Vision Quest: 10 years, 15 days

December 3, 1995.

The Redskins, just two years into the Norv Turner experiment were suffering through what would end up a 6-10 season. The Dallas Cowboys under Barry Switzer were gearing up for another Super Bowl run to make it 3 titles in 4 years.

These were the Salad Days for the Dallas cowboys. The previous two years they sent a record 11 pro bowlers to Honolulu. They won Super Bowls in 1992 & 1993 and barely missed a chance at three-peating in 1994 losing to San Francisco in the NFC Championship game. Emmit Smith was on his way to a fourth rushing crown compiling a team record 1773 rushing yards and an NFL record 25 TDs.

The Redskins were in not so great of shape. Since Joe Gibbs retirement after the 1992 season the franchise seemed in disarray. The Redskins had managed earlier in the season to eek out a close 27-23 victory in RFK, but was suffering through what would end up being a 6-10 season and the fourth straight year with a losing record.

But the Redskins went into Dallas stadium and won 24-17. It was the one bright of an otherwise dismal season. To take two from the not only the eventual Super Bowl champions, but also our hated rivals the Cowboys. Sweeping the Cowboys felt so good, felt so right. The future was bright and we saw a light at the end of the tunnel.

Then reality set in. RFK closed and the Redskins moved to a new stadium. Norv Turner provided only one year of hope followed by a massively disappointing season. Schottenheimer came and hired is entire family and left in one year. Then there was Steve Spurrier who laughed at NFL convention until he was finally laughed out of the league. And even the return of the King, Joe Gibbs, could not immediately help this franchise and its fans.



But through all the losing in those ten years (only 3 winning seasons), and the lack of playoff births (only 1), what hurt the most was what had become of the Redskin-Dallas rivalry. The Redskins went on to post a pitiful 3-15 record against Dallas during those years, with the Redskins never winning at Dallas. Even the pitiful 5-11 Cowboys of 2000 and 2001 got 2 wins against the Redskins. A rivalry that was once as evenly matched as could be imagined, a Rivalry that defined the NFL for the entire decade of the 80's, which was much watch TV for not just Redskin and Cowboy fans, but every football fan in the nation, had become a joke. The Redskins had dropped 14 of the last 15 match-ups, only winning a meaningless final game of the season in 2002. It was a joke. The Redskins were a joke.

That was true until September 19th, 2005. In the second game of the season, mired in a QB controversy and down 13 points with only 4:48 to go in the game. The ball was on the Washington 21 yard line and it was 3rd and a very long 27. The Dallas fans were all rejoicing as the game was over. And like so many years past the Redskins would lose to Dallas and this time it would hurt, hurt bad.

But all of a sudden our 35 year old QB who last year was booed off the field in his home stadium, and this year only re-won the starting QB job by default, mad a play that crystallized our season. Dropping back to pass and finding no one open, again, he decided to run the ball and make something happen. Here was this old man running for his life, avoiding a diving Dallas defender and gaining an unbelievable 25 yards. On Fourth and 2 he completed a 20 yard pass to James Thrash to finally get into Dallas territory.

After a 3 incomplete passes and a silly false start penalty the Redskins found themselves at 4th and 15 and once again looking at defeat, however Moss darted past Roy Williams and Brunell delivered a perfect 40 yard pass to Moss to finally pout the Redskins on the board. All of a sudden the team looked alive, they believed they could win. The Defense held the Cowboys to one first down and only 45 seconds of play clock time. Then the moment that many Redskin fans still can’t get out of their head, Brunell delivered a beautiful 70 yard strike to Moss who again beat Roy Williams deep and ran all the way in for the go ahead TD. The defense then held the Cowboys, twice, including a vicious hit by Taylor on Patrick Crayton.

Some called the game the Monday Night Miracle, I called it Redemption. Whatever you call it, it revitalized our franchise. Sure we have stumbled along the way (San Diego, Oakland, and Tampa Bay) but Sunday it is all on the line. Unlike ten years ago we are not just playing for a sweep. We are playing for our playoff lives and theirs. A win by either team will virtually eliminate the other from playoff contention. Getting to the playoffs would be sweet. Getting to the playoffs by eliminating Dallas and sweeping them on the season would be Cooley and Smoot get together to run a Cheerleader Love Boat Company sweet.

Renaldo Wynn had a wonderful comment after the Dallas win earlier this season.

“Oh my God Man. I mean, we never gave up man. We never stopped believing. That’s all I can say man. We kept the faith, that’s one thing we did man. Everybody said ‘You gotta believe! We can do it.’ When nobody else believes in us man we can do it. Our fans, for the community man. Hey Redskin fans this is for you man! We brought it back! You guys always said ‘Beat Dallas!’ We did it baby. Without you guys man…we are all in it together, for the community man. We love you guys.”

Play it again Renaldo. Play it again.

With A Little Help from our Friends

Redskins need to win this week, but they also need some help. The Redskins got no help this last weekend despite being teased by both Kansas City and Philadelphia. We need help this week, and we need it bad. So without further ado, here is your rooting card:

Saturday Rooting Card.

Tampa Bay at New England. Ok part of me is wondering whether or not I should root for Tampa to win the division and Carolina to become the wild card. The question is whether or not I believe it would be easier for Tampa to lose all of its three games or Carolina to lose two of the next three. If this game happened after the Carolina game then I would know what to root for. A Carolina loss and I root for Tampa, a Carolina win and I root for New England. This is a toss up though, and to be safe I am rooting for Tampa to lose. Go Patriots.

Kansas City at NY Giants. Quite simply this is the most important game for the Redskins besides of course their game against Dallas. KC was robbed last week against Dallas first by a very late holding call and then by a very bad kick. They are fighting for the playoffs and will come into this game incredibly pumped. The Giants played horribly against a Philadelphia team without McNabb, Westbrook, and TO. You gotta think KC is going to come in with a chip on their shoulder and help us out. We need the Giants to lose this game if we want any chance of a division win. Otherwise we would have to win out and the Giants would have to lose to the Oakland “can’t beat the NY Jets” Raiders on the last week of the season. With MLB Antonio Pierce and DT William Joseph out it will be hard for them to stop that high powered KC offense. The time is now for the Giants to stumble. Go Chiefs!

Sunday Rooting Card

Carolina at New Orleans. Man I am getting sick of rooting for New Orleans. They disappoint me every time. NO is a mess, and it was a mess even before playing the NFL’s worse schedule. However there is hope here. Carolina did lose to NO in week 1, but that was then and this is now. Regardless of whether Tampa wins or not I am still rooting against Carolina. More then likely the South will be decided by the last game of the year. In the meantime I am rooting for every real football team in the NFC South to lose. I guess that means rooting for NO again. Damnit. Go Saints (for what good it will do you).

Pittsburgh at Minnesota. This may be our best hope for Minnesota to lose another game this season. I have never seen such a cream puff schedule for the stretch run. Oh how I long for the Redskins to play in the NFC North. Give it up for the Vikings though, they have been on fire and playing well. Who knew that what happened on the Love Boat was actually a pep rally? This time though they are playing a real opponent that is also playing for a playoff spot in the very tight AFC. This is an easy pick. Go Steelers!

Atlanta at Chicago. This is the late game on Sunday and will be my first conditional pick. If the Vikings somehow pull out a victory against Pittsburgh it would actually be better for the Redskins if they win the division and the Bear to lose two of it’s next three. So I am issuing my first conditional rooting card. If Minnesota wins earlier against Pitt, I am then rooting for Atlanta against Chicago. If Minnesota loses, I am rooting for the Bears. My reasoning? I really believe that Minnesota could win the NFC North if they can beat Pitt. Chicago is truly a flawed team and having them lose 2 of the next three would be more believable the Minnesota losing both of it’s last two, especially since they play at Baltimore and the Bears at home. If Minnesota loses then I look to Chicago to give a lost to Atlanta drop them into the 6 loss category along with Minnesota and hopefully Dallas and us. So I will pop a comment on this article after the Minnesota game.

Hail Redskins!!!