Super Bowl XXVI – Syndication Server

Washington’s 1991 team ranked as greatest Super Bowl champion of all time

It’s about time that 1991 team is recognized for its greatness.

The Kansas City Chiefs defeated the San Francisco 49ers 25-22 in Super Bowl LVIII to become the first repeat champion in nearly 20 years. Kansas City is officially a dynasty with three Super Bowl championships in the past five seasons.

Where do the 2023 Chiefs rate among the greatest Super Bowl champions ever?

ESPN’s Aaron Schatz recently ranked the top 57 Super Bowl champions ahead of Sunday’s game using the DVOA metric. Once the game ended, Schatz updated his rankings.

Where were the 2023 Chiefs? No. 42.

Before we reveal No. 1, let’s give a brief explanation of what the DVOA metric is, courtesy of FTN:

DVOA measures a team’s efficiency by comparing success on every single play to a league average based on situation and opponent.

That’s just the ultra-short version of the DVOA. FTN’s website has a much more in-depth explanation.

Back to the list. No. 1 is none other than the 1991 Washington Redskins. We’ll allow Schatz’s own words to explain why Washington came in on top of the list.

Here’s the team that DVOA says is the greatest of all time. Washington led the NFL in points scored and was second in points allowed. It lost by a field goal to the Cowboys after an 11-0 start, then sat its starters in the second half of the final week and lost to the Eagles by two points. That was it for losses.

For the 1991 season, Washington was second in offensive DVOA behind San Francisco, third on defense behind Philadelphia and New Orleans and first on special teams. But what’s more impressive is where Washington ranks in DVOA out of 1,309 teams going all the way back to 1981. It’s the only team to rank in the top 50 for all three phases. (Specifically, Washington is 50th in offense, 36th in defense and 19th in special teams.)

Washington won games during the regular season by scores like 45-0 (Detroit), 34-0 (Phoenix) and 23-0 (Philadelphia). It beat the Falcons 56-17 and the Rams 27-6. Then came the playoffs. A rematch with the No. 8 Falcons ended with a score of 24-7. The Lions made it to the NFC championship despite ranking only 13th in DVOA, only to be pummeled by Washington, 41-10. Washington had a 37-10 lead over the No. 4 Bills with half of the fourth quarter left in Super Bowl XXVI, eventually winning the Lombardi Trophy 37-24 after two late Bills touchdowns sandwiched around a successful onside kick.

This isn’t Schatz cherry-picking the winner. This isn’t a case of Schatz drawing a team from a hat. Schatz uses in-depth data to show Washington’s greatness.

Washington fans have always believed the 1991 team was shortchanged in terms of its greatness. Everything on that team was elite, from the coaching to the offensive line to the running game, passing game, special teams and defense. It’s a shame that era of Washington football doesn’t have more members in the Pro Football Hall of Fame, which is a discussion for another day.

Frank Herzog: ‘A professional, a winner’

Part four of our interview with Frank Herzog: “The broadcaster of DC champions.”

Washington trailed Miami 17-13 in the fourth quarter of Super Bowl XVII, facing a 4th & 1 at the Miami 42.

This is the fourth of five installments in our Commanders Wire feature on Washington broadcast legend Frank Herzog.

Part one. Part two. Part Three

January 30, 1983, Frank Herzog was in his fourth season (1979-2004) as the Redskins play-by-play announcer and gave this now legendary call.

“There’s the snap. Hand to Riggins. Good hole, he’s got the first down at the 40. He’s gone! The 35! The 30! The 20! HE’S GONE! HE’S GONE! TOUCHDOWN, WASHINGTON REDSKINS!!”

Just one week earlier, in the NFC Championship game at RFK, Washington led Dallas 24-17 in the final quarter. Dallas had the ball at their own 20.

“Play-action fake to Dorsett, hid the ball well. Set up a screen, batted in the air. Picked off by Darryl Grant! TOUCHDOWN, WASHINGTON REDSKINS! I Don’t believe it! Unbelievable! Oh, what a play! Dexter Manley tipped the pass! Darryl Grant got the interception, and NOW the stadium shakes!”

Chatting with Herzog last week, he relived the extraordinary moment. “What I have always remembered about that play was the crowd; how the noise increased and the stadium literally shook. So, that is what I said, “And NOW the stadium shakes.”

“Sam (Huff) grabbed my arm with a look of fear in his eyes, and we were wondering, ‘Is this thing (stadium/press box) going to collapse’?

In the 1987 NFC Championship game at RFK, the Redskins led the Vikings 17-10 but were holding on for dear life, as the Vikings had driven all the way to the Washington 6-yard line, where it was 4th & 4, 1:03 remaining.

“One down to the Super Bowl! From the six-yard line, it’s fourth down and four. Wilson takes the snap, looking left, throws it into the end zone – batted away! Incomplete! Redskins are going to the Super Bowl!”

The 1991 season saw Washington in Super Bowl XXVI against Buffalo. Washington led 24-10 with the ball at the Buffalo 30 in the third quarter.

“Back he (Rypien) goes, good protection again. He’s going deep, he’s got Clark in the end zone, Touchdown Washington Redskins!”

Broadcasting winning seasons is one thing. Being respected as a professional is another, and Herzog’s work certainly is praised.

Sonny Jurgensen, a broadcast partner of Herzog’s (1981-2004) has expressed over the years that because of Frank’s background as a reporter, “Frank made the work fun because of his preparation”.

Sam Huff, an aggressive, assertive linebacker in the NFL, was with Herzog for 25 years in the booth. He spoke of Frank as the professional of the trio. “He was the voice. You never over-talk the man with the microphone, and he was the man.”

John Feinstein recently expressed to me, “Frank was such a class act and so good at what he did. He was a homer without being a homer. What I mean by that is you knew he was pulling for Bullets/Redskins, but he never said, ‘we,’; never whined about officiating calls, and never made excuses…A pro’s pro and a really good guy.”

“Frank is the broadcaster of DC champions. He was glib and smart, the perfect setup man for Sonny and Sam. At Redskins Park, you would see him always with a smile. And humble. He never bragged about all of his championship rings. He’s a winner,” said Tom Friend.

1991 The GREATEST Season in Washington Football History

We begin our look back at the 1991 Washington team — the greatest in franchise history.

1991 — the greatest season in Washington Football history.

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.

For the next several weeks, Washington Wire will take a brief glimpse back, reminding ourselves of the greatest team in Washington history.

Week 1 Detroit 0, Washington 45

Opening the season at home and before a Sunday night national TV audience as a 7.5 point favorite, Washington manhandled the Detroit Lions 45-0.

Washington used a punishing rushing attack, running 42 times for 191 yards. Earnest Byner led the way, carrying 16 times for 83 and a touchdown. Byner also executed a halfback option pass to Ricky Sanders for an 18-yard touchdown. Ricky Ervins had a long burst of 37 yards and would finish with 54 yards in only 6 carries.

Quarterback Mark Rypien was nearly flawless completing 15 of his 19 attempts for 183 yards, including touchdown tosses of 4 yards to tight end Jimmie Johnson and 38 yards to wide receiver Gary Clark. Clark led Washington receivers with 6 catches for 107 yards, followed by Sanders’ 3 catches for 38 yards.

The Lions without Hall-of-Fame running back Barry Sanders, found themselves quickly down 21-0 in the first quarter when Washington’s Brian Mitchell returned a Jim Arnold punt 69 yards for a touchdown. When Byner rushed into the end zone from 6 yards, Washington had built a 35-0 halftime lead.

The Washington defense limited Detroit to nine first downs, 61 passing yards, recorded three QB sacks, and created four turnovers, including two Darrell Green interceptions, beginning the franchise’s greatest season with a shutout performance.

A look at the series history between the Washington Football Team and Buffalo Bills

The most famous meeting between Buffalo and #WashingtonFootball occurred at Super Bowl XXVI. We know how that one ended.

When you think of the Buffalo Bills meeting the Washington Football Team, the first thing that comes to mind is Super Bowl XXVI. Washington, of course, dominated the Bills, 37-24, en route to its third Super Bowl win in franchise history.

https://youtu.be/KvxBrN-EsUY

That game also symbolizes the last time Washington had a great team.

While Washington won the most important meeting ever between these two storied franchises, Buffalo has dominated the series since Washington’s Jan. 1992 win.

Since Washington won that game, the Bills have won seven of the last eight meetings between these two teams. Buffalo’s dominance began in 1993 with a 24-10 victory over Washington.

Washington picked up its first win in the series since 1992 in Dec. 2015, when Kirk Cousins had one of his best games for Washington, passing for 319 yards and four touchdowns, leading the WFT to a 35-25 win.

The Bills returned the favor in 2019 when Josh Allen passed for a touchdown and rushed for one in a 24-9 Buffalo win. Dwayne Haskins was Washington’s starting quarterback on that day when he completed 15 of 22 passes for 144 yards. It was a terrible offensive performance for Washington, outside of Adrian Peterson, who rushed for 108 yards.

Buffalo leads the all-time series, 9-6.

Sunday’s Week 3 battle is scheduled for a 1 p.m. ET kickoff in Orchard Park, New York.

Former Redskin greats share stories about the meaning of Super Bowl rings

With 3 Super Bowl victories in franchise history, there are a number of former Redskins who have stories about what the ring means to them.

Though young fans may not have memories of it, the Washington Redskins used to be a dominant team in the NFL, and they have several Super Bowl championships to show for it.

Ahead of the Kansas City Cheifs and San Francisco 49ers matchup in Super Bowl LIV in a couple of weeks, ESPN put together a montage of stories from each Super Bowl in the past 53 years, centering around the rings that were handed out to players, and what was done with those rings in the years following. For the Redskins, who won Super Bowl XVII, XXII, and XXVI, there are some great anecdotes that came out.

For wide receiver Alvin Garrett, who won his ring in 1982, the prized possession ended up becoming more of a piece of jewelry that served a greater goal in the end. According to the ESPN piece, in 1989, Garrett sold the ring via an ad in The Washington Post to fund his desire to become a minister.

“I flew to La Guardia in New York and the guy paid me cash for it,” Garrett said. “My life was so screwed up I needed God.” In 2016, someone who worked in the jewelry business in New York was picking through a box of items. The person found Garrett’s damaged ring with the diamonds missing and contacted the Redskins, who located Garrett, living in Huntsville, Alabama.

For quarterback Doug Williams, who became the first-ever black QB to start and win a Super Bowl in 1987, the ring signifies so much more than it’s worth in gold. Williams told ESPN that he still keeps it in the case, and he plans to hand it down to his family one day.

“They all want to touch it; they all want to put their hands around it and they all say, ‘Wow, what a great day. Man, I prayed for you.’ It’s bringing back memories for them because it was such a history-making day. The people from where I grew up, it’s almost like they wear that ring. That day will never happen again in the history of football; there will never be another first African American quarterback to win.”

For running back Brian Mitchell, who won his ring in 1991, a close call almost left him without his prized possession that was won in Super Bowl XXVI. It was years later when Mitchell wore his ring on a night out drinking and woke up the next morning without it.

“When it’s real cold, your fingers seem smaller,” he said. That’s why he guessed: Maybe it’s still in the limousine. He called the driver, who opened the door and found it stuck in the door jamb.

It’s understandable why Mitchell says that he rarely wears his ring anymore, especially when he is going out with friends.

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