the Los Angeles Rams. This time it was interceptions–the ‘Skins picked four, two of them by linebacker Rich Milot in a 42-20 win where the lead had been as high as 42-6.
Washington finally got a tougher game when Philadelphia came to RFK Stadium. Theismann and counterpart Ron Jaworski each played well, but Theismann had a running game–Riggins went for 99 yards and the Redskins escaped 28-24. They got back into blowout mode in a home game with the Atlanta Falcons, with defensive back Anthony Washington picking off two passes, the team getting four picks and rolling to a 37-7 lead. The defense gave up its usual garbage-time points and the final score was 37-21.
When December 11 rolled around, the Redskins were 12-2. The Cowboys had lost a couple games by now and the NFC East race was tied. Washington was going to Dallas for the regular season’s penultimate game. The division title and the #1 seed in the NFC playoffs hung in the balance.
The Redskins and Cowboys traded momentum in the first half and Washington led 14-10. The big play came in the third quarter when Theismann threw a 43-yard touchdown pass to Monk. The avalanche started and Washington pulled away to a 31-10 win.
Butz got 2 1/2 sacks. Defensive back Greg Williams intercepted two passes. Theismann was both efficient and explosive, completing 11/17 passes and getting 203 yards out of them. And most of all, the running game dominated, with the ‘Skins holding a 166-33 edge.
Washington still wasn’t out of the woods. They would lose a tiebreaker, so they needed to win the next Saturday at home against the Giants. The Redskins looked like they were still in celebration mode for three quarters, trailing a three-win team 19-7. They finally got it together in the fourth quarter and took a 24-22 lead when Theismann threw a 7-yard touchdown pass to Didier. The final was 31-22. For the second straight year, the Washington Redskins were the NFC’s top playoff seed.
They looked every bit the part on New Year’s Day against the Rams, who had upset the Cowboys in the wild-card game. The Redskins had a 24-0 lead by the second quarter. Theismann hit Monk for a 40-yard touchdown pass. Washington scored on their first five possessions, and another Theismann to Monk scoring play made it 31-7.
Theismann finished 18/23 for 302 yards. Brown and Riggins had 100-yard days receiving and rushing respectively. And Green put the finishing touches on the 51-7 rout when he took an interception 72 yards to the house.
The San Francisco 49ers of Bill Walsh and Joe Montana were the last hurdle to returning to the Super Bowl. After a scoreless first quarter, Riggins ran for two touchdowns, part of a 123-yard performance. When Theismann connected with Brown for another touchdown and the Redskins took a 21-0 lead into the fourth quarter, it looked over.
Montana threw one touchdown pass, but Theismann led the Redskins back into field goal range, reaching the San Francisco 24. But Mark Moseley missed what would have been an insurance field goal. One play later, Montana threw a 76-yard touchdown pass and suddenly we had a game.
The 49ers got a third touchdown pass from Montana to tie it. The Redskins drove to the 49er 45-yard line. Theismann threw a pass to Monk that went over his head. A flag was thrown for interference. The 49ers went crazy, believing the ball to be uncatchable and they had a gripe. Another interference call, with the same dispute happened again during the drive, though not nearly as consequential. Moseley got another opportunity and he made it count, booting the field goal that sent the Redskins to the Super Bowl with a 24-21 win.
The controversy surrounding the end of the NFC Championship Game gave way to the anticipation of the Super Bowl with the Los Angeles Raiders. The Raiders were the clear best team in the AFC, just as the Redskins had been all year in the NFC. A reprise of their great early October meeting was anticipated.
What happened was a complete disaster for the Redskins. They allowed an early blocked punt and fell behind 7-0. They trailed 14-3 and had the ball deep in their own end in the closing moments of the first half.
The swing pass to Joe Washington, that had worked so well in October, now blew up in their face. Theismann didn’t see Raider linebacker Jack Squirek who swiped the ball and walked the few yards into the end zone. The game ended 38-9.
The ugliness of the ending couldn’t overshadow the majesty of the season though. The 1983 Washington Redskins were one of the most explosive offenses of all time. And in spite of their disastrous game in Tampa Bay to end the year, they were most certainly respected as a perennial contender by the time it was over.
The NFL season of 1982 was overshadowed by labor difficulties and after two games, the season was temporarily shut down with a players’ strike. Play would not resume until November 21 with plans for a truncated nine-game schedule and divisional distinctions abandoned for playoff purposes. Nothing—not the strike, not broken momentum, not anyone in the NFL could stop the 1982 Washington Redskins, as they won the franchise’s first Super Bowl.
The Redskins had finished 1981 strong, winning eight of their last 11 after an 0-5 start. Head coach Joe Gibbs was now in his second year and there was a lot of young talent to move forward with, particularly up front.
The offensive line that would become known as “The Hogs” was in its infancy. Joe Bostic, Russ Grimm, Joe Jacoby and Mark May were all 24 or younger. The old man of the group was right tackle George Starke, at 34.
On the defensive side of the line of scrimmage, another 24-year-old was Dexter Manley, who recorded 6 1/2 sacks. Another up-and-coming talent, away from the trenches was rookie wide receiver Charlie Brown, who made the Pro Bowl.
Gibbs also had good veterans. Joe Theismann had a Pro Bowl season at quarterback, throwing for over 2,000 yards in a nine-game schedule. John Riggins keyed the running game. Dave Butz held the middle of the defensive front.
On balance though, the roster was not seen as loaded with talent. The only player to make the Pro Bowl besides Theismann and Brown was strong safety Tony Peters. Respect was hard to come by for the ‘Skins .
Washington opened the season at Philadelphia. The Eagles were two years removed from reaching the Super Bowl and had gone to the playoffs in 1981. The ‘Skins quickly fell behind 10-0 and trailed 27-14 going into the fourth quarter. Then Theismann hit Brown with a 78-yard touchdown pass and the magic of 1982 was underway.
It was a passing display on both sides. Theismann went 28/39 for 382 yards, three touchdowns and no interceptions. Philly’s Ron Jaworski was 27/38 for 371 yards, two touchdowns and no picks. The two QBs that would each become ESPN commentators with a high regard for themselves staged a big-time duel.
Theismann won it with help from his great kicker, Mark Moseley, who booted a 48-yard field goal to tie the game 34-34 and then won it with a 26-yarder in overtime. The following week in Tampa, it was the running game that delivered. Riggins ran for 136 yards in a 21-13 win over the Buccaneers, who had made the playoffs in ’81 and would do so again in 1982.
Then the strike hit. Play would not resume until November 21, and when it did, the playoff format was completely altered. Divisional distinctions were abolished. Teams would just play out the remainder of the schedules, seven more games, and then each conference would be seeded 1 thru 8, what remains the largest postseason bracket in NFL history.
Washington visited the mediocre New York Giants on their first game back and picked up where they left off. Theismann threw a 39-yard touchdown pass to Brown, the ‘Skins opened up a 21-0 lead and ultimately won 27-17.
On November 28, the Sunday after Thanksgiving, it was time for the home opener at RFK Stadium. The Eagles were making the return visit and this time the pass defenses were ready and conditions were wet. Cornerback Jeris White intercepted two passes, and the team as a whole picked off Jaworski five times. Washington won it 13-9 and were rewarded by being on the cover of Sports Illustrated with a “Hey, Look Who’s 4-0” headline on the magazine article.
The tone of the headline showed how much the Redskins had to prove if they were going to get respect and the best way to do it was to beat the Dallas Cowboys, who came into RFK for a late Sunday afternoon national TV appearance. But Washington was unable to run the ball, Theismann threw three interceptions and they lost 24-10. It appeared there was still a gap between them and the league’s elite.
WATCH THESPORTSNOTEBOOK’S VIDEO DISCUSSION OF THE JOE GIBBS ERA WITH THE REDSKINS
But the team quickly got back on track and with a lot of help from Moseley, won their final four games. In a road game at the St. Louis Cardinals, the Redskins offense got inside the red zone four times, never found the end zone, but four Moseley field goals and great defense produced a 12-7 win.
The kicker came up even bigger the following week at home against the Giants. On a day when Theismann played poorly, with four interceptions, the defense kept the team in the game, trailing 14-9. Moseley drilled two fourth-quarter field goals, the last one a 42-yarder with nine seconds left to win 15-14.
In a decision that underscored Moseley’s clutch performances, his record 21 consecutive field goals made and the strange nature of the 1982 NFL season, the kicker was voted the MVP award. Suffice it to say, no kicker since has been so honored.
Washington went to New Orleans for the season’s penultimate game, tied with Dallas atop the conference standings, but losing the tiebreaker battle. Theismann threw a 57-yard touchdown pass to Brown to get the ball rolling against the Saints. It was part of a 14/23 for 264 yards performance for Theismann, and Brown caught three more passes, ultimately getting to 156 receiving yards.
The 27-10 win combined with more good news from Big D–the Cowboys had lost at home to the Eagles and the Redskins controlled their fate for the #1 seed in the NFC playoffs. They took care of business with an efficient 28-0 home win over St. Louis (who was a division rival prior to the realignment of 2002), scoring a touchdown in each quarter.
Postseason football was in D.C. for the first time since 1976. The Redskins opened up with the #8 seed Detroit Lions. White put the ‘Skins on top early by intercepting an Eric Hipple pass and taking it 77 yards to the house.
It was a vivid example of the role defense would play for the Redskins in this postseason. While Theismann engineered an efficient passing game, and the receivers–starting with Brown and Alvin Garrett–were being called “The Fun Bunch”, for their choreographed end zone celebrations, and Riggins and the newly nicknamed Hogs were getting attention, the defense continually shut down top running backs and made big plays. The early interception was one of two White picks in this game, Lion running back Billy Sims was held to 19 yards and the final score was 31-7.
Minnesota was next up and the ‘Skins offense struck quickly. A short TD pass from Theismann to tight end Don Warren along with a short run by Riggins made it 14-0. After the teams traded touchdowns in the second quarter, the scoring was done. Riggins rolled up 185 yards, while the Vikings had no ground game to speak of.
The Cowboys won two games on the other half of the bracket and came to RFK Stadium for the NFC Championship Game, hungry to show who was still boss in this rivalry.
Dallas got an early field goal, but Theismann quickly countered with a touchdown pass to little Charlie Brown, Riggins plunged over from a yard out and it was 14-3 at half. Not only that, but Washington had knocked Dallas starting quarterback Danny White out of the game and the visitors would turn to Gary Hogeboom for a rally.
Hogeboom came closer than many might have thought. He threw two touchdown passes in the third quarter, but they were sandwiched around another scoring run by Riggins, so the ‘Skins still led 21-17. A field goal stretched the lead to seven. Dallas got the ball back deep in its own territory in the fourth quarter with a chance to go the distance and tie it up.
Defensive end Dexter Manley and defensive tackle Daryl Grant bore down on Hogeboom, whose pass was tipped up in the air. It landed in the hands of Grant who took a few short steps to the end zone. His dramatic spike got the team another Sports Illustrated cover, this one saying “Wham! Bam! It’s the Redskins!”
The game was all but over and it ended 31-17. Washington had their first trip to the Super Bowl since 1972 when they had the misfortune to run into the undefeated Miami Dolphins.
Ironically the Dolphins were waiting again this time, although they weren’t quite as fearsome. The running game was suspect and David Woodley didn’t scare at anyone at quarterback. The Fish did play defense though and veteran coach Don Shula was still at the controls, as he’d been back in ’72.
When Woodley threw an out pattern to Jimmy Cefalo who turned it into a 76-yard touchdown pass Miami had the early lead. After the teams swapped field goals and Theismann found another one of his diminutive wide receivers, Alvin Garrett for a tying touchdown, Miami’s Fulton Walker returned a kickoff 98 yards for a touchdown.
If you’re going to give up special teams touchdowns and let simple short passes turn into long scores and still win a football game, you better find ways to dominate everywhere else and that’s what Washington did. The defense, having shut down Sims and Dallas’ Tony Dorsett, was overwhelming a mediocre Miami running game. Woodley would complete only four passes for the entire game.
In the meantime, Riggins and the Hogs were controlling the game up front. Miami still clung to a 17-13 lead early in the fourth quarter when the play for which this game is remembered finally swung the tide.
Washington faced 4th-and-1 on the Miami 43-yard line. Gibbs decided to go for it. Everyone knew the ball was going to Riggins. He powered off left tackle, aqua and orange jerseys hanging all over him. Riggins broke through the pile and pulled away, outrunning the rest of the Miami defense to the end zone.
With the ‘Skins defense in lockdown mode a 20-17 lead seemed insurmountable, but when the Washington offense got the ball back, Theismann led them down the field and on third and goal hit Brown in the corner of the end zone for the score that sealed the deal. The 1982 Washington Redskins had given their crazed fan base its first Super Bowl title.
It was easy in the moment for outside observers to think the 1982 title run was a fluke, a byproduct of an entire season that was off-kilter. Gibbs and his team proved everyone wrong. It turned out, the winning was just getting started.
The soap opera that is the 2013 Washington Redskins hit another level on Sunday. Early in the day, prior to the team’s complete no-show in a 45-10 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs, reports surfaced that head coach Mike Shanahan had his office cleared out prior to last year’s playoff loss to the Seattle Seahawks and was ready to quit. The reason was that he felt the favoritism team owner Daniel Snyder bestowed on quarterback Robert Griffin III was creating an atmosphere unconducive to winning.
Then came the events of the playoff game, when Shanahan left a clearly injured RG3 in the game, the quarterback eventually tore his ACL and the coach felt he couldn’t really leave under those circumstances. I found the whole media report dubious at the outset, but in a press conference after the Kansas City debacle, Shanahan pointedly did not deny any of it.
As a partisan Redskins fan, I’ve already weighed in with a long piece that details my thoughts on the RG3-Shanahan relationship as it unfolded since the spring of 2012 when the team sent three first-round picks, a second-round pick and the Lincoln Memorial to St. Louis for the right to move up and draft RG3.
I won’t rehash the 5,000-plus words here, except to distill them to a single soundbite–whatever the quarterback’s faults, I believe he’s committed to winning. Whatever the coach’s strengths, I believe he’s at a point in his career where other priorities are in the way.
In spite of this, I was actually reaching a point of resigned peace regarding Shanahan and open to having him come back in 2014. My reasoning was that if we cut RG3 slack for all the side effects of the injury–the lack of an offseason and the need to rapidly transition to a more dropback-oriented passing scheme, and to do it without the benefit of that offseason–then fairness demands we cut his coaches the same slack too. And I’ve never believed that franchises benefit from blithely firing coaches. I’d rather stay with a guy a year too long than fire him a year too early.
This media report has sent me over the edge though. All the media chatter is on the Shanahan-RG3-Snyder dynamic, but my gut reaction on hearing it is one that has not been addressed–in cleaning out his desk before the playoff game with Seattle last season, what the hell was Shanahan thinking? That the team was going to lose? If he wanted to leave, fine. I have no issue with any man not wanting to work for Snyder. But shouldn’t the head coach have been thinking that his resignation was still a few weeks away?
The charges of owner favoritism are indisputably true, and just as indisputably, irrelevant. Troy Aikman was tight with Jerry Jones, Tom Brady is tight with Robert Kraft, and as Shanahan well knows from personal experience, John Elway was tight with Pat Bowlen. I don’t find it a particularly edifying part of NFL life, but the notion that this is something new or that you can’t win with it sounds like a head coach looking for an excuse.
Now let’s get to my second gut reaction and it’s simply this–when you do what Shanahan has done and put your own son as the offensive coordinator, don’t you lose all rights to complain about favoritism? What really affects the Washington Redskins more–the fact Snyder sends his limo to pick up RG3, or the fact that Shanny’s kid is calling all the plays?
When you watch RG3 play football, I don’t see how his competitiveness isn’t the first thing that jumps out at you. I understand that a quarterback turning back upfield rather than going out of bounds isn’t the smartest thing to do. I get that taking a flying leap into two defenders to get a crucial first down (as he did against San Diego) or barreling head-on into a two more defenders at the goal line in Minnesota isn’t worth the long-term risk to his career.
But as one who is simply a fan, I see these things and see a player that will do what it takes to win a football game, even at the expense of his long-term earning potential. I reiterate that I completely get this long-term earning potential is directly tied to the team’s long-term prospects, and he needs to learn find different ways to channel that competitiveness. But at least for three-plus hours on Sunday, I feel like I’m watching a player who simply wants to win.
Now let’s take Shanahan. I don’t doubt that in a general sense he wants to win. But can he honestly look anyone in the eye and say that of all the available offensive coordinator prospects, it’s just an incredible coincidence that his own son is the best choice?
Wanting to coach with your son is a noble thing. But it’s an abuse of power–and dare I say favoritism–to do it at the NFL level. If Shanahan wants to walk away from the money and glory of the NFL, take a Division III coaching job, then it’s appropriate to hire his son. If he wants to stay at the highest level, then the right thing to do is hire the most talented coordinator possible.
And now that we know the truth about Shanahan’s mindset before the playoff game, it’s hard for me to separate that from his blasé indifference to RG3’s health. As I noted in my earlier column, I did *not* come down on the coach for his decision-making on the quarterback in that game. But I did wonder what game he was watching if he didn’t know RG3 was hurt. Now I wonder if the head coach simply didn’t care.
Shanahan’s indifference, and the fact he has obviously quit on this team, all the while collecting $7 million, have put him in a category once created by Bill Simmons, editor of ESPN’s Grantland–it’s The People Who Make Us Feel Like We’re Idiots For Caring About Professional Sports. Whatever you want to say about RG3–and I don’t deny he loves the presence of a TV camera–he’s never made me feel that way.
The Philadelphia Eagles are the only NFC East team that hasn’t gotten a rush of positive publicity at some point in the first four weeks of the NFL season. The Redskins are riding the wave of RG3 hype. The Cowboys played their brilliant opening game in New York. And the Giants hammered Carolina with several second-stringers in the lineup. Philadelphia, meanwhile, turns the ball over, barely escapes games and its quarterback and head coach both are under the gun. But it’s Philadelphia that’s alone atop the NFC East with a 3-1 record, while their rivals are all 2-2.
Philly’s win over New York on Sunday night brought together the possibilities and the problems that exist for this team and showcased them to a national NBC audience. The Eagles did a lot of good things—they ran the ball well with LeSean McCoy, who got 123 yards on the ground. The stopped the Giants from doing the same. They got error-free football from Michael Vick and let Eli Manning make the game’s defining mistake, a horrible first-down pass into the end zone that was easily intercepted and swung the momentum Philadelphia’s way.
But the Birds also failed to execute inside the 10-yard line, and had to survive a final missed field goal attempt by the Giants to escape with a 19-17 win.
You find yourself asking that if, on a night when Philly did so much of what they need to do in terms of taking care of the ball, when they won the battle in the trenches, when they had the homefield in a matchup that usually favors them, and still can only escape with a last-second win, how much longer they can survive. But in the NFL survival is all that matters and its Philadelphia that’s in sole possession of first place.
Dallas might have joined Philly at the top, but Tony Romo turned in a complete disaster of a performance last night at home against Chicago. In spite of the Bears not getting consistent pressure, Romo still threw five interceptions, two of which were returned for touchdowns. Right now, Romo is coming in for a lot of heat. I think we should make sure to remember this the next time Romo plays a flawless game, like he did against the Giants in Week 1, and everyone gets carried away on a Super Bowl bandwagon for Dallas.
Both extremes are a part of the quarterback’s package and until Dallas finds a replacement who can be consistent and still have a high ceiling—not exactly an easy find—it’s going to be this way.
We know Robert Griffin III has a high ceiling and he’s got the intangibles of clutch performance going for him. In spite of being beaten down as a Redskins fan for the better part of twenty years, in spite of watching the team blow a 21-6 lead, when RG3 got the ball back with a chance to drive it for the winning field goal, I was completely convinced he would do it. And when he did it on a scramble where he cut back to the inside of the field to take a hit for the sake of five extra yards, I was going nuts (in a good way). It turned out those yards were needed because Billy Cundiff barely made the game-winning field goal.
Washington’s still got significant defensive problems, but they’ve got a running game going with Alfredo Morris and RG3 has given them the hope that any game can be won.
Around the rest of the league as we wrap up NFL Week 4…
NFC NORTH: Minnesota needed two special-teams touchdowns to beat Detroit, but the Vikings are carving themselves an identity as a team that will run the ball, play mistake-free and execute on special-teams. There’s a limit to how far you can go with that formula, but that limit is considerably higher than any expectations anyone had for the Vikes coming into this year. Kudos to Leslie Frazier, who’s showing he can get it done as a head coach.
NFC SOUTH: I know Atlanta’s 4-0 and at the end of the day that’s all that matters. But this team is getting way too pass-happy, and neglecting Michael Turner, even as he ran for 103 yards on 13 carries in the home win over Carolina. The Panther defense was very comfortable teeing off on Matt Ryan and sacked him seven times. If Atlanta doesn’t get more balance, this will be another Falcon team that piles up wins and Fantasy points in the regular season, but comes up short of the Super Bowl.
NFC WEST: St. Louis’ win over Seattle wasn’t dazzling, as Russell Wilson threw three interceptions and the Seahawks undoubtedly had trouble refocusing after their bizarre win over Green Bay the previous Monday. But the Rams, like the Vikings, are showing they can within a certain formula that centers on letting the opponent beat themselves.
AFC EAST: As much you have to be impressed with New England’s newfound running game—Brandon Bolden and Stevan Ridley both went over 100 yards in Buffalo—the bigger story has to be the implosion of both the Bills and Jets. Buffalo was unable to generate a pass rush in spite of New England’s offensive line problems and in spite of Buffalo’s massive offseason expenditure on Mario Williams. The loss per se isn’t devastating, but giving up 35 straight points on your homefield says something about where you’re at as a football team, and it’s not at playoff-level. And the Jets are simply a train wreck, even at 2-2.
AFC NORTH: Cincinnati has slowly gained steam since their opening week disaster against Baltimore, and with a 27-10 triumph over Jacksonville, the Bengals are 3-1 and tied with the Ravens for first place. The Cincy pass rush had its second straight big game, sacking Blaine Gabbert six times and they ran the ball efficiently behind BenJarvus Green-Ellis.
AFC SOUTH: Chris Johnson finally had a breakout game for Tennessee, running for 141 yards against Houston, and the Titan defense did a credible job in slowing down Arian Foster. Then the quarterbacking situation becomes a disaster. Jake Locker left with an early injury and Matt Hasselbeck threw a pair of pick-6s. Tennessee played well enough to be closer than the 38-14 final, but the turnovers did them in.
AFC WEST: San Diego might be 3-1, but this division is still about deciding what you think of Denver. Peyton Manning showed his old brilliance in carving up Oakland for 30/38 for 338 yards, and no interceptions. Yes, the Oakland secondary is bad and the pass rush non-existent, but we also needed to see that Peyton could still dominate a defense like that. We’ve seen he’ll have problems against teams like Houston or Atlanta.
The truth of who will win the AFC West though, lies between the extremes of the Raiders on one side and the Texans/Falcons on the other and that’s where Peyton’s Broncos are still an unknown quantity.
