Tag: 1972 Washington Redskins

Commanders season opener in 18 days: Washington’s best No. 18

18 days until the Commanders open the 2023 NFL season. Sadly, no great players have ever worn No. 18, but some interesting names have.

Commanders Wire continues a countdown to Washington’s season opener for 2023 in 18 days. Who was the team’s best player wearing No. 18?

Frankly there have been no great players in franchise history to have worn No. 18. But here are four Commanders Wire remembers for various reasons.

Antonio Gandy-Golden (2020-21) was drafted 142 overall by Washington in the 2020 draft. Oh, the NFL analysts loved this draft choice. His hand/eye coordination and his body skills. He was going to surprise so many in the NFL. Instead, nothing materialized. Gandy-Golden, in two seasons, started two games and had one reception for three yards. He retired on his own, choosing to not play a third season. In 2020 he wore No. 10, then No. 18 in 2021.

 

Trey Quinn (2018-19) was drafted 256 overall by Washington in the 2018 draft. His highlights displayed a receiver from SMU who could get open and catch anything near him. But in his two Washington seasons, he had difficulty getting open. He ran underneath routes repeatedly, catching 35 passes and averaging 7.8 yards a reception. He did have two touchdown receptions, and his longest reception was 19 yards. Quinn wore No. 14 in 2018, then No. 18 in 2019.

Josh Doctson (2016-18) was drafted 22nd overall in the 2016 draft by Washington. The DMV was excited because, in his highlights, Doctson exhibited jumping ability, an acrobatic flare and had fans envisioning a primary Red Zone target. In three Washington seasons, Doctson had 81 receptions for 1,100 yards (13.6 yards per reception) and 8 touchdowns. Washington drafted Terry McLaurin in 2019, attempted to trade Doctson numerous times, found no takers and waived Doctson in the preseason.

Sam Wyche (1971-72), after playing for the Bengals for three seasons, was brought to Washington by George Allen. When Sonny Jurgensen tore his Achilles tendon in 1972, Wyche became the second quarterback and holder for kicker Curt Knight. Wyche, in two regular seasons, never attempted a pass. It is Wyche who was caught on film of the 1972 NFC Championship game 26-3 win over Dallas screaming, “Die you dogs, Die! Die, you yellow dog, Die! All right, he died!” Wyche spent the 1973 season on the Taxi Squad, his last in Washington. In 1988 he was the head coach of the AFC Champion Cincinnati Bengals.

Washington history’s in the NFL playoff’s Divisional Round

Looking back at Washington’s win over Green Bay in the 1972 divisional round.

It’s time for the divisional round of the NFL playoffs.

50 years ago, the 1972 Washington Redskins became the first team in Washington history to play in a Super Bowl.

During the divisional round, the Redskins had earned home-field advantage due to finishing 11-3 and NFC East champs. Coming to town were the NFC Central Champion, Green Bay Packers (10-4).

On a cool Christmas Eve, Washington’s defense shut down the powerful Packers running game, defeating the Packers 16-3.

The Packers had gained 2,127 rushing yards in 14 games. Washington coach George Allen concerned about the Packers strong running game, determined he would remove middle linebacker Myron Pottios from the starting lineup.

Allen would replace Pottios with defensive tackle Manny Sistrunk, meaning the Burgundy and Gold was switching from a 4-3 to a 5-2 with an extra defensive tackle.

The Packers powerful inside running game had been led all season by the duo of John Brockington and MacArthur Lane. Allen felt he could get away with the move because he did not feel Packers quarterback Scott Hunter was an effective enough passer. The Redskins would plan on attacking the Packers at their offensive strength, taking it away, and take it away they did.

Lane would generate 56 yards in his 14 carries, including a long of 18 yards. Brockington enjoyed no success whatsoever, as his 13 carries generated a mere 9 yards.

Meanwhile, Washington’s workhorse running back Larry Brown did not break a big run, with his longest being only 13 yards, but Brown did accumulate 101 yards in his 25 carries.

The Packers knocked Redskins quarterback Billy Kilmer out of the game in the first quarter on what today would be ruled a helmet-to-helmet infraction. Green Bay also led on Chester Marcol’s 17-yard field goal in the second quarter.

However, Billy Kilmer found Roy Jefferson for a 32-yard post-pattern touchdown and Curt Knight’s 42-yard field goal gave Washington a 10-3 halftime lead.

Knight added field goals from 35 and 46 in the second half, as Washington controlled the line of scrimmage. Roy Jefferson enjoyed collecting five receptions for 84 yards.

Washington’s Frank Herzog from news to sports Reporter

In the second part of our interview with Frank Herzog, he discusses how he went from working in the news to getting into sports.

Washington’s WTOP radio had no idea whom they had hired when Frank Herzog came aboard in 1968.

Initially a copy boy making a mere $2 an hour, then a production assistant editing audio for the WTOP radio newscasts, Frank desired to do some actual reporting.

This is the second installment in our Commanders Wire feature on Washington broadcast legend Frank Herzog. Here is part one.

Working the weekends at WTOP, doing some radio reporting he suddenly found himself making his first TV appearance reporting at the penitentiary in Jessup, Maryland in what Frank believes was 1971 or ’72.

WTOP TV9 was broadcasting a 15-minute Redskins highlights segment on Sunday nights and a producer approached Frank one of his weekends at WTOP radio, asking Frank if he would like to voice over the highlights. Herzog hesitated because he was in radio, not television. “Don’t worry about it; I will cue you for each play,” was the reply to Herzog. “He put together the highlight package, wrote the script, sat out of view of the camera, and would signal me each new play to read the script, and that’s how I started in sports.”

“The ratings went crazy, through the charts,” expressed Herzog. Warner Wolf the weekday WTOP 9 sports anchor hearing of this, then wanted the segment himself.” Herzog quickly learned the big guns would receive the first choice in what work they performed.

Herzog was being noticed as doing a good job in news reporting when he was approached in December 1972 by a WTOP producer, Fred Farrar. A fellow reporter had called in sick. WTOP needed a reporter and fast!

Farrar was “asking” Herzog to go to RFK to report the playoff game against the Packers. Herzog insisted, “Freddy, I know some football, but not that well, to cover an NFL playoff game.”

“Frank, just do your news reporting, who, what, when, where and why. I will lead you through it to the press box and then you do some interviews and you will be fine.”

It was Herzog’s first NFL work. It went so well for Herzog that he was assigned to the game the next Sunday as well. Keep in mind, this was not the preseason or regular season. The defending Super Bowl champion Dallas Cowboys were coming to RFK to face the Redskins in the 1972 NFC Championship game, for a ticket to Super Bowl VII.

Again it went well and Herzog’s work as a reporter did not go unnoticed. Monday he sat in on a WTOP meeting. “I was sitting there thinking, ‘I have reported two NFL games. Are you kidding me? Are they talking about sending me to the Super Bowl?’ ”

“Freddy and I were sent to LA for a week, covering all the hoopla for Super Bowl VII. But of course Washington lost to Miami. But that is when I began as a sports reporter. I had been in the right place at the right time.”

A year later when the play-by-play announcer did not want to do a Bullets broadcast (on what Herzog thinks was Christmas Eve), he approached Herzog inquiring if he might like to do the Bullets game himself. Herzog agreed to, and it was his first time at play-by-play announcing an NBA game.

In 1975 he was approached by the WTOP director, informing Herzog, “We think you should go into play-by-play announcing.”

“You get me a team, and I’ll do it, replied Herzog.”

“Ok, we already got the Bullets PBP job for you.”

“I felt awful. Tony Roberts was the Bullets PBP announcer. So I responded, ‘But what about Tony?’ ”

It was explained to Herzog they were moving in a different direction. They thought with Herzog’s news and sports reporting experience he could handle it. But if he didn’t want the job, they would find someone else.

“So, I got the job.”

Frank Herzog had gone from copy boy to production assistant, to radio news reader, to news reporter, to sports reporter, a sports reporter covering Super Bowl VII, to PBP announcer for the NBA’s Washington Bullets in only seven years.

Next time: Frank Herzog the voice of Washington Champions

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50 years ago today, remembering a Washington NFC Championship

Remembering Washington’s 1972 win over the Dallas Cowboys in the NFC championship.

50 years ago Saturday (December 31, 1972), I was in the upstairs living room of my neighbor’s home (the Broy family) watching on their color TV set the Washington Redskins win the NFC Championship Game over Dallas 26-3.

Oh, there was such an energy of anticipation leading up to that game. Dallas was the hated divisional rival. Hated because not only were they in the division, but frankly because they had won the NFC the previous two seasons (1970-71), and winning the Super Bowl over Miami to close out the 1971 season.

In the ’72 season, the Redskins had waltzed through the NFC 11-1 before resting some players the last two weeks to finish 11-3. They had already wrapped up the division title and home field, while Dallas would be the fourth team to qualify (wild card) with the three division winners Washington, Green Bay and San Francisco.

Week one of the playoffs saw Washington shut down Green Bay 16-3 at RFK, while Dallas had traveled to San Francisco, overcome a 28-13 deficit, winning 30-28, setting up the heated rivalry game for the NFC Championship at RFK.

In the AFC’s first week of the playoffs, the Steelers via the Immaculate Reception by Franco Harris had defeated the Raiders 13-7 and the Dolphins remained undefeated, with a 20-14 win over the Browns.

In Week two of the playoffs, the AFC Championship saw Miami defeat Pittsburgh in the early game 21-17 to win the AFC, so we all knew if Washington won this RFK game, they would have to face the undefeated 16-0 Dolphins in Super Bowl VII.

Many particulars of that NFC championship game have blurred over five decades. Yet a few memories have remained crystal clear. A first-half slant-pattern to Charley Taylor from Billy Kilmer to lead 10-3 at the half. There was also a feeling of nervousness that Washington still only led 10-3 after three quarters.

When suddenly, the game was blown wide open! Billy Kilmer’s 45-yard pass down the right sideline was chased down by Taylor for a 17-3 lead. It seemed like Washington scored each possession in the final quarter as Curt Knight then added three consecutive field goals until it was 26-3. Washington was routing Dallas and going to the Super Bowl!

RFK was going crazy! Washington fans stormed the field in the last seconds. Redskins head coach George Allen was being carried off of the field when suddenly a Redskins fan, wanting a souvenir of the NFC Championship euphoria, suddenly (and selfishly) reached up and yanked Allen’s cap right off of his head.

The band was playing “Hail to the Redskins;” I can still see the joy of the players and fans, those gold uniform pants, with the Burgundy jerseys and the unmistakable helmet logo, which had been suggested by a Native American chief himself. It was the first season Washington wore that helmet logo, and it would be theirs through the 2019 season.

50 years ago, a Happy New Years’ Eve for all the fans of the Burgundy and Gold, especially this nine-year-old boy watching from out in Berryville, VA on Baltimore TV 2, because, get this, the game was blacked out on the CBS 9 Washington affiliate! That’s another story for another day.

How could a diehard Washington fan ever forget a day like that?

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Washington at Giants 50 years ago: Sonny Jurgensen and Billy Kilmer

The Giants and Washington, 50 years ago, Billy Kilmer replacing the injured Sonny Jurgensen at quarterback.

Sonny Jurgensen, Billy Kilmer, the Commanders and the Giants have been in the news this week.

Boy, does THAT bring back memories.

Similarly to this 2022 season, Washington in 1972 was coming into the road game against the Giants feeling really good about themselves. After an early season 24-23 loss at the Patriots, George Allen had reinserted Sonny Jurgensen as his starting quarterback. Washington had defeated the Eagles 14-0 and romped the Cardinals in St Louis 33-3.

In Sonny’s third start, the offense started slowly against Dallas, falling behind 13-0 and 20-7, but then Sonny, Larry Brown and Charley Harraway played key roles in a terrific come-from-behind 24-20 victory in front of a frenzied home crowd at RFK.

After the great comeback win over Dallas, Sonny led the Burgundy and Gold (5-1) to New York to face the Giants (4-2). In those days, the Giants played their games on the grass field of Yankee Stadium. Unlike modern-day field accommodations,  the Yankees had played 81 games on the field, and the Giants would play half of their six exhibition games on the field and seven regular season games. There was no time for the field to recover, and the NFL season was thus very destructive to a grass field.

In the first quarter, Jurgensen on a drop back went untouched; however, he stepped in an uneven spot on the turf and tore his Achilles tendon. Billy Kilmer took over, and Washington would lead by as much as 23-9, winning 23-16 for their fourth straight win.

Kilmer had taken over for Jurgensen, and George Allen’s best team (1972) would go on to win nine consecutive games, the NFC East at 11-3, and the NFC Championship before losing to the undefeated Dolphins in Super Bowl VII.

George Allen created his own narrative, and Jurgensen was treated unfairly as if he himself was divisive. Allen went as far to prohibit Jurgensen from the sideline during the Super Bowl, though Kilmer desired Jurgensen’s help.

Kilmer more than once defended Sonny, stating the two actually remained good friends and that Jurgensen was always attempting to help Kilmer as quarterback, wanting the team to win. George Allen was sometimes paranoid, but that is another story for another day.

This week we learned the present organizational leadership apparently knows little to nothing of this past bond between Kilmer and Jurgensen. Kilmer told Thom Loverro he would love to be a part of Sonny’s No. 9 being retired on Jan. 8, 2023, in the season finale against Dallas. “Nobody has said anything to me about what’s going on. I want to come up.”

After playing for Washington from 1964-74, Sonny was part of the radio broadcast team from 1981-2018.

Sorry, but I have to ask, will the organization understand that Frank Herzog, Larry Michael and Chris Cooley need to be there as well?

Dallas at Washington: 50 years ago

Washington hopes for a repeat performance against the Cowboys in Week 4.

50 years ago, the 1972 Washington Redskins became the first team in Washington history to play in a Super Bowl.

Playing in the NFC East meant facing Dallas twice during the regular season. The first match-up took place at RFK Stadium in Week 6 on Oct. 22, 1972.

Two things have stuck with me since my childhood about that day. The first was that after church that morning we ate lunch and then watched Game 7 of the 1972 World Series. That was back in the day when kids were encouraged by MLB to watch postseason baseball. All I recall about the game was I was rooting for the Cincinnati Reds at home, but they lost to the Oakland A’s.

When the World Series game had concluded, the 4 p.m. ET CBS national broadcast began the defending Super Bowl champion Dallas Cowboys at the Washington Redskins.

To this day, I recall being so frustrated thinking the Cowboys were going to blow out the Redskins. Dallas jumped out to a 13-0 lead, and it could have been worse, but the Washington defense held the Cowboys inside of the 10 yard-line twice resulting in two short Tony Fritsch field goals.

But Sonny Jurgensen who only attempted 16 passes on that October day would complete 11 with no interceptions and Washington would come back. Jurgensen connected with Larry Brown for a 19-yard touchdown pass narrowing the deficit to 13-7 at the half.

But Dallas again increased the lead to 13 (20-7) when Walt Garrison scored from one yard. Larry Brown then took a toss to the left side, got a great block from fullback Charlie Harraway, cut back and scored a 34-yard touchdown making the deficit 20-14.

Curt Knight’s 42-yard field goal brought Washington even closer to 20-17. Jurgensen then lead the Redskins on an 80-yard drive in seven plays, the final a 13-yard touchdown run by Harraway.

Washington had twice come back from 13-point deficits to win 24-20. The win elevated Washington’s record to 5-1 and dropped Dallas to 4-2. It was the third consecutive win for Washington.

The 1972 Washington Redskins were a ‘special’ team

Washington’s 1972 team was a special group.

50 Years ago, the 1972 Washington Redskins became the first team in Washington history to play in a Super Bowl.

Kicking off the season was a Monday Night Football contest, as Washington traveled to the Minnesota Vikings of Fran Tarkenton, the Purple People Eaters and coach Bud Grant.

When future Hall-of-Famer Tarkenton connected with John Gilliam for the only score of the third quarter, Washington trailed the Vikings 14-10. Washington would come back to win 24-21, behind touchdown runs by Larry Brown and Charley Harraway. Surprisingly the Vikings had outgained Washington 382-203 and collected 26 First Downs to only 11 by the Redskins.

How had Washington won this MNF game? They sacked Tarkenton four times. They won the turnover battle 2-1, and there was the one play I have recalled all of these years from watching the game in my youth.

Early in the opening quarter, Washington had stopped the Vikings deep in their own territory forcing a punt. Vikings punter Mike Eischeid lined up on his own 18-yard line to punt. Washington reserve receiver Bill Malinchak lined up outside on the right of the rushing Washington line. As Eischeid’s foot met the ball on the 20-yard line, suddenly a thump was heard as an outstretched Malinchak’s hand blocked the punt, sending the ball toward the left to Eischeid’s right. Malinchak scooped up the ball at the 16 and ran into the end zone untouched for the game’s first score.

Head coach George Allen had already been an NFL innovator. When the defensive coordinator for George Halas’ Bears, Allen had invented the nickel back, replacing a linebacker with an extra defensive back on passing downs. In 1969 as head coach of the Rams he had hired the first special teams’ coach in the NFL (Dick Vermeil).

In ’72 Allen repeatedly preached the importance of special teams preparation and making big plays on special teams. Special teams coach Marv Levy and Allen produced remarkable results as Washington blocked 5 field goals and 4 punts in the ’72 season. In 1990-93 the same Levy coached the Buffalo Bills to four consecutive AFC Championships and 4 Super Bowl appearances.

Special teams played a major role 50 years ago as Washington (11-3) won the NFC East, the NFC championship, and played in Super Bowl VII. This present generation of coaches stands on the shoulders of those like Allen who changed the NFL forever with his emphasis on special teams.

 

 

 

Remembering 2 great Washington teams

The 2022 season is the 50-year anniversary of the 1972 team and 40-year anniversary of the 1982 team.

The season opener of 2022 Commanders’ season recalls great historical memories of a once great franchise.

50 years ago, the 1972 Washington Redskins became the first team in franchise history to play in a Super Bowl.

40 years ago, the 1982 Washington Redskins became the first team in franchise history to win a Super Bowl.

While we will continue to provide daily coverage of the present-day Washington Commanders during this 2022 NFL season, we at Commanders Wire have determined we must not forget the great years and accomplishments in Washington franchise history.

Consequently, during this season, we will provide a weekly look back at some of the great moments of these two great seasons in Washington NFL football history.

Did you know the George Allen teams (1971-77) had a winning record each season and were in the playoffs for five of those seven seasons? Keep in mind in those days, only the top four teams in the conference qualified for the playoffs.

The 1972 team despite losing quarterback Sonny Jurgensen (who was 4-0 as a starter) went on a 9-game winning streak, clinching the division after 12 games (11-1).

With the home-field advantage earned for the playoffs, Washington defeated NFC Central champ Green Bay 16-3 and then defending Super Bowl Champion Dallas 26-3 in the NFC Championship game. Two weeks later in the Los Angeles Coliseum, Washington lost to Miami 14-7 in Super Bowl VII. The Dolphins were undefeated (17-0) and remain the last NFL team to go through the regular season and playoffs undefeated.

Ten years later Joe Gibbs (like George Allen) was also in his second season as Washington head coach. In a strike-shortened season, the Redskins finished the regular season at 8-1, the top seed in the NFC.

The playoff birth was the first for Washington since the 1976 team coached by Allen. With home-field advantage, the Redskins blitzed the Lions 31-7 and the next week were in control, defeating the Vikings 21-7.

The NFC Championship game (as ten years earlier) would have Dallas come to RFK. Also as a decade earlier, it was Washington who again came out on top, defeating Dallas 31-17.

The next week at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, CA, Gibbs’ team (11-1) faced Don Shula’s Dolphins (10-3) in Super Bowl XVII. Trailing 17-10 in the second quarter, the Redskins outscored the Dolphins 17-0 for the remainder of the battle for a 27-17 victory and the first Super Bowl Championship in franchise history.