Favorite non-Super Bowl year

[kleese]

1999. Most consistent and complete looking. We were respected throughout the entire season. The only season since 1992 where we had that. I felt some of Charlie's decisions was beginning to pay off. A bad snap away from being in the NFC Championship. Never had so much confidence watching a offense play. We could do anything on offense. Our drives moved the ball down the field quickly.

Mike, I've been talking about the misconception of the 1999 season on these boards for 15 years so forgive me if you've heard this before, but I think 99 was much closer to a mirage than it was to being anything great. As a matter of fact I'd say the 1999 Redskins were very similar to the 2015 Redskins.

--The offense started white hot in 1999. First four games they were unstoppable. Mixed in a couple of other good outings after that. But for the remaining 3/4 of the season, the offense began to sag-- Brad Johnson went from stellar to average to pretty bad from the start to the finish. And he was just horrendous in the playoff game at Tampa. Awful.

--Including the playoffs, Redskins only beat one team above .500 in 1999-- and that was the Dolphins the last game of the year in a game that meant nothing to either and starters didn't play much.

--Our division and the NFC in general was terrible in 1999. TWO 8-8 teams made the playoffs that year. We had several opportunities to improve out seeding, get a bye, and/or host the divisional round, and we lost them all. Swept by Dallas and lost close games against good teams like the Colts and Bills.

The offense in 1999 started amazingly well. But it didn't sustain at all. Lots of clunkers or at least "meh" performances mixed in after the great start. And we didn't beat a good team all season long. Our defense was suspect. The playoff loss at Tampa was awful because our below average defense had a good day and our offense crapped themselves. BJ put forth a miserable outing and made a colossal mistake on an interception to John Lynch.

I thought the 2000 team was actually better overall than the 1999 team, especially when Jeff George played mid-season. I will always believe that if George started the 2000 season at QB that we would have won the division. The defense was vastly improved from 99. Ultimately, with Norv we probably would have bowed out earlier than we should have, but I will go to my grave screaming about Brad Johnson being the most overrated player in my lifetime as a Redskin fan.

[mike42]

Mike, I've been talking about the misconception of the 1999 season on these boards for 15 years so forgive me if you've heard this before, but I think 99 was much closer to a mirage than it was to being anything great. As a matter of fact I'd say the 1999 Redskins were very similar to the 2015 Redskins.

 

 

I've been a fan since 1993, so I had don't have much options to choose from. If I was born a tad sooner, I would easily say 1986.

 

We had the 2nd best offense in 1999. 443 points. In a normal year, we would have been #1. But the historical Rams offense owned the league. Now, our defense did suck in early part of the season, but it turned around to be middle of the road.

 

It's not fair to hold a weak schedule against us because we did what playoff teams do which is winning 10 games in a league of 32 teams. Playoff teams always beat sub .500 teams. Besides, we carried our momentum from late 1998 over to 1999.

 

Brad Johnson was playing well at the end of the season. Brad wasn't asked for many explosive games because he had a running attack which ran over or around 200 yards every game which is incredible then. Brad didn't go down hill. You don't go down hill when you pass for over 4,000 yards in a season. He had like 450 yards to beat the 49ers to clinch the east crown in December. Can't Blame Brad Johnson for Tampa Bay, even the Rams struggled the next week with like 11 points. Tampa Bay had the best defense at the time.

 

I thought 2000 team went from scoring 443 points to scoring 281 the following season. I don't think there was nothing Jeff George could have done. Team was a sinking ship at the end. 4 out of 5 games lost, then Norv gets canned. 1999 sunk in playoffs. 2000 sunk in mid season. Big difference. 2000 Defense was dramatically improved, but overall results was worse for everything else. The offense and running game wasn't as dynamic. We simply didn't score points and didn't win.

[Thirtyfive2seven]

All that have already been mentioned are great but the 1999 season was so exciting!  Brad Johnson was a beast.  The defense was solid.
Then after that, Marty Ball.  That year was fun!

 

All of the Gibbs years were amazing.  Both 1 and 2.

 

For a team that hasn't really done much since 1991 we have had some amazing games in recent memory. 

 

[scruffylookin]

My favorite non-Super Bowl teams, and one of my favorite teams/seasons regardless of Super Bowl, is 1986.

 

Three of the main guys who were the "face" of the Redskins as a kid were gone or about to be gone in Theismann, Riggins and Moseley. There was some uncertainty as to how good the Redskins would be. The perception was that they had dropped in quality and had been overtaken by teams like the Bears, Rams and Giants.

 

So to have that team jump out 5-0 and get all the way to 11-2 before losing back to back games to the eventual Super Bowl teams was a pleasant surprise. I enjoyed the hell out of that year. Loved the Schroeder comebacks and what sealed that teams place in my heart forever was their win in Chicago against the defending Champs. One of the greatest wins I've seen by the Redskins. I was never more proud of the Redskins and being a Redskins fan, and this includes Super Bowls, than I was after that game.

 

As for not beating the Giants, they were the better team. No shame in admitting that. Hell they remained a thorn even in 1991 when we had a Super Bowl machine and they were mediocre and fought us tooth and nail in New York that year. Those Giants of the mid to late 80's and early 90's just matched up really well against us.

 

As for more modern season, I enjoyed the playoff runs of 99, 05 and 15 a lot. 2007 was rough. I really can't rank it up above those other season because of the Taylor death. But the best of all had to be 2012. It was special. RG3 was just breathtaking that year and his aura made the season fun even in losses. I guess the low point was the Steelers and Panthers games but otherwise there was always something to latch onto to marvel at even in the losses. Then that 7 game streak at the end. Beating Dallas on Thanksgiving, beating the Giants on National TV, beating the Ravens in OT, our "other" rookie QB playing great (after a rocky start) in Cleveland, and of course beating the Cowboys with everything on the line. We finally avenged 1979. Boy that was a fun season.

[Playaction2Sanders]

'83 ( does that count if they didn't win it?)

 

'95 cause we swept the SB champion Cowboys that season.

 

'99 Obviously as the Norv Era finally gave us a playoff team.

 

'04 That defense that year made me cry they played with so much gut and heart despite our crappy offense.. They were what #3 or #5 in total defense despite being on the field a ton more than the defenses ahead of them.

 

'05 Offense caught up with the defense

 

'07 Memorable for the wrong reasons but it had its moments in the end..

 

'12 Obviously

 

'14 Obviously..

[hail2skins]

Even though it turned out to be a mirage, 2012 was the best. So much hope and so much excellence. We were trouncing people and so many games were like celebrations. It was all finally clicking. I had so much fun that year despite Mara's effort to "cap"size us.

The QB who we invested four high draft picks in is no longer with the Skins and so far, aside from the Jets and Browns, hasn't got as much of a sniff from another team (even though, aside from Ostweiler, hasn't been a lot of QB movement this offseason).

 

The RB who torched the Cowboys in that regular season finale is scheduled to visit Dallas on Monday!

 

Did 2012 actually happen??

[Nfcbeasts4721]

2012 for the younger generation.

For me 1981 is the absolute best non SB in Skins history. Gibbs 1st year. 0-5 sucked but 8-3 down the stretch and beating good teams while playing good football. The emergence of the Hogs, the return of Riggins, Joe T finally figuring out how to play QB.

I remember after the final game, Brent Musberger turning to Jimmy the Greek and saying "right now the Redskins may be the best team in football", and The Greek responding that maybe 1 or 2 teams would be a couple of point favorites.

Very nice story thank you for sharing..I was 4 than..I remember watching all the Monday night games the skins played in the 86' 87' season at a sports bar in Palmdale California with my dad and eventually the awesome Superbowl win..that's when my actual redskins games watching days began..thanks for sharing the memories again!

[illone]

What have you done for me lately?

 

I'd say 2015.

[clskinsfan]

It's 1986 for me. After the crushing loss of the Super Bowl in 1983. We lost in the divisional round in 1984 to the Bears and then finished 3rd in the division in 1985 missing the playoffs. A lot of us (me and my family) were wondering if Gibbs was a one time championship coach as things had been trending downhill since the SB win. Then in 1986 the Redskins were a serious force in the league. Schroeder and Rogers were fantastic that season (ironically neither did much in the next season's super bowl win). We were shut out by the Giants in the NFC Championship game. But that season told me that Gibbs was the real deal. 

[TD_washingtonredskins]

It's 1986 for me. After the crushing loss of the Super Bowl in 1983. We lost in the divisional round in 1984 to the Bears and then finished 3rd in the division in 1985 missing the playoffs. A lot of us (me and my family) were wondering if Gibbs was a one time championship coach as things had been trending downhill since the SB win. Then in 1986 the Redskins were a serious force in the league. Schroeder and Rogers were fantastic that season (ironically neither did much in the next season's super bowl win). We were shut out by the Giants in the NFC Championship game. But that season told me that Gibbs was the real deal. 

 

Nice post. I think 1986 truly proved that the Gibbs-led Redskin team could shed its skin and reboot itself with new players. That was the second of three mini-eras within Joe's first tenure: 

 

1981-1984

1985-1988

1989-1992

 

If you think about it, the second year in each mini-era yielded encouraging results after a "down" first year. In 1982 we won the Super Bowl (but honestly were probably a year ahead of schedule given that the 1983 team was possibly better). In 1986 we were the second-best team in the league but had the Giants in our same division (and I'm convinced we'd have lost to them a fourth time if we played them). In 1990 we got back to the playoffs after two straight seasons of missing them. 

 

You could nitpick on the exact years above...1985 and 1988 were transition years given how older players were phased out and younger players were phased in. 

[NoCalMike]

1999.  And maybe for a different reason than most.  I worked weekends at the time so my coverage of the 'Skins was mostly listening to NFL updates on sports radio while I was washing/detailing cars that were sold on the lot.  It was the most dedicated I can remember being while not having access to watch the games.  Then when playoff time came I put on some straight ninja moves to watch the playoff games in an unknown-to-most break room at the very back of the lot.   Beating the Lions was as great a victory the franchise had accomplished since 1992 and then we played Tampa and it was just a sloppy mess of a game that I still thought they were going to pull out until that freak fumble-roll to Warrick Dunn, and screwing up a FG......

 

I walked back to my detail tent a broken fan, but I really pinpoint 1999 (I was 19 years old) as the year my dedication to following the team took the next step.

[Veryoldschool]

No question about it 2015 because the football guys ran the team instead of Snyder.  I give Snyder credit for hiring SM and letting him and Gruden run the team.  Under SM and JG the team made smart picks who contributed and they played the best players on the roster and we went horrible to mediocre and finally found a real franchise QB not some Snyder wet dream.

 

 Obviously there were other years during Jack Kent Cook era but this is the first Snyder teamI really enjoyed because I believed it what they were doing. I was entertained in 2012 but I never believe in what they were doing.  Snyder lost me and I was demoralized when Marty got fired, only a real knucklehead owner would do something that stupid and I knew it at the time.  Bailing on Marty for the Old Football Coach was the first of so many Snyder disasters.  I haven't really felt optimistic about the team until 2015.

 

We at least for the moment have an owner that has delegated control of the football team to a proven GM who is making good decisions, a promising young coach who in my eyes made his bones when he benched Griffin and committed to Cousins the real QB talent on the team and then Cousins was able do so much more than I hoped.  At the end of 2015 we what every organization needs  alignment of the seniors, they are on the same page now.  You have to go back to the Jack Kent Cook days to see the team functioning so smoothly.  2015 is clearly my favorite year.