1989: Cunningham Throws for 447 Yards & 5 TDs as Eagles Stun Redskins

The Philadelphia Eagles were 1-0 as they faced the Washington Redskins, rivals in the NFC East, on September 17, 1989. Entering their fourth season under brash Head Coach Buddy Ryan, the Eagles had surged in the second half of the ’88 season to a 10-6 record and the NFC East title for their first postseason appearance in seven years. Central to the offense was QB Randall Cunningham (pictured above), who passed for 3808 yards and ran for 624. Beyond the fleet-footed quarterback, the running game was ordinary, with RB Keith Byars proving to be more effective as a receiver out of the backfield than a runner from scrimmage. The attacking defense was led by DE Reggie White and, while prone to giving up big plays on passes, improvement was anticipated. The Eagles defeated Seattle with ease in the first week.

Washington was coached by Joe Gibbs, who had enjoyed much success since taking over the team in 1981 but was coming off of a disappointing 7-9 record in 1988. QB Mark Rypien was taking over for the hobbled Doug Williams and it was hoped that the running game would improve with the addition of RB Gerald Riggs from the Falcons. It was also anticipated that the defense would recover from an injury-riddled year. The Redskins suffered a tough opening loss against the Giants the previous Monday night.

There were 53,493 fans in attendance at RFK Stadium. The Redskins struck quickly when, on their first play from scrimmage, Mark Rypien threw to WR Gary Clark for an 80-yard touchdown. The extra point attempt was aborted due to a bad snap but Washington held the early 6-0 advantage.

That lead got larger when DE Charles Mann recovered a fumble by FB Anthony Toney at the Philadelphia 41 and, on the next play, Gerald Riggs broke away for another TD. This time Chip Lohmiller added the point after and, having run just two offensive plays, the Redskins were up by 13-0.

It got worse for the Eagles when a Randall Cunningham pass was intercepted by CB Brian Davis, who returned it 13 yards to the Philadelphia 12. Two plays later, Rypien tossed a scoring throw to RB Earnest Byner from 11 yards out and, following another Lohmiller conversion, the home team was ahead by 20-0.

The Eagles responded with a nine-play, 80-yard series that included an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty on the defense and a pass from Cunningham to Keith Byars that picked up 28 yards. Cunningham connected with TE Keith Jackson for a 17-yard touchdown and, following the extra point by Luis Zendejas, the score stood at 20-7 after an eventful first quarter of play.

As the game headed into the second quarter, the Redskins came back with an 80-yard possession in eight plays. Riggs (pictured below) carried for a 46-yard gain and Rypien threw to Clark for 21 yards before the series ended with another Rypien-to-Clark TD, this time covering five yards. Lohmiller’s conversion put Washington ahead by a formidable 27-7.

The Eagles got a break on defense when DB William Frizzell picked off a Rypien pass and returned it 23 yards to the Washington three. From there, Toney ran for a touchdown and, with Zendejas adding the PAT, Philadelphia was down by 13 points at 27-14. However, before the first half was over, the Redskins put together a long drive of 63 yards in 12 plays. Rypien completed a pass to WR Art Monk for 17 yards and two to WR Ricky Sanders for 13 and 14 yards to set up a 25-yard Lohmiller field goal. Washington took a 30-14 lead into halftime.

The third quarter was relatively quiet, with the Eagles mounting a 92-yard drive in 12 plays for the only score. Cunningham connected with Byars for 31 yards, WR Mike Quick for 21, and Byars again for 12 along the way before tossing a touchdown pass to Jackson that covered five yards. Zendejas converted and it was a 30-21 game heading into the final period.

Philadelphia narrowed the margin even further in the early minutes of the fourth quarter after SS Andre Waters recovered a Rypien fumble and returned it 16 yards. In a drive that covered 42 yards in seven plays, Cunningham passed to Byars for 20 yards and connected with WR Cris Carter for a five-yard TD. Zendejas booted the extra point and suddenly the Eagles were only two points down at 30-28.

The visitors regained possession on a fumble and appeared primed to take the lead, but Zendejas missed on a 33-yard field goal attempt. Having gained a reprieve, and following an exchange of punts, the Redskins finally got on the board again following a six-play, 71-yard series that concluded with Rypien going long to Monk for a 43-yard touchdown. Lohmiller added the point after that put Washington ahead by a seemingly comfortable 37-28 with 3:06 remaining on the clock.

Philadelphia responded with a drive that covered 69 yards in eight plays. Cunningham completed five straight passes that included one to Jackson for 17 yards and two to WR Gregg Garrity that covered 29 and 12 yards. Finally, it was Cunningham to Quick, who made a leaping grab for a two-yard TD and, with Zendejas adding the extra point, the Eagles were down by just 37-35.

It looked as though the two-point margin would hold for the Redskins, however, as Riggs took off for a 58-yard gain on first down to the Philadelphia 22. But two plays later, and with 1:16 left on the clock, LB Al Harris recovered a Riggs fumble and, before he could be pulled down by OT Jim Lachey, he handed off to FS Wes Hopkins who proceeded to charge 77 yards down the sideline to the Washington four (While Coach Gibbs complained that the Hopkins runback was due to a forward lateral, the replay official indicated that it was inconclusive).

On the next play, Cunningham threw to Jackson (pictured below), who was open in the end zone for a touchdown and Zendejas tacked on the point after. Any remaining chance for the Redskins ended when Rypien fumbled while being sacked by DT Jerome Brown and Reggie White recovered at the Washington 15 with 43 seconds to go. The Eagles, trailing for almost the entire game and twice by as many as 20 points, came away winners by a final score of 42-37.

The Redskins had the edge in total yards (492 to 474) although Philadelphia had far more first downs (32 to 16). Washington turned the ball over a critical six times, to three by the Eagles. The Redskins recorded four sacks to two by Philadelphia.

Randall Cunningham, who just received a five-year contract extension, had a huge performance as he completed 34 of 46 passes for 447 yards (breaking a team record that had been set in 1953) with five touchdowns while giving up one interception. Keith Jackson had 12 catches for 126 yards and three TDs and Keith Byars gained 130 yards on his 8 pass receptions. Anthony Toney rushed for 24 yards on 9 attempts that included a score. On defense, Jerome Brown had a notable performance with nine tackles and two sacks.

For the Redskins, Gerald Riggs gained a club-record 221 yards on 29 rushing attempts with one touchdown, but the outstanding performance was tarnished by the late fumble. Mark Rypien was successful on 12 of 23 throws for 288 yards and four TDs while being picked off twice. Gary Clark caught four passes for 153 yards and two touchdowns and Art Monk also had four receptions, for 87 yards and a TD.

“I told them I’ve been to Super Bowls and all that, but I’ve never been associated with a game like that,” said Buddy Ryan. “It was a knock-down, drag-out.”

“It is probably one of the low points since I’ve been here,” said Joe Gibbs in defeat. “It was one of the toughest losses I’ve ever been part of.”

The Eagles, who were 2-0 for the first time since 1981, lost their next two games but reeled off four straight wins before briefly slumping. They lost the rematch with the Redskins at home in a far more low-scoring contest (10-3) and went on to place second in the NFC East with an 11-5 record, securing a playoff spot and losing to the Rams in the Wild Card round. Washington recovered to win three of its next four games and, after slumping to 5-6, finished the season with five consecutive victories to end up third in the division at 10-6, although out of the playoffs.

The fortunes of the game’s major statistical performers varied over the course of the season. Randall Cunningham passed for 3400 yards and 21 touchdowns, with 15 interceptions, and again led the club in rushing with 621 yards. While he was chosen to the Pro Bowl for a second straight year, his performance was uneven as injuries to receivers, in particular Mike Quick and Keith Jackson, took their toll. Jackson still managed to gain selection to the Pro Bowl as well, although his numbers were reduced to 63 catches for 648 yards (10.3 avg.) and the three touchdowns scored against Washington were his total for the year.

Gerald Riggs also failed to sustain a strong start, not reaching the hundred-yard mark in the remainder of an injury-plagued season (although he did gain 99 yards in Week 7 against Tampa Bay). He finished with 834 yards on 201 carries (4.1 avg.) with four TDs.

1992: Fumble Recovery Propels Redskins to Defeat of Cowboys

Two bitter NFC East rivals, the Dallas Cowboys and Washington Redskins, faced off at RFK Stadium on December 13, 1992. The Redskins, coached by Joe Gibbs for the twelfth season, were the defending NFL Champions but finding the going more difficult the year after winning the Super Bowl. Following a 5-2 start, they lost three of four games and were at 8-5. QB Mark Rypien was not performing up to his level of the season before and the vaunted offensive line was injury-riddled. However, 30-year-old RB Earnest Byner was still dependable, the receiving corps led by WR Gary Clark was a good one, and the defense remained tough.

Dallas was the up-and-coming team under Head Coach Jimmy Johnson and came into Washington with an 11-2 record, including a win in the season-opening contest with the Redskins. The offense had a solid nucleus with QB Troy Aikman, RB Emmitt Smith, and WR Michael Irvin and the defense was outstanding. The Cowboys had been a Wild Card team in 1991 and were looking to top the NFC East for the first time since 1985.   

There were 56,437 enthusiastic fans in attendance on a cloudy and breezy day. The teams traded punts to start the game before SS Kenneth Gant intercepted a Mark Rypien pass that was bobbled by TE Terry Orr at midfield and returned it to the Washington 42. The Cowboys advanced 37 yards in 10 plays, the biggest a throw from Troy Aikman to WR Alvin Harper for 21 yards. Emmitt Smith gained the necessary yardage to convert a fourth-and-one situation at the 10 yard line, but the Cowboys couldn’t reach the end zone and Lin Elliott kicked a 23-yard field goal.

The teams returned to exchanging punts for the remainder of the opening period and into the second quarter. Taking possession at their own 47 after a Kelly Woodburn shanked punt traveled 30 yards and went out of bounds, the Cowboys drove 53 yards in six plays. Facing third-and-nine, Aikman connected with Michael Irvin for 40 yards to the Washington 12 and then completed two passes to TE Jay Novacek, the second for five yards and a touchdown. Elliott added the extra point and the visitors were up by 10-0.

The Redskins again had to punt following their next series, which saw the home crowd boo Rypien for twice missing makeable throws intended for Gary Clark, but got a break when WR Kelvin Martin slipped and muffed the kick and center Guy Bingham recovered for Washington at the Dallas 41. On the next play, RB Earnest Byner (pictured at left), faking a sweep to the right that successfully fooled the defense, threw an option pass to Orr for a 41-yard TD and, with Chip Lohmiller’s conversion, the Dallas lead was narrowed to 10-7.

The Cowboys advanced into Washington territory on the next possession, helped along by Smith’s 17-yard run to the Redskins’ 41. However, following a short carry by Smith, Aikman threw three incomplete passes, the second of which was broken up in the end zone and the third nearly intercepted by LB Wilber Marshall. Dallas was forced to punt and pinned the Redskins inside their 20, which ultimately resulted in a 50-yard line-drive punt by Goodburn that Martin returned for 18 yards to the Washington 42.

Taking over on offense with 2:06 remaining in the first half, it took seven plays for the Cowboys to score again. Aikman completed passes to Harper for 12 yards and Martin for nine, but a holding penalty backed Dallas up. However, a pass interference call on the Redskins gave the visitors a first down at the Washington 11 and, three plays later, it was Aikman to Novacek once again for a five-yard touchdown. Elliott added the point after and Dallas took a 17-7 lead into halftime.

The Cowboys had the first possession in the third quarter and punted from midfield. Washington put together a 12-play, 68-yard series in response. Byner ran effectively and Rypien completed four passes, the longest to WR Ricky Sanders for 29 yards. But after finding themselves with first-and-goal at the one, the Redskins lost yardage and had to settle for a 32-yard Lohmiller field goal.

Dallas was on the move as the game headed into the fourth quarter, helped along by a fake punt in which FB Daryl Johnston ran for 13 yards in a fourth-and-six situation to the Washington 38. Smith ran for 18 and 14 yards on the next two plays and the Cowboys had first-and-goal at the six. But following two more carries by Smith, Aikman passed on third down and LB Andre Collins intercepted and returned it 59 yards to the Dallas 42. Rypien had completions to Clark for 16 yards and Sanders for 13 as the Redskins drove to a 22-yard Lohmiller field goal. Instead of Dallas potentially scoring a game-clinching touchdown, Washington had now made it a four-point contest at 17-13.

On the third play of the next Dallas series, Irvin fumbled when hit by CB Darrell Green after gaining 20 yards on a pass from Aikman. SS Danny Copeland recovered and returned it 15 yards to give the Redskins the ball at the Dallas 24. Rypien passed to Clark for 13 yards and Byner had a four-yard run, but the home team found itself facing fourth-and-one at the Dallas two and Rypien’s pass intended for Clark was overthrown.

The clock was down to 3:33 to play as the Cowboys took possession. Johnston ran up the middle for two yards, but on second down Aikman fumbled while being sacked in the end zone by DE Jason Buck, who overwhelmed center Mark Stepnoski and got a hand on the ball just as the quarterback was about to go into his throwing motion (television replays were inconclusive as to whether Aikman had already begun to move his arm forward before losing the ball). Smith picked the loose ball up for Dallas, but he was hit by Collins and Copeland and tried to toss the ball out of the end zone. Copeland managed to recover for Washington for a touchdown, but the resolution of the play added to the bizarre situation as the safety had already left the pileup with ball in hand and run to midfield to celebrate while the officials were still sorting out who had possession, and he had to return to the end zone. Lohmiller converted and the Redskins were ahead by three points.

There was still time for Dallas, and with the crowd in a frenzy, Aikman threw back-to-back 14-yard completions to Martin and Irvin. Another throw to Martin was good for 10 yards to the Washington 38, but Aikman was then sacked by Collins for a loss of seven yards. A toss to Smith regained the yardage, but on third-and-10, Aikman was sacked once again, this time by LB Monte Coleman. Aikman threw for Harper on fourth-and-17, the pass was incomplete, and Washington came away with a 20-17 win.

The Cowboys had the edge in total yards (342 to 246) and first downs (22 to 14). However, the Redskins recorded four sacks, to two by Dallas, and the Cowboys turned the ball over four times, one leading directly to the winning touchdown, to one suffered by Washington.

Mark Rypien had a mediocre performance as he completed 12 of 29 passes for 144 yards and gave up an interception. Earnest Byner rushed for 69 yards on 19 carries and also tossed a touchdown pass. Gary Clark caught four passes for 50 yards and Ricky Sanders gained 53 yards on his three receptions.

For the Cowboys, Troy Aikman was successful on 23 of 35 throws for 245 yards and two TDs with one picked off. Emmitt Smith (pictured at right) gained 99 yards on 25 rushing attempts and caught five passes for 16 yards. Michael Irvin also had five pass receptions, for 105 yards, while Jay Novacek scored two TDs among his five catches for 25 yards.

“It was one of the hardest-fought games I’ve ever been in,” summed up Coach Gibbs of the Redskins. “Everyone laid it on the line out there. This was one of the most emotional games I’ve been in, and it’s one I’ll always remember. There were a lot of great plays back and forth. This was two great teams and had everything wrapped into it.”

“The Redskins gave a great effort and we gave a great effort,” said Jimmy Johnson of the Cowboys. “They are to be commended.  Our guys will be all right. We came up short against a good football team on the road.”

The loss proved to be the last of the season for Dallas. The Cowboys won their remaining two games to place first in the NFC East at 13-3 and continued on in the postseason to a Super Bowl triumph over Buffalo. The Redskins lost two close contests to finish out the schedule with a 9-7 record that placed third in the division but still qualified for the playoffs as a Wild Card. They defeated Minnesota in the Wild Card round but lost to the 49ers at the Divisional level.

The decisive fumble recovery by Danny Copeland was one of three for the year and resulted in his only career touchdown. Earnest Byners touchdown pass was his only completion of the season, out of three attempts, and his third career scoring toss. He rushed for 998 yards on 262 carries (3.8 avg.) and caught 39 passes for another 338 yards (8.7 avg.), compiling a total of seven TDs.