2000: Struggling Falcons Rally to Edge Panthers

The Atlanta Falcons were in the midst of a five-game losing streak as they hosted the Carolina Panthers on October 29, 2000. Two years removed from a NFC Championship, the Falcons, coached by Dan Reeves, were coming off of a losing season in 1999 and at 2-6 thus far in 2000. QB Chris Chandler was struggling behind a poor line and RB Jamal Anderson (pictured above), highly productive in 1998, was back after missing virtually all of ’99 with a knee injury but was slow in returning to form. The Falcons had beaten Carolina in a sloppy game in the season’s third week, putting them at 2-1, but had lost every game since. The Panthers, in their second year under Head Coach George Seifert, had a 3-4 record but were coming off of two wins in their last three games and were hoping to get into the playoff hunt.

There were 46,178 fans in attendance at the Georgia Dome. The Panthers had the first possession and put together a long series that covered 75 yards in 16 plays, helped along by a 26-yard pass interference penalty that converted a third-and-13 play. QB Steve Beuerlein completed four passes, two of them to WR Donald Hayes, and the longest to FB William Floyd for 15 yards. The drive finally stalled at the Atlanta 17 and Joe Nedney kicked a 35-yard field goal. The Falcons responded with a long series of their own as Jamal Anderson ran effectively and Chris Chandler also hit on four throws. Morten Andersen tied the score with a 35-yard field goal.

Following a Carolina punt early in the second quarter, Chandler had a pass picked off by DT Sean Gilbert to give the Panthers the ball again at the Atlanta 39. Helped along by a Beuerlein (pictured at right) throw to WR Muhsin Muhammad for seven yards to convert a fourth down, the visitors drove to another Nedney field goal, this time from 48 yards to go up by 6-3. The Falcons had another scoring opportunity later in the period, but Andersen missed a 46-yard field goal and the score remained unchanged at halftime.

Following an exchange of punts to start the third quarter, Chandler again gave up an interception, this time to SS Mike Minter who returned it eight yards to the Carolina 42. Beuerlein completed five passes, most significantly to Hayes for 19 yards and, on a third-and-19 play, to RB Tim Biakabutuka for 25 yards to the Atlanta five. The Panthers failed to reach the end zone, but they came away with a third Nedney field goal from 25 yards to extend the lead to 9-3.

The next Carolina possession also resulted in three points as a roughing-the-passer penalty, a Beuerlein toss to TE Wesley Walls for 19 yards, and an unnecessary roughness infraction that wiped out a sack helped the Panthers along. Nedney’s 24-yard field goal put the visitors up by 12-3 with 12:40 to play and it appeared that the visitors had the game in hand.

The Falcons instead came back with a 13-play, 80-yard drive. Chandler hit on four straight passes and seven overall along the way. Three were to WR Terance Mathis, including a nine-yard gain that converted a third-and-three situation, and two were to WR Tim Dwight, with one for 13 yards on a third-and-six play to the Carolina 19. Jamal Anderson ran for the last two yards, Morten Andersen converted, and the score was narrowed to 12-10.

Atlanta got the ball right back when Beuerlein’s next pass was intercepted by CB Ray Buchanan, who returned it 13 yards to the Carolina seven. Two carries by Anderson netted a yard and Chandler was sacked by LB Hannibal Navies for a seven-yard loss, but Morten Andersen booted a 31-yard field goal and the Falcons were up by a point with the clock down to 2:57.

There was still time for the Panthers, but Beuerlein fumbled when sacked by DT Ed Jasper on a second down play and DT Travis Hall recovered for Atlanta at the Carolina 21. While a holding penalty wiped out a 17-yard run for a would-be touchdown by Jamal Anderson and Morten Andersen missed on a 42-yard field goal try that hit the upright, there were just 50 seconds to play when the Panthers got the ball back. Beuerlein threw two short passes to WR Isaac Byrd, but the game ended on a desperate long pass toward the end zone that Buchanan intercepted to clinch the 13-12 win for the Falcons.     

In a game dominated by the defenses, Atlanta rolled up the most yards (281 to 209) while each team had 16 first downs. The Falcons did especially well on defense, holding the Panthers to just 30 rushing yards in 20 attempts and registering five sacks, to one by Carolina. The Panthers also turned the ball over four times, three in the fourth quarter, while Atlanta had three turnovers. Both teams were heavily penalized, with Carolina drawing 9 flags at a cost of 58 yards to 8 penalties for 98 yards on the Falcons.

Chris Chandler (pictured at left) completed 19 of 29 passes for 191 yards with no touchdowns and two interceptions. Jamal Anderson rushed for 90 yards on 25 carries that included the game’s only TD and also had 5 catches for 15 yards. Terance Mathis led Atlanta’s receivers with 7 pass receptions for 89 yards.

For the Panthers, Steve Beuerlein, who was heavily pressured throughout the contest, was successful on 21 of 41 throws for 202 yards and gave up three interceptions. Tim Biakabutuka led the receivers with 51 yards on four receptions as well as rushing with 23 yards on 14 attempts. Wesley Walls, who left the game with a season-ending knee injury in the third quarter, and Donald Hayes also had four catches apiece, for 47 and 41 yards, respectively. Joe Nedney was a perfect four-of-four on field goals.

“When you’re struggling like we are it seems like so many things happen and sometimes we are our own worst enemy,” said Atlanta’s Coach Reeves. “We are glad to get the win.”

“That is about as brutal a loss as they come,” said George Seifert from the Carolina perspective. “I can’t imagine that it can get much tougher than this.”

Unfortunately for the Falcons, the struggles continued and they didn’t win again until the season finale. Chris Chandler continued to have difficulty in an injury-plagued season and while Jamal Anderson ended up rushing for 1024 yards, Atlanta was unable to control the ball effectively while dealing with injury problems on defense. Their 4-12 record put them in the NFC West’s basement. Carolina won the next week but remained an inconsistent team that placed third in the division at 7-9.

1999: Redskins Overcome 21-Point First Quarter Deficit to Defeat Panthers

The Washington Redskins had a 2-1 record, but had not yet won at home, as they hosted the Carolina Panthers on October 3, 1999. Washington had a new owner in Daniel M. Snyder but Norv Turner was back for a sixth season as head coach. Only two of those years had yielded winning records, and they were 6-10 in 1998. There was a new starting quarterback in Brad Johnson (pictured above), obtained from the Vikings, and he was off to a good start with five TDs and no interceptions among his first 89 passes. RB Stephen Davis was over a hundred yards in two of the first three games and gained 93 the previous week, with a total of eight touchdowns scored while playing behind an improved line. The biggest concern was the defense, which had shown a tendency to give up significant yardage.

Carolina was at 1-2 under first-year Head Coach George Seifert, twice a NFL title winner with the 49ers, and had just won for the first time a week before. Conservative offensively in their first four years, the Panthers were now more willing to go to the air with QB Steve Beuerlein. RB Tshimanga “Tim” Biakabutuka provided breakaway speed when healthy. But like the Redskins, they had concerns regarding the defense.

There were 76,831 fans in attendance at Redskins Stadium. The teams exchanged punts to start the game before the Panthers struck quickly on the third play of their second series. Tim Biakabutuka (pictured below) ran around end for a 60-yard touchdown, John Kasay kicked the extra point, and the visitors were in front by 7-0.

Carolina got the ball back in short order when RB Brian Mitchell fumbled the kickoff return and CB Michael Swift recovered at the Washington 28. Steve Beuerlein immediately threw to WR Muhsin Muhammad for a 27-yard gain to the one and, two plays later, Biakabutuka scored from that distance for his second TD. With Kasay’s point after, the Panthers were up by 14-0 and the game was barely five minutes old.

The Redskins had to punt following their next series and Carolina took just two plays to cover 60 yards. Beuerlein threw to Muhammad for 15 yards and then it was Biakabutuka running up the middle for a 45-yard TD, his third of the game. Kasay again converted and Carolina was ahead by a formidable 21-0, still in the opening period.

Washington responded with a long drive of 14 plays that covered 78 yards and extended into the second quarter. Brad Johnson completed five passes, three of them to FB Larry Centers, the longest of which covered 19 yards. Stephen Davis ran effectively, as did Brian Mitchell, who gained nine yards on a third-and-three play, and it was Davis running for a one-yard touchdown to get the home team on the scoreboard. Brett Conway added the PAT.

On the first play of Carolina’s next possession, Beuerlein connected with WR Rae Carruth for 43 yards to the Washington 35. The Panthers picked up another ten yards before the drive stalled and Kasay kicked a 43-yard field goal to give the visitors a 24-7 advantage.

The Redskins responded with a big first down play of their own as Johnson passed to WR Michael Westbrook (pictured below), who broke away from CB Eric Davis on a 47-yard gain to the Carolina 33. Three plays later, Johnson went to Westbrook again for a 17-yard TD and Conway added the extra point.

A short possession by the Panthers ended with a punt and the Redskins picked up 37 yards on a pass interference penalty on CB Doug Evans. Runs by Johnson and Davis advanced Washington to the Carolina eight, but a loss on a running play and incomplete pass had the home team facing a third-and-11 situation. Once again it was Johnson to Westbrook for a touchdown. Conway’s extra point made it a three-point margin of 24-21 with 6:51 to go in the first half.

The Panthers had to punt again and it didn’t take the Redskins long to reach the end zone. On the next play Johnson threw to WR Albert Connell for a 62-yard TD and, adding Conway’s point after, the Redskins were in front by 28-24 at halftime. The 28 points in a single quarter set a club record.

The teams traded punts to start the third quarter before the Redskins added to their lead. It took just four plays to travel 60 yards as Johnson completed passes to Connell for nine yards and Westbrook for 16, with a three-yard run by Davis in between. Johnson’s third pass of the series was to Connell for a 32-yard touchdown and, with Conway’s conversion, the home team was now up by 35-24.

The Panthers drove into Washington territory on the next possession as Beuerlein completed three passes and Biakabutuka had a 16-yard run. But the drive stalled at the 34 as three straight throws fell incomplete and Kasay missed on a 52-yard field goal attempt.

The Redskins reached the Carolina 35 on their next series, but attempting to convert a fourth-and-five situation, Johnson was sacked by LB Michael Barrow. Beuerlein immediately threw to Muhammad for a 31-yard gain but the Panthers were backed up by a holding penalty, and while they got the ten yards back, they ended up with a Kasay field goal from 43 yards to narrow Washington’s lead to 35-27.

The Redskins punted on their next possession and the Panthers started off the fourth quarter with the ball at midfield. Beuerlein completed three passes and the visitors came away with another field goal by Kasay, this time from 42 yards, to make it a 35-30 tally.

Washington went three-and-out and the Redskins punted again from deep in their own territory. Taking over at the Washington 47, the Panthers took six plays to score. Beuerlein converted a third-and-ten situation with a pass to WR Patrick Jeffers that picked up 13 yards and a throw to Muhammad gained 31 yards. TE Wesley Walls caught a six-yard TD pass, and while the try for two points failed, Carolina was back on top by 36-35 with 10:28 to play.

The teams exchanged punts once more and the clock was down to 4:19 as the Redskins took over at their 19, and after Coach Turner successfully challenged a ruling that Mitchell had fumbled the ball away on his punt return. Johnson threw to Westbrook for nine yards and Davis ran for 12, but four plays later Washington was facing fourth-and-one. Davis kept the drive alive with a three-yard run and Johnson completed a pass to WR Irving Fryar for 16 yards to the Carolina 32. Two plays after that, Johnson threw to Westbrook for 19 yards and, after two runs into the line, Conway came on to kick a 31-yard field goal with six seconds to play. Washington won by a final score of 38-36. 

Carolina outgained the Redskins (483 yards to 418) and had the edge in first downs (23 to 22) although Washington had the longer time of possession (31:40 to 28:20). The teams were close in net passing yards with the Panthers leading by 328 to 308, and the visitors gained 155 yards on the ground, to 110 for the Redskins. Each team turned the ball over once.

Brad Johnson completed 20 of 33 passes for 337 yards and four touchdowns while giving up no interceptions. Michael Westbrook had 8 catches for 140 yards and two TDs and Albert Connell (pictured at right) had five receptions for 134 yards and two scores as well. Stephen Davis topped Washington’s rushers with 72 yards on 21 carries that included a TD.

For the Panthers, Steve Beuerlein was successful 23 of 47 throws for 334 yards and a TD while giving up an interception. Tim Biakabutuka ran for 142 yards on 12 carries that included three touchdowns, with 123 of those yards and all of the scores coming in the first quarter. Muhsin Muhammad caught 8 passes for 151 yards.

The Redskins raised their record to 3-1 and, while they slumped at midseason, they went on to top the NFC East at 10-6 and reach the postseason for the first time since 1992. Washington defeated Detroit in the Wild Card round before falling to Tampa Bay at the Divisional level. The Panthers finished at 8-8, which was an improvement for them after consecutive losing years in 1997 and ’98. That placed Carolina second in the NFC West.

Brad Johnson and Steve Beuerlein remained among the leaders in most passing categories, with Beuerlein topping the NFL in pass completions (343) and yards (4436) and ranking second to Kurt Warner of the Rams in TD passes (36) and passer rating (94.6). However, the immobile Beuerlein also ranked first in the NFC in being sacked (50). Johnson placed fifth in pass attempts (519), completions (316), yards (4005), yards per attempt (7.7), and passer rating (90.0), and was third in completion percentage (60.9) and tied for fourth with Oakland’s Rich Gannon in touchdown passes (24).

Michael Westbrook and Albert Connell remained an effective receiving tandem, with Westbrook catching 65 passes for 1191 yards (18.3 avg.) and nine touchdowns and Connell accounting for 62 receptions for 1132 yards (18.3 avg. also) and seven TDs. The totals all represented career highs for both receivers (although Connell averaged 19.5 yards on 39 catches in 2000).

Tim Biakabutuka characteristically missed five games and rushed for a career-best 718 yards on 138 carries (5.2 avg.) and six touchdowns. As the game against the Redskins showed, he could be outstanding on occasion, but injuries were a chronic problem.

Highlighted Year: Steve Beuerlein, 1999

Quarterback, Carolina Panthers

Age: 34

12^th season in pro football (11^th active), 4^th with Panthers

College: Notre Dame

Height: 6’3”   Weight: 220

Prelude:

Beuerlein was chosen by the Raiders in the fourth round of the 1987 NFL draft. A drop-back passer with a good arm and limited mobility, he started 15 games in his first two years with modest results. He held out prior to the 1990 season, which soured the Raiders on him and, after not being activated for any games that year, Beuerlein was traded to Dallas. When starting QB Troy Aikman was injured in ’91, Beuerlein started the season’s last four games, all wins, plus another victory in the postseason (the only one of his career). He backed up Aikman in 1992 and then moved on to the Cardinals, where he started in 1993 and passed for 3164 yards and 18 TDs, with 17 interceptions, but clashed with Head Coach Buddy Ryan in ’94 and had a lesser year. Beuerlein was chosen by the Jacksonville Jaguars in the 1995 expansion draft and was that franchise’s first starting quarterback, but lost out to Mark Brunell and was dealt to Carolina, where he initially backed up Kerry Collins in 1996 and ‘97. He took over for Collins in 1998 and completed a career-high 63.0 percent of his passes while throwing for 2613 yards and 17 TDs.

1999 Season Summary

Appeared in all 16 games

[Bracketed numbers indicate league rank in Top 20]

Passing

Attempts – 571 [2]

Most attempts, game – 47 at Washington 10/3, vs. Detroit 10/24

Completions – 343 [1]

Most completions, game – 29 at Green Bay 12/12

Yards – 4436 [1]

Most yards, game – 373 at Green Bay 12/12

Completion percentage – 60.1 [8]

Yards per attempt – 7.8 [3]

TD passes – 36 [2]

Most TD passes, game – 5 vs. New Orleans 1/2

Interceptions – 15 [8, tied with Peyton Manning & Elvis Grbac]

Most interceptions, game – 3 at San Francisco 10/17, at Atlanta 10/31

Passer rating – 94.6 [2]

300-yard passing games – 5

200-yard passing games – 15

Rushing

Attempts – 27

Most attempts, game – 4 (for 8 yds.) at Green Bay 12/12

Yards – 124

Most yards, game – 20 yards (on 3 carries) at St. Louis 11/14, (on 2 carries) vs. San Francisco 12/18

Yards per attempt – 4.6

TDs – 2

Scoring

TDs – 2

Points – 12

Awards & Honors:

Pro Bowl

Panthers went 8-8 to finish second in the NFC West.

Aftermath:

After his big year in 1999, Beuerlein had a lesser performance with a losing team in 2000, passing for 3730 yards and 19 touchdowns while giving up a career-high 18 interceptions. He was released by the Panthers and moved on to Denver, where he was inactive for all of 2001 due to an elbow injury that required surgery. He spent two more years with the Broncos, coaxed back by Head Coach Mike Shanahan for the last one in 2003, and brought savvy into his role as backup. Overall, Beuerlein lasted a total of 16 seasons, passing for 24,046 yards and 147 touchdowns, with most of his starts (51) coming with the Panthers, where he completed 60.4 percent of his passes for 12,690 yards and 86 TDs while giving up 50 interceptions. Tough and an able passer, his lack of mobility was a key limiting factor.

--

Highlighted Years features players who were consensus first-team All-League* selections or league* or conference** leaders in the following statistical categories:

Rushing: Yards, TDs (min. 10)

Passing: Yards, Completion Pct., Yards per Attempt, TDs, Rating

Receiving: Catches, Yards, TDs (min. 10)

Scoring: TDs, Points, Field Goals (min. 5)

All-Purpose: Total Yards

Defense: Interceptions, Sacks

Kickoff Returns: Average

Punt Returns: Average

Punting: Average

*Leagues include NFL (1920 to date), AFL (1926), AFL (1936-37), AAFC (1946-49), AFL (1960-69), WFL (1974-75), USFL (1983-85)

**NFC/AFC since 1970

2002: Tomlinson Rushes for 220 Yards as Chargers Beat Broncos in Overtime

The San Diego Chargers got off to a 6-1 start in the 2002 NFL season but then lost three of four before hosting the Denver Broncos on December 1. Coached by Marty Schottenheimer, the team featured RB LaDainian Tomlinson (pictured at right) on offense, already a star in his second year, and another second-year player, QB Drew Brees, had moved into the starting lineup with good results.

Denver, under eighth-year Head Coach Mike Shanahan, was at 7-4 and had beaten the Chargers earlier in the season. The Broncos had a star running back of their own in rookie Clinton Portis. But QB Brian Griese had been struggling with his consistency and 37-year-old backup Steve Beuerlein was starting.  He had seasoned wide receivers to throw to in Rod Smith and Ed McCaffrey.

There were 66,682 fans in attendance at Qualcomm Stadium. The teams traded punts until the Broncos put together a seven-play scoring drive midway through the first quarter. Beuerlein tossed back-to-back completions to Rod Smith for 23 and 13 yards and Jason Elam kicked a 54-yard field goal.

The Chargers came back with a 56-yard possession, but following a third-down pass from Drew Brees to WR Eric Parker that picked up 30 yards to the Denver 24, San Diego could move no farther and Steve Christie’s 42-yard field goal attempt was unsuccessful.

Denver wasted no time in scoring again as Beuerlein threw to Ed McCaffrey for 17 yards, Clinton Portis ran for 8, and on the third play of the series Portis carried again for a 43-yard touchdown run up the middle. The successful extra point made it 10-0 in favor of San Diego. However, now it was San Diego’s turn to strike quickly. On the first play following the kickoff, LaDainian Tomlinson took off around left end on a 76 yard run to the Denver six yard line. On the first play of the second quarter, Tomlinson rushed for a three-yard TD.

Following a punt by the Broncos that put the Chargers in good field position, Tomlinson again set the tone with a 24-yard carry and four plays later he reached the end zone from a yard out. San Diego had the lead for the first time at 14-10.

Denver turned the ball over on a fumble on its next series and once more it was Tomlinson scoring a touchdown to cap the ensuing possession, this time running in from five yards out. Down by 11 points, the Broncos struck fast as Beuerlein threw to McCaffrey for a 47-yard gain and, two plays later, Portis scored a touchdown on an eight-yard run.

The Chargers put together another scoring drive prior to the end of the half. Brees completed four passes and, with ten seconds left on the clock at the Denver two yard line, Christie booted a 20-yard field goal. San Diego took a 24-17 lead into halftime.

Denver started off the third quarter by driving to the tying score in ten plays. Portis rushed for 39 yards, including 18 on the first play, and caught a pass for 13. The series ended with Beuerlein tossing a 22-yard touchdown pass to RB Reuben Droughns and Elam added the extra point that made it 24-24.

Neither team was able to score during the remainder of the period, but the fourth quarter started with CB Alex Molden intercepting a Beuerlein pass to give San Diego possession at the Denver 30. Four plays later Christie kicked a 40-yard field goal that again put the Chargers in the lead by 27-24.

San Diego had a chance to add more points but Christie was wide on a 49-yard field goal attempt. Denver responded by driving to the Chargers’ seven yard line in 11 plays and Elam made good on a 24-yard field goal try that again knotted the score.

That was how it stood at the end of regulation. The Broncos had the first possession in overtime but had to punt. In a series that included a 25-yard run by Tomlinson the Chargers advanced to the Denver 19 but Christie’s 38-yard field goal attempt was blocked by DE Trevor Pryce. Beuerlein threw to TE Dwayne Carswell for a 19-yard gain as Denver moved into San Diego territory, and this time Elam was unsuccessful on a long three-point try from 53 yards.

Once again the Chargers drove into scoring position, with Tomlinson carrying the ball six times and Brees completing a pass to TE Stephen Alexander for 20 yards. With just over three minutes remaining in the extra period, Christie, who had a difficult day on field goal attempts, won the game with a 27-yard boot – his ninth career overtime field goal. San Diego ended up on top by a score of 30-27.

The Chargers had the edge in both total yards (434 to 417) and first downs (25 to 20). They also sacked Steve Beuerlein four times and didn’t turn the ball over at all, while Denver did so three times. The Broncos also committed nine penalties to just one flag thrown on San Diego.

LaDainian Tomlinson had the biggest performance, rushing for 220 yards on 37 carries with three touchdowns. Tomlinson’s rushing total included 10 carries for 57 yards in overtime. He broke his own club record of 217, which he shared with Gary Anderson, and was well on pace to break the team’s season rushing record held by Natrone Means (Tomlinson would exceed his single-game and season rushing records in subsequent years). With 11 pass receptions for 51 more yards, he gained 271 yards of total offense.

Drew Brees completed 27 of 41 passes for 217 yards with no touchdowns or interceptions. While Tomlinson was well ahead in leading the Chargers in pass receptions, his 51 receiving yards were three ahead of Eric Parker’s 48 on three catches.

For the Broncos, Clinton Portis (pictured below) gained 159 yards on 23 carries and scored two TDs – a fine performance that was overshadowed by Tomlinson’s. Steve Beuerlein was successful on 22 of 39 throws for 288 yards with a touchdown and two interceptions. Ed McCaffrey topped the receivers with 7 catches for 126 yards.

The overtime win improved San Diego’s record to 8-4, but they didn’t win again, losing four straight to close out the year at 8-8 and third in the AFC West. The Broncos recovered to win two of their last four games to place second in the division at 9-7, just missing the playoffs.

LaDainian Tomlinson finished second in the league in rushing with 1683 yards on 372 carries (4.5 avg.) and 14 touchdowns. He also caught 79 passes for 489 yards and another TD. His 2172 total yards ranked fourth in the NFL and he was selected to the Pro Bowl for the first of an eventual five times.

1991: Beuerlein Comes Off Bench as Cowboys Upset Redskins

The Washington Redskins were rolling along at 11-0 as they hosted their rivals, the Dallas Cowboys, on November 24, 1991. In their eleventh year under Head Coach Joe Gibbs, they had been as dominating as the record indicated, putting plenty of points on the board (including a total of 97 in the previous two games) while the defense had recorded three shutouts and not allowed an opponent to score more than 17 points in the last seven contests.

The visiting Cowboys were a team on the rise under Head Coach Jimmy Johnson. But while they had gotten off to a 5-2 start, they had lost three of their previous four games and were at 6-5 coming into Washington. Furthermore, the defense was ranked 25^th. Still, QB Troy Aikman was improving in offensive coordinator Norv Turner’s system and RB Emmitt Smith and WR Michael Irvin were also emerging as stars.

There were 55,561 fans in attendance at RFK Stadium. They saw the Redskins take a 7-0 lead in the first quarter when, with just under five minutes remaining in the period, CB Martin Mayhew intercepted an Aikman pass and returned it 31 yards for a touchdown.

The Cowboys evened the score in the second quarter when, facing a third-and-15 situation, Emmitt Smith scored on a draw play from 32 yards out. At the end of the first half, Aikman threw a “Hail Mary” bomb that WR Alvin Harper pulled away from CB A.J. Johnson for a 34-yard touchdown. Coach Jimmy Johnson had gone for the fourth down conversion for the third time rather than use PK Ken Willis, who tended to be more dependable kicking on an artificial surface than grass. In any case, it had worked out with Dallas holding a 14-7 halftime lead. The Cowboys had done a fine job of keeping the ball away from Washington’s offense in the first half and limited the Redskins to just 16 rushing yards.

It looked like trouble for Dallas, however, when Aikman left the game early in the third quarter with a sprained right knee. In to replace him was QB Steve Beuerlein (pictured at top). The 26-year-old Beuerlein had played three years with the Raiders after coming out of Notre Dame before moving on to Dallas just before the ’91 season to back up Aikman. A classic dropback passer with limited mobility, he also had strong leadership skills.

The Cowboys came up empty following Beuerlein’s entry into the game when Willis missed a field goal attempt. On their next drive, Beuerlein completed two throws to WR Michael Irvin but Dallas didn’t hit paydirt until the following possession as Irvin caught two more passes, including a one-handed grab for a 24-yard TD on the third play of the fourth quarter.

In response, the Redskins shifted to a no-huddle offense and drove 92 yards in 13 plays. RB Gerald Riggs ran the final yard for a touchdown and the Dallas lead was cut to 21-14 with 8:21 remaining to play. Dallas then ran some seven minutes off the clock in a 15-play series that ended with Willis kicking a 42-yard field goal for a 24-14 lead with 1:14 left in the game.

In the closing seconds, Rypien passed to Sanders for a 29-yard touchdown to narrow the margin. But the Cowboys recovered the ensuing onside kick and that was it. Dallas came away with a 24-21 win.

The Cowboys led in total yards (399 to 262) and first downs (23 to 15) and also held onto the ball for almost 39 minutes. The Redskins, for their part, recorded five sacks. Each team turned the ball over one time.

Troy Aikman was successful on 13 of his 20 passes for 204 yards with a touchdown and an interception before giving way to Steve Beuerlein, who completed 7 of 12 throws for 109 yards and a TD. Michael Irvin (pictured below) had an outstanding performance and consistently outmaneuvered CB Darrell Green, catching 9 passes for 130 yards and a touchdown. Alvin Harper added 101 yards on his four receptions that also included a score. Emmitt Smith rushed for 132 yards and a TD on 32 carries.

For the Redskins, Mark Rypien went to the air 33 times and completed 17 for 212 yards with a touchdown and one intercepted. WR Gary Clark caught 7 passes for 82 yards. The miniscule running attack was led by RB Ricky Ervins and his 29 yards on five attempts while RB Earnest Byner carried 8 times for 22 yards.

“From the very start, we were going to be aggressive,” said Jimmy Johnson. “We were going to be aggressive in all three phases and we would be aggressive in the play-calling.”

“It was one of those things – we just didn’t play well on any level,” summarized Joe Gibbs for the Redskins. “I thought they played very well.”

While the injury to Troy Aikman knocked him out for the remainder of the regular season, the Cowboys won their remaining games with Beuerlein at quarterback to finish with an 11-5 record for second place in the NFC East and a Wild Card spot in the playoffs. Dallas defeated the Bears in the first round before losing to Detroit at the Divisional level.

The Redskins came back to win three straight before losing the season finale and ending up with a 14-2 record atop the NFC East. They went on to win Super Bowl XXVI over the Buffalo Bills.

Steve Beuerlein completed 68 of 137 passes (49.6 %) for 909 yards with five touchdowns and two interceptions and despite his lack of mobility was sacked just six times. He also led the Cowboys to their Wild Card playoff win. Beuerlein backed up Aikman again in 1992 before moving on to the Cardinals.

Michael Irvin caught 93 passes for a league-leading 1523 yards (16.4 avg.) and eight touchdowns. He was a consensus first-team All-NFL selection and was named to the Pro Bowl for the first of five consecutive years. Emmitt Smith led the NFL in rushing with 1563 yards on 365 carries (4.3 avg.) and 12 touchdowns (he added another TD as a receiver). He also was named to the Pro Bowl, for the second of six straight seasons and eight overall.