Tag: TE Rick Doc Walker (1980-1985)

Commanders don’t do ‘Dallas Week’ these days

Washington fans from long ago remember how special “Dallas Week” was through the years.

Those old enough to recall Washington vs. Dallas NFL games will recall the term “Dallas Week.”

Dallas had won the division five consecutive seasons from 1966-1970 and Washington only had one single winning season those years (1969) when they were 7-5-2.

George Allen was hired to be the new Washington head coach, and he instantly talked of how Dallas had owned the division but Washington was going to fight for the division.

In his first season, Washington headed to the old Cotton Bowl Stadium to face the Cowboys in Week 3. During the week, Allen began to refer to the week as “Dallas Week.”  What followed shocked one city and excited the other.

Both teams were 2-0 when Washington went to Dallas to face the defending conference champs in a wet, rainy game. Washington shocked the NFC Champion Cowboys 20-16.

Allen had fired up the city the week of the game, and when the team arrived at Dulles Airport Sunday night, thousands of fans were at the airport to greet the victors back home. “Dallas Week” had been born!

“Dallas Week” continued to be huge through the George Allen years (1971-77). There were huge wins for both teams, and both became in the top tier of NFC teams.

Dallas won the Super Bowl that 1971 season and Washington returned the next season to defeat Dallas in the NFC Championship game 26-3 at RFK.

In 1973, Brig Owens had a fourth-quarter pick-six, and then Ken Houston stopped Walt Garrison on the one-yard line to hold on for a 14-7 win at RFK. In 1974, Roger Staubach was concussed, and his replacement Clint Longley threw two touchdown passes leading Dallas to a 24-23 Thanksgiving Day win.

Dallas, in 1979, won perhaps the greatest regular-season game in the storied rivalry. Washington led at Dallas 34-21 after a long John Riggins touchdown run. But Staubach brought back Dallas to win 35-34 in the final seconds.

Joe Gibbs (1981-92) had his fair share of big wins and losses against Dallas. Washington won the 1982 NFC Championship game over Dallas 31-17 at RFK. In the 1983 season opener, Washington led 23-3 at the half at RFK, but Dallas stormed back to win 31-30. When the teams met late in the year at Dallas, both were 12-2. Washington crushed Dallas 31-10. The next season in Dallas, the Cowboys led 21-6, only to see Washington come back and win 30-28.

1989 was a miserable year for Dallas as they went only 1-15. Yet, that win was at RFK against Washington. In 1991, Dallas at home led Washington 21-10 on MNF. But Washington came back to win 33-31, went on to win their first 11 games of the season, and then lost at RFK to Dallas.

The 1995 Cowboys were again dominant, winning their third Super Bowl in four seasons. But strangely they lost both times to an ineffective 6-10 Washington team.

Yes, back in those days, it was “Dallas Week.” Today, the DMV appears to have mostly fickle, bandwagon fans, nothing like the 70-90s years. “Dallas Week” means little to the fan base compared to what it did for 30 years dating from George Allen’s arrival.

Tuesday, former Washington tight end Rick “Doc” Walker was filling in for Kevin Sheehan on his Team 980 radio program. Walker talked often of “Dallas Week” of how he missed the energy it once provided the DMV.

Walker also talked with two former Washington defensive greats, defensive tackle Darryl Grant (1981-1990) and defensive end Dexter Manley (1981-89) who were both teammates with Walker (1980-85).

This week has no energy, no juice as the rivalries’ games did in the past. We can only hope the new administration will bring back “Dallas Week” once again to the DMV.

Rick ‘Doc’ Walker on Commanders: It ‘is a manhood issue now’

Walker names the things he’s looking for in the final four games and it’s not necessarily wins.

“It’s like we are flat-lining now. This is where you have got to have that captain, that person on the staff, whomever, that doesn’t allow you to let go of the rope.”

Rick Doc Walker visited with the “Sports Junkies” Tuesday, and he didn’t hold back in saying how he feels about this Commanders team. In fact, Walker said it is now a manhood issue for this team.

“When guys start giving up on you and they’ve given up on the program, I’m trying to find how do I motivate myself now?” Walker was referring to the fact the Commanders still have four remaining games on their schedule.

The Commanders have fallen apart, losing six of their last seven games after starting the season 2-0.

“Now, I am looking for competitors. What would I be looking for now? Who doesn’t quit? Because if you quit on me, I quit on you. I can dump the whole roster because it’s a last-place operation. I am going scorched earth if the guys don’t prove to me that they are competitors.”

Walker was asked, “Who on this team would you choose to build around?”

“It’s easy. Who do you win with? (Pause) Nobody.”

Walker then elaborated, “In other words, I am going into expansion mode if I have to. These guys are going to prove to me now if they are competitors. Clearly, you need more competitive people on this team.”

“Why would I anoint anybody anything? That is our problem. We give away too many awards before they are earned.”

“You saw the Niners, the Cowboys. Hell, the Rams are going to be ferocious. They are turning the corner. Other people (teams) aren’t giving up. So, this is a manhood issue now. Let’s find out how many competitors we have. Talk is cheap. I want to see effort.”

“The bottom line is that everyone makes money; win, lose, or draw. So guys aren’t playing for the money. They already make the money. You got to find a way to get some incentive.”

Walker was asked if Sam Howell is the guy for next season.

“Oh, he’s going to compete. He ain’t the guy; he’s going to compete. Sam Howell is going to compete to be on my team. I am not holding any slots for anybody on a last-place team!”

“Everything is going to be open the way it ought to be. You got to earn the right to start.”

“What am I doing reserving a spot for a guy I can’t win with?”

Doc Walker would like Commanders next coach to be Jim Harbaugh

But Doc believes a GM is the more important hire. And on Sam Howell: he has “it.”

Rick “Doc” Walker found one positive out of the Cowboys’ Thanksgiving Day massacre of the Commanders.

Washington embarrassingly lost 45-10 to Dallas, but Walker stated on the “Sports Junkies” 106.7 The Fan that one thing was positive. He pointed out that QB Sam Howell was under duress all day, but “the guy doesn’t collapse. You can’t break him. He’s unflappable.”

Walker expanded a bit, declaring that there have been NFL quarterbacks who were beat up early in their careers but fought through it, becoming premier players. He then stated, “This kid has it, whatever ‘it’ is. Now, what would it be like if he had an offensive line? What if he had a defense that could get him the ball?”

Walker pointed out how the Thanksgiving massacre had huge ratings. “41 million, one of the largest crowds ever to watch THAT?”

He feels the Commanders must respond. “You have to come out and avenge yourself. If not, I wouldn’t want them on my team next year.”

He declared the linebackers can’t cover anyone, asked, “What happened to Benjamin St-Juste? I thought he was promising. Regarding the defensive line, Walker said, “I thought it was an area of strength. Obviously, it is not.”

Regarding the defense as a whole, Walker summed up his observations, saying, “Somebody has to be responsible for it.”

When asked what type of coach he might like to see come, replacing Ron Rivera, Walker pointed to Jim Harbaugh, “he’s won more than our whole group here now.”

But he was quick to clarify, “I do believe in the general manager being the dog in the group, the real K9, not the (head) coach. The coach has too many relationships with the players. That’s why some players play hard for a coach. But someone over there has to be the bearer of bad news. What strikes me is they have nobody that can deliver bad news.”

Walker also pointed to a problem he sees in today’s players. “The object used to be to win. Now, it’s to get rich.”

“I get it; it’s the end of an era. Eventually, they’ll be playing flag (football) from across the board, the way I see it. In the meantime, I’m just trying to enjoy the remains of pro football.”