This 2021 NFL season reminds us that 30 years ago Washington assembled its greatest team in franchise history, going 14-2 and racing through the playoffs to the Super Bowl XXVI championship and Vince Lombardi Trophy.
NFC Championship—Washington 41, Detroit 10— January 12, 1992
The game’s very first offensive snap from scrimmage was certainly a preview of things to come. Detroit’s Erik Kramer dropped to pass on first down. He looked right and saw left defensive end Charles Mann had already beaten Detroit’s right tackle Scott Conover and immediately collided with Kramer, removing the ball from Kramer. Washington right defensive end Fred Stokes made the recovery and the Redskins started first and goal from the Detroit 9!
Washington indeed rolled all day all over the Lions, cruising to a 41-10 victory, earning the right to play in their fourth Super Bowl under the direction of head coach Joe Jackson Gibbs.
After the Mann sack and forced fumble, Gerald Riggs scored from two yards and Washington led 7-0. Riggs would score again from three yards, and Chip Lohmiller would add a short 20-yard field goal and Washington led 17-7. However, Detroit’s Eddie Murray connected from 30 yards and Detroit had cut Washington’s lead to 17-10 at the half.
But Washington was not challenged in the second half. Lohmiller added a 28-yard field goal and when Mark Rypien went deep to Gary Clark for a 45-yard touchdown, the Redskins led 24-10 after three quarters.
Rypien then looked to his right and found future Hall of Famer Art Monk for a 31-10 lead, causing Redskins’ radio analyst Sonny Jurgensen to state the Redskins were going to the Super Bowl.
Darrell Green then intercepted a Rodney Peete pass, returning it 32 yards through the Detroit offense, concluding the scoring for the final 41-10 margin.
When the game was concluded, Rypien had only attempted 17 passes, completing 12 for 228 yards, 2 touchdowns, 0 interceptions, and a highly efficient 152.2 QB rating. Gibbs had elected to predominantly run the ball 35 times. Byner collected 62 yards in 17 attempts, Ricky Ervins 53 yards in 13 attempts and Gerald Riggs had two short touchdown plunges in his only two carries. On the game’s final three plays, Gibbs permitted Jeff Rutledge to take the three victory formation snaps, losing a yard each time.
Rypien connected with Monk on five receptions for 94 yards and Clark four times for 77 yards. While the Washington defense held future Hall of Fame running back Barry Sanders to 44 yards in his 11 carries (with a long of 23 yards). Thus, Sanders in his other 10 carries only accumulated 21 yards.
Wilber Marshall collected three sacks in the game while Mann and Andre Collins brought the sack total to five. Kurt Gouveia also had an interception, which he returned 38 yards.
This NFC Championship game was a rematch of the Week 1 contest when Detroit came to RFK and the Redskins embarrassingly shutout the Lions 45-0 before a National TV audience.
Game 1 had been an opportunity for Detroit to break a humiliating streak of never having won in Washington. The Redskins were not hospitable guests as Earnest Byner passed for a TD to Ricky Sanders, Brian Mitchell returned a punt for a TD and Washington rolled up its largest win in franchise history. So, it was no surprise that Washington was an overwhelming 14-point favorite for the NFC title game that would send the Redskins forward to Super Bowl XXVI to face Buffalo.