Washington Final Score History (34-31)

[kleese]

This was the 78th time any game in the NFL has ended in a 34-31 score and the 74th time in the regular season. One Super Bowl (2012) as well-- Ravens 34, 49ers 31 

 

For Washington, this was the 5th time a game has ended 34-31. They are now 2-3 in those games with all but one (1965) coming on the road. 

 

1965: Washington 34, Dallas 31

1966: Washington 34, Dallas 31

1993: Philadelphia 34, Washington 31

2017: New Orleans 34, Washington 31 (OT) 

2023: Philadelphia 34, Washington 31 (OT)

 

Game Notes: 

 

--In both 1965 and 1966, the Redskins rallied down 2 scores in the 4th to beat the Cowboys 

 

--The 1993 game is VERY memorable to me. In many ways, this game signifies the beginning of the 30 years of disappointment surrounding the franchise. Petitbone had taken over for Gibbs and I don't think any Redskins fans really knew what was coming-- I certainly didn't. We destroyed Dallas on MNF to open the season and then suffered our first home loss to Cardinals in well over a decade the next week, which I chalked up to an anomaly. Third game of year was at Philly. It was a fun and wild game. Back and forth all day; Redskins led 21-10 in third and seemed to have some control before an Eric Allen Pick 6 gave the Eagles life. After Philly tied it 24-24, Reggie Brooks (who I thought was going to be a legend) took one 85 yards to the house. An Eagles FG made it 31-27 late, but we were unable to bleed the clock out. Eagles had one last chance and Randall drove them down the field, connecting in the back of the end zone to Calvin Williams to win it. This was a devastating loss at the time. The season completely spiraled out of control from there and in a lot of ways, we never recovered. 

 

--Unfortunately, the 2017 game at the Superdome was even MORE memorable for me because I was there. Now, ultimately, my memories are good. I took my oldest daughter for the weekend, who was 8 at the time. We had a great time and she loved the city. Gameday atmosphere was also fantastic (my only trip to the Superdome) and we played SO well that day. I thought Gruden coached one of his best games. At 31-15, it very much felt like we had it locked up. Obviously got antsy when Saints got it down to 8. Then, the hand off to Perine that came up half a yard short. We probably should have just gone for it. Had a very bad feeling once Brees got the ball back and the building was pretty electric. When they tied it, I think the roar overwhelmed my daughter and she got upset. I was trying to calm and console her as we drove for what would have been a game-winning FG attempt. Of course, we screwed up the drive after quickly getting into NOLA territory and didn't even get to attempt a FG. OT felt doomed...it was. My daughter was inconsolable on the way back to hotel. Funny, because I felt even worse than she did most likely, but felt I needed to be the grown-up and not pout myself. That one really hurt though. 

 

I had no such feeling this past Sunday. I wanted Ron to go for 2, but I don't think it was some sort of awful decision either. Little bit of bad luck there on the Terry non-catch in OT. But nothing about this past Sunday felt doomsday to me at all. More encouraging. 

 

HAD we gone for 2 and made it, it would have been the first 32-31 outcome in franchise history. Had we gone for it and not made it, it would have been the 25th game in NFL history to end 31-30 and we would have been involved in 7 of them. 

 

[NickyJ]

That 2017 loss to the Saints crushed me worse the 2009 game that Kareem Moore picked off and fumbled away. Brees is an awesome QB, but those two games made it impossible for me to even wish Brees or the Saints well.

Edited October 4, 2023 by NickyJ

[RFK Lives]

Thanks again for writing these up Kleese.

 

I made it to the Superdome in Marty's next to last game in 2001 where they were down 10-0 to the Saints and came back to win 40-10.  Saints fans were giving us hell when they were up 10-0 so when they started heading to the exits in the 3rd quarter, I was like, hey, where ya goin?  They replied, we are Saints' fans, we are used to this. I do remember the Super Dome smelling like urine everywhere, it had like carpet all over the place back then so can only assume all the drunken NFL games, Sugar Bowls etc. where people just let it flow.

 

Funny thing about losing to the Crows in OT, I thought about the 82 opener where Washington won 37-34 to begin the glory years and even though this was a loss and we don't have Joe Gibbs, I was so bolstered that they showed up, Howell looks like the real deal and they actually drove down and scored a TD while time expired.  Maybe it's just the owner change that's got me feeling all nostalgic but I could not help but think, that's not a bad loss.

[hail2skins]

It's funny that in anticipation of the thread, I thought about the 1993 game too. Wasn't Cary Conklin our QB in that game after Ryp got injured against AZ? That season was just nightmarish, and after scoring 35 against Dallas and 31 against Philly, you'll see a lot of single digits on our side of the ledger the rest of the way. It was that bad. Wasn't Rich Gannon on the roster as well?

 

Yep, RFK Lives, that 1982 game was my first ever in person NFL regular season game. Couldn't have realized how much of a magical ride that season would turn out to be, even with the strike.

[kleese]

15 hours ago, hail2skins said:

It's funny that in anticipation of the thread, I thought about the 1993 game too. Wasn't Cary Conklin our QB in that game after Ryp got injured against AZ? That season was just nightmarish, and after scoring 35 against Dallas and 31 against Philly, you'll see a lot of single digits on our side of the ledger the rest of the way. It was that bad. Wasn't Rich Gannon on the roster as well?

 

Yep, RFK Lives, that 1982 game was my first ever in person NFL regular season game. Couldn't have realized how much of a magical ride that season would turn out to be, even with the strike.

Correct, Ryp was mostly hurt that year and he was awful when played… in a game at Buffalo that year he was 15-42 for the game. Wow.

 

And yes, Gannon was on the team and started a few miserable games. He has one career win as a Redskin and I happened to be there. Visiting my grandparents near Orlando, my Dad and I drove over to Tampa late in year. Two awful teams. Gannon started, completed a total of 9 passes for about 70 yards, but we ran it pretty well and won.