courier2003 Posted December 25, 2012 Share Posted December 25, 2012 Dear Santa, I think it's fair to say that we 'Skins fans have been about as patient as possible given our playoff "drought." However, one thing we definitely don't want is a repeat of what happened 33 Christmases ago when we faced a similar situation to next Sunday. It was the last game of the regular season against the Dallas Cowboys, and the winner took the NFC East Division Title. I was only 12 years old at the time, but I still remember this game like it was yesterday. It upset me so much that my Mom threatened to take my game watching privileges away. Please don't do that to us again. Thank you and Merry Christmas to all. I want the coal in the Cowboy's stocking this time. December 16, 1979 at Texas Stadium The Redskins fell victim to another stunning Cowboys rally on the final day of the regular season as the visitors watched their division title and playoff hopes crash amid one of quarterback Roger Staubach's trademark comebacks. The Redskins actually blew two big leads in this game. In the first half, they took a 17-0 lead. By the third quarter, the Cowboys had come back to take the lead 21-17. Later in the second half, the Redskins wasted a 13-point, fourth quarter lead and a 151-yard, two-touchdown effort from John Riggins as the Cowboys scored two touchdowns in the final 140 seconds to stun the Redskins. To add insult to injury, the Bears snatched the final wild-card berth away from the Redskins with a 36-point win over the Cardinals. Dallas defensive tackle Harvey Martin tossed a funeral wreath in Washington's dressing room following the crushing victory. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UtXb40kM9gE Part I https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hc7FmLJys9I Part II https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1aM1YxJt_Eo Part III Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Diss Posted December 26, 2012 Share Posted December 26, 2012 Worst Redskins defeat ever. I remember it well and still haven't totally recovered. I want revenge for that game. I want it BAD. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hail2skins Posted December 26, 2012 Share Posted December 26, 2012 Horrible. One thing not mentioned in the OP was that even with the loss, the Redskins still could've made the playoffs, but got knocked out due to a game earlier in the day where the Bears had beaten the Cardinals 42-6. The Bears blowout allowed them to overtake the Skins in some point differential tiebreaker that proved to be the difference. By '79 I was living in the Philly area and the game was not televised up there......going by historical records, the Eagles had a 4 pm game with the Oilers, so maybe that what was on instead. I found the game on the radio somehow (I seem to remember it may have even been a Dallas station) and of course was jubilant as Riggins had the long TD run to put us up by 13. On cue, the CBS affiliate switched over to the Skins game just as Staubach threw the GWTD pass to Tony Hill, and of course the Skins drove somewhat into Dallas territory but didn't get a timeout called which would've at least set Mark Moseley up for a very long attempt. I had moved to Philly three years earlier and my first day of class up there (5th grade) I had my Skins jacket on and one of my classmates said "I like the Skins too." After the 1979 finale I called that friend and we were on the phone for several hours, lamenting what had just happened. Of course, three seasons later, we got to celebrate a significant Redskins win over Dallas and a Super Bowl title one week after that. There have been a good number of wild Skins-Cowboys endings over the years, but at least we have gotten the upper hand in a few recent ones (Monday Night Miracle, Hand of God). I expect this game to be similar to the '83 NFCCG and the most recent Turkey Day game, where the Skins get out to a nice lead and hold on to win. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LightningBuggs Posted December 26, 2012 Share Posted December 26, 2012 Worst Redskins defeat ever. I remember it well and still haven't totally recovered. Amen, brother. Amen. I'm so scarred from that game, that I can't bring myself to attend Sunday night. It was bad enough living thru that on TV 33 years ago. I don't want to risk witnessing it live in person. PS: As has been alluded to, Skins went into Sunday knowing they were in with a win, but still made it with a loss as long as the Cardinals stayed within 33 points of the Bears. Everyone figured that was a gimme. The Skins were almost definitely in. Then the Cards tanked. I haven't forgiven them to this day for that either. When they were NFCE foes, I enjoyed every time we hammered them after that day. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dark Acre Posted December 26, 2012 Share Posted December 26, 2012 Saw it on TV. Man did that hurt. Bus ride to school the next day was miserable. That was a 10-6 team when 10-6 meant something. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andyburd Posted December 26, 2012 Share Posted December 26, 2012 I still can never forget the horrible night in 79. I was crushed, when Riggo made the run with 4 mins left, I thought we had it but Clarence Harmon fumbled and then it all went south Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HighOnHendrix Posted December 26, 2012 Share Posted December 26, 2012 Just a bit before my time Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skins4eva Posted December 26, 2012 Share Posted December 26, 2012 Man...glad I wasn't alive for that one gents. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
C.Taylor Posted December 26, 2012 Share Posted December 26, 2012 Worst Redskins defeat ever. I remember it well and still haven't totally recovered. I want revenge for that game. I want it BAD. I'd say we got revenge for that game in the '82 NFC Championship game and the following December when we destroyed them in Dallas in a showdown for the NFC East title. Both teams were 12-2 going into the game. The Cowboys were so demoralized by the loss they lost the following week to rookie Dan Marino and were summarily ousted in the first round of the playoffs the next week. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SkinsGuru Posted December 26, 2012 Share Posted December 26, 2012 I wasn't alive when this game was played, but I always enjoy reading passionate Redskins memories. Sorry that this was a sour one. Suffice it to say, I'm nervous about Sunday night. All I keep telling myself is that "if you can't get it done at home when you know exactly what's at stake, you don't deserve to be in the dance anyway." HTTR. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gortiz Posted December 26, 2012 Share Posted December 26, 2012 Was this brought up alot on ES back during our 2005 run...i really never knew the details about this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hail2skins Posted December 26, 2012 Share Posted December 26, 2012 Was this brought up alot on ES back during our 2005 run...i really never knew the details about this. 2005 was the last time the Redskins and Cowboys played a late season game with playoff implications for both teams, and one that we likely had to win, but it was the third-to-last game of the season. This one is similar to 1979 in that it was the last one of the season. And we'll know by kickoff whether the Skins need to win to make the playoffs (they likely will need to win), but we absolutely need to win to capture the East and host a playoff game. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Darth Tater Posted December 26, 2012 Share Posted December 26, 2012 As devastating as the 1979 loss was, it had a lot to do with ushering in the Redskins dominance of the 80s. BTW, this game has many of the the same factors but only in reverse. The 1979 game was in Dallas while this time its here. It was the last regular season game for the Dallas QB legend, Roger Staubach while this time it is us who have a budding QB legend in RG3. We had sort of an end of Cowboy era then and what could sort of mark the beginning of a Redskins era this time. We had a legendary running back near the end of his prime (albeit one that would have sort of a resurgence from 1981-1985) and now we have a rookie running back making a name for himself. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TradeTheBeal! Posted December 26, 2012 Share Posted December 26, 2012 This game absolutely broke my 10 year old heart. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RFK Lives Posted December 26, 2012 Share Posted December 26, 2012 Yeah, I was 9 and remember being a bit of a crybaby over that one. I cried over Super Bowl XVIII as well. My image is always Joe Theismann arguing with the official that he had signaled timeout, he was almost jumping up and down. Not sure if the Skins did not have a timeout left or what happened but I am pretty sure it was Jerry Markbreit who was the referee who I swear to this day is/was a closet Cowpies fan. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/sports/redskins/longterm/1997/history/allart/dw1979b.htm OK, here is the write up, referee was Bob Frederic. We did have a timeout but the official made his call saying there was no time left. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pjfootballer Posted December 26, 2012 Share Posted December 26, 2012 I was 11, going on 12. Broke my heart also. We've gotten revenge for Clint Longley this Thanksgiving. Time to get revenge on Roger Staubach and his 1979 comback. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DCranon21 Posted December 26, 2012 Share Posted December 26, 2012 I was barely 1, and I wouldn't want to remember that L. That was gut-wrenching, as I remember my uncle used to talk about it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gortiz Posted December 26, 2012 Share Posted December 26, 2012 2005 was the last time the Redskins and Cowboys played a late season game with playoff implications for both teams, and one that we likely had to win, but it was the third-to-last game of the season. This one is similar to 1979 in that it was the last one of the season. And we'll know by kickoff whether the Skins need to win to make the playoffs (they likely will need to win), but we absolutely need to win to capture the East and host a playoff game. ahhhh, okay, thought we played Dallas last in 2005. Amazing ... this is very similiar to that 1979 last game in terms of positioning ...not outcome. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scruffylookin Posted December 26, 2012 Share Posted December 26, 2012 If the Vikings and Bears lose, this game will exactly be like the 1984 finale against the Cardinals. Skins had the WC wrapped up but needed a win to win the Division. The Cardinals with a win would win the Division but a loss and they're out. However if this turns out to be a play-in game for both teams, then there is no other game like this one in about 70 or so years for the Redskins at least. I can't think of a finale where the Redskins and their opponent is playing for one remaining playoff spot (be it WC or Division title). Even the 79 game the Redskins were alive until the next day. The flexing of this game to Sunday Night and making it the last game on the regular season schedule thus leaving the Redskins (assuming the Vikes and/or Bears win) with no scenarios to get in and the Cowboys already out of other scenarios, makes this game unique in modern Redskin history. If the Bears or Vikings win, this game on Sunday Night is very simply a playoff game, just a week earlier than everyone else. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarkB452 Posted December 27, 2012 Share Posted December 27, 2012 Worst Redskins defeat ever. I remember it well and still haven't totally recovered. I want revenge for that game. I want it BAD. Me too. I will be there with my dad and 2 brothers. We all remember that game far too well as does my mother as it ruined a family get-together we had that evening. ---------- Post added December-26th-2012 at 09:54 PM ---------- I was 11, going on 12. Broke my heart also. We've gotten revenge for Clint Longley this Thanksgiving. Time to get revenge on Roger Staubach and his 1979 comback. Amen...time to put another ghost to rest..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dirty Biggs Posted December 27, 2012 Share Posted December 27, 2012 We had the timeout called and there was a second left, It would of been like a 58 yard field goal for Mark Mosely Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TradeTheBeal! Posted December 27, 2012 Share Posted December 27, 2012 We had the timeout called and there was a second left, It would of been like a 58 yard field goal for Mark Mosely Here ya go. Its gonna go down just like this. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UcpmwzeSkFE Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Special K Posted December 27, 2012 Share Posted December 27, 2012 Wait, why the hell are we discussing this? NO NEGATIVE THOUGHTS should be discussed prior to Sunday. You're gonna make those of us already mentally unstable due to lack of sleep and anxiety want to jump off a damn bridge for fear of having to ever witness something like that (again, for those old enough). P.S. Thank you LORD for bringing me into this world after that catastrophe. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LightningBuggs Posted December 27, 2012 Share Posted December 27, 2012 Even the 79 game the Redskins were alive until the next day. The 79 Skins-Boys game became a "win and you're in, lose and you're out" game for the Skins around halftime. This was back in the day when many NFL games started at 1pm local time. So, for example, here in DC, we'd see games kickoff at odd hours like 2pm EST. That's what happened on this day. Cards were in Chicago and it was a 1pm CST kick. I can vividly recall CBS showing the final score of that game around halftime of the Skins 4pm EST game and making the comment that the Skins needed to win to make the playoffs. Boys were in either way. Sidenote: Does anyone remember when the NFL "standardized" kickoffs for the 1pm and 4pm EST hours? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Moseley Posted December 28, 2012 Share Posted December 28, 2012 This game makes 1979 seem like it was last year Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.