Joe Gibbs, the Body Bag Game & Why We Beat the Giants This Week!

[Angry Red]

Been reading/lurking on this board since the very beginning but this is one of the few times (possibly the first time) I have posted. I am very confident we will win this weekend and here is why (kind of long sorry):

During the 1990 season the Skins suffered one of their most humiliating defeats against the Eagles, on Monday night no less, in what has become known as the "body bag" game. In that game the Eagles knocked out 7 of our players including both our starting and backup quarterbacks. If you remember we finished the game with rookie Brian Mitchell at quarterback running the option. In fact, 5 Redskins had to be carried off the field during that game.

The game was especially humiliating for me personally as I was a freshman at George Mason Univ. that year and I had two guys from Philly on my floor that gave it to me pretty good the week after the game.

In a similar fashion, many of the Eagle's players and their coach Buddy Ryan ridiculed the Skins after that game. As some of you may remember Coach Gibbs was not a big fan of Buddy Ryan and I am sure he was really embarrassed by that loss and p!ssed because of who the loss was to.

Well the Skins turned things around that season, made the playoffs and wouldn't you know it, they ended up with a first round matchup versus Ryan's Eagles at the Vet. With the humiliation for that loss still fresh in his mind Gibbs challenged his team in the week leading up to playoff game, reminding them of the beating they took in the "body bag" game and according to the Washington Post saying things such as:

"If you lose this game, Buddy Ryan is going to call you a bunch of fat a***s like he did last time. If you don't mind being called a bunch of fat a***s, that's your business."

Well to make a long story short we creamed the Eagles in that playoff game 20-6 in a game that was not as close as that score indicates. Ryan got so flustered during the game that he pulled Randall Cunningham who I believe had a pretty good year up to that point, and inserted Jim McMahon who was waaaayyy past his prime. The best part is that Buddy Ryan was canned after that game. Sweet Justice!!!!

Here is a link to a story on those games: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/sports/redskins/longterm/book/pages/172.htm

Anyway, I think the same kind of thing is going on at Redskin Park this week. Now I know this isnt an apples to apples comparison due to the fact that Coughlin & the Giants are not stupid enough to gloat or rub it in after their 36-0 a$$ whoppin of us in October and because I don't think Gibbs feels anything but respect for Coughlin (unlike Ryan). However I am sure Gibbs was really embarrassed by our showing up in the Meadowlands. I know Gibbs and especially Gregg Williams are challenging the pride of our players and reminding them of the humiliation against the Giants. I also know that the coaching staff has been working their a***s coming up with a great game plan this week. That is why I feel our boys will be even more ready for this game than they were before last weeks game.

Also I am old enough to remember Gibbs first tenure and it seems to me that whenever he played a team again after having lost to them earlier in the season the Skins always seemed to win more often than not (notwithstanding the '86 Giants and the '83 Raiders).

Comments? Am I way off on this?

(Note to Giants fans: no need for your input here, you can keep your B.S. to yourself, just move along)

:gaintsuck :eaglesuck :gaintsuck :eaglesuck :gaintsuck

[Om]

Helluva first post, Red.

Hope we don't have to wait 3 years for the next one.

[Vixz44]

good read. i definately think that well be ready for this one, especially on the defensive side of the ball. Barber seems to be sort of a "sneaky" running back, but i think Greg williams ego was hurt by that last loss, so i think hes bustin his arse this week thinking of ways to contain tiki. if what i read was right, and the giants are missing their 2 offensive tackles, i think our d-line will put alot of pressure on again, hopefully resulting in a few picks for us.

[Gallntfox]

I was at that body bag game that night at the Vet..........what a dump that place was......I was in these lower level seats that were so far under the overhang I could almost reach back and order a hot dog from the concession stand. What a crappy night I had in Philadelphia. The only thing that made it bearable was the pint of rum I smuggled in. They really laid us out that night.

[Angry Red]

Thanks Om! I don't mean to be overconfident or jinx the skins, I just don't see any way Coach Joe allows us to lose this one!!

HTTR!

[Angry Red]

Gallntfox:

I know what you mean. My older brother went to school at Annapolis and I went to about 5 Army-Navy games in that piece of crappola they called a stadium. Great games but geez what a dump!!!

[MLiverpool]

Great post

[AlvinWalton40]

Good point. Notice too how Gibbs during the Dallas game told them to stop playing the "Mama's don't let yout babies grow up to be Cowboys" over the PA at Fedex. That's because he knows the next game the Cowboys will want to avenge that humiliation and he didn't want to make it any worse than it was. Goes to show you indirectly how he thinks, because if he were coaching those Cowboys, God forbid, that would just add fule to his fire. I don't think we will automatically win this game just because Gibbs is looking for payback, but I'm pretty positive that the team will be well prepared, game plan wise and emotionally.

[SKINtil8tin]

Where've you been all this time, Red? Great first post. I remember that body bag game but not as well as you did. You reminded me of alot (Brian Mitchell at qb and how much of a jerk Ryan was.) I think the coaching staff is working overtime on the gameplan and will surprise alot of giant's fans that think they'll walk all over us again. One thing that we've been able to see in this team this year is the loyalty they have to Gibbs and the coaching staff and how much they want to please them. Disappointing Joe is the last thing anyone wants. Doesn't sound like much but we haven't seen that at this level since, well, since Joe's first tenure.

[Mister Happy]

Clinton Portis only had a few rushes in the Giants game.

Over the last 5 games, the Giants defense has given up an average of 135.4 rushing yards per game, including 114 to Ryan Moats. While Clinton Portis has averaged 106 and the Skins offense has averaged 147.2.

We are not going to have 38 yards rushing like last time.

[MustangSteve]

Thats what Im talking about brotha, Thats why Im not nervous at all, excited yes, knowing we are playing a very good team, and so was Dallas. Thats why I think we will have a Very Merry Christmas!!!!

[xsinner]

Great post. What stands out the most about Joe Gibbs is not his command of the X's and O's, but he is truly a master motivator. He will make just about any average player into an overachiever.

[MustangSteve]

Helluva first post, Red.

Hope we don't have to wait 3 years for the next one.

Amen Om, I have the faith in this team because of that hall of fame coach who does nothing but works so hard to give us fans not only good teams to cheer for, but Champion teams we can all be proud of.

Everything Joe Gibbs touches turns to gold and everything he coaches turns to Champions. Stats had nothing to do with me posting a sure victory over Dallas last week or NY this week, it sure wasnt because there bad teams either. Matter of fact Im very proud of the way our whole division played, the true NFC East is back and next year I think we will dominate the NFL.

Joe Gibbs is the reason Im confident in these wins and in late December, plus a pretty good team he has really brought together. That was one great post that should build every Redskin fans confidence. :applause:

[PCS]

I agree with the original post. And a good one it was at that. The team was embarrassed the first time out and though I'm betting they don't need it, the players have been reminded of that game this week. If like the first game, the team should have a genuine loathing for the Giants and what they did the first time.

"Vengance is a dish best served cold."

[Heavy Jumbo]

You know, today I started to feel pretty bad about our chances in winning this game. Not anymore.

Hope to see more posts like this from you, Red.

[MustangSteve]

Thanks Om! I don't mean to be overconfident or jinx the skins, I just don't see any way Coach Joe allows us to lose this one!!

HTTR!

Hey Red, I learned something about what people call a jinx the hard way. I followed a post saying all good things about the other team and giving them my all blessings instead of my own team. It was against Tampa and you seen what happened. They ended up being blessed and we got burned in every way we could in that game.

To jinx yourself or your team would be to curse the other team or wish harmful things in there personal life. I know I will never bless another team except my own again, if Im going to wish a team the greatest luck, it will be the Redskins.

Now I told giant fans there team suck just to aggrivate them hehe, I know that no team in the NFC East sux including Philly, they played right with NY and we better not take them easy either. What your post did was bring up the truth and help the fans who dont know a Gibbs team that well have the faith to relax and believe in his teams.

And by the way, if that post cant fire up a fan then we better call 911. :applause:

[Timurchin]

Joe Gibbs teams always beat Buddy's. Maybe it was a class issue with the football gods, but they never could get the best of the Redskins. I remember that game well and I think that we got some licks in too. It seems like that is the game that almost KILLED Jim at QB. He was tough, you gotta give em that.

[tlk2rn]

Man I remember that Monday night game like it was yesterday. I was watching it with my Eagles fan cousin and I was also talking in school that same day ( I was in 10th grade) about how we dust them. Well, never heard the end of it. All day long in each period people that didnt even know about football were ragging me alllllll day looong. Even at football practice. That was the longest day of my life. Now I am getting P'd off at those SOB's again. But I got my bragging rights back as we beat the Eagles in the PO's.

[Angry Red]

Yeah those two guys from Philly living in the same dorm as me, I actually WATCHED THE BODY BAG GAME WITH BOTH OF THOSE MORONS!!! Oh man was that excruciating. However, once those donkeys came back to school after our playoff win in the Vet I really laid into them, it was great.

I also remember going to a Caps-Flyers game at the Cap Centre the night before the Skins-Eagles Playoff game. All these idiot Flyers fans came down from Philthy and they were all wearing these paper Buddy Ryan masks and talking all kinds of trash. Well the caps won that night and then the skins won the next day. A Washington sweep over Philly.

Do the caps play the Rangers or Islanders this Friday???? :laugh:

[Chants]

Great Post, Angry Red!

I remember the body-bag game, but I forgot all about the playoff game. I thought we had our vengence the next season. Thank you for sharing you accurate memory and drawing an equally accurate comparison between the situation then and now.

I think the body-bag game really solidified the Skins that year and made them into Super Bowl champs the next year.

[dadyjr]

thanks for the link........great stories!!

[Rodriggo]

"You're excited? Feel these nipples!" -Bob Costas in Basketball

[Mark The Homer]

Well said, Red.

The two things that worry me the most are Barber, and the home crowd. The Barber problem is obvious. The home crowd is a question mark. I'm afraid there are going to be an abundance of empty seats, and therefore, lower crowd noise. On the other hand, maybe the fans that do show up will be ones that normally don't get to go to a game, and they will therefore be louder. I don't know. The weather is supposed to be particularly nice, high in the low 50s. Hopefully that will draw more fans. I just know that one way or the other, the crowd needs to be loud. We need to be deafening.

I was fairly confident last week vs Cowboys, and slightly more confident for this game. I think we have several things going for us. Even the fact that no defensive player made the pro bowl is a tool Gibbs will use to challenge the defense. You're right, Gibbs will use that last 36-0 game as a fire starter.

[BigRay]

Great post , I remeber that game all too well I attended that game. I am sure Gibbs will give these guys some motivation for this Giants game even though it wasn't the body bag game as for being carted off but we were beat physically it was embarassing. Gibbs will be far more prepared you will see a completely different game . I am sure that players and some staff might have saw that little picture in the New York Post that will give them some incentive.

I'm more anxious about this game then nervous as long as we play our game we will be just fine no turnovers , no silly penalties .

[rockANDallstar]

I bet the same sort of thing could happen here--Gibbs is DEFINATELY gonna try and rally the team together to get revenge against the Giants for that embarrassing shutout, but we are yet to see what they are going to do with it. Let's run away with this one!