Bradley Ruzicka

Headline: Third season of double digit losses in four years spells end for Lindy Infante as Head Coach of the Green Bay Packers.

Regular Season Record: 4 – 12 (Fourth Place NFC Central Division)

Offseason Highlights: The Green Bay Packers’ 1991 NFL draft was one of the team’s least productive in years, a bust from top to bottom. Only one player, 3rd round pick DT Don Davey from the University of Wisconsin, lasted more than two years. None contributed significantly during their brief tenures. Davey played four seasons but started only two games before moving on to the Jacksonville Jaguars.

Green Bay chose DB Vinnie Clark with the 19th overall pick after trading their own first round choice (8th overall) to the Philadelphia Eagles in exchange a 1991 and a 1992 first round selection. But, after starting a total of 15 games in two years, Clark became an Atlanta Falcon in 1993. Their second round selection, DT Esera Tuaolo, was traded to the Minnesota Vikings midway through the 1992 season. Green Bay traded their 1991 4th and 5th round selections to the San Francisco 49ers for a second 3rd round pick, selecting RB Chuck Webb. But he too was gone after 1992, spending most of his brief career on injured reserve before retiring due to a knee injury sustained in college.

Again in 1991 and for the third consecutive year, the Dallas Cowboys had the first overall pick in the draft. Not only did Dallas have the top pick, they had three selections in the first round. Although their 1990 record was just shy of .500 (7-9), the Cowboys were still benefiting from the 1989 Herschel Walker trade with the Minnesota Vikings. As a result of that trade, the Cowboys acquired five players and six future draft picks. The five players were tied to potential draft picks Minnesota would give Dallas if a player was cut.

Ultimately, the Cowboys used the picks acquired from the Vikings to select RB Emmitt Smith, DT Russell Maryland, CB Kevin Smith, and DB Darren Woodson. While Walker scored a total of 25 touchdowns in almost three years with Minnesota, he failed to gain over 1,000 yards as he had in 1988 (1,514) and would again after he joined the Eagles in 1992 (1,070). Many viewed this trade as the turning point in Dallas’ rise to the NFL’s top echelon during the 1990s. It was also, perhaps, the most lopsided trade in NFL history, exceeding even Green Bay’s infamous John Hadl trade in 1974.

Only two players drafted in 1991 would ultimately be elected into the Pro Football Hall of Fame including the Phoenix Cardinals’ third round pick, DB Aeneas Williams, out of Saginaw Valley State (59th overall). However, the other player, a quarterback selected by the Atlanta Falcons in the second round (33rd overall) out of Southern Mississippi named Brett Lorenzo Favre, would not only become a Hall of Famer, he would go on to become one of the greatest players in NFL history. Unfortunately for Atlanta, that greatness would be achieved with the Packers, not the Falcons.

Finally, one former Green Bay player was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1991, K Jan Stenerud. After spending 13 seasons with the Kansas City Chiefs, Stenerud joined the Packers in 1980, where he played the next four years, scoring 292 points, before being released in 1984. His best season with Green Bay came in 1983, when he finished 9th in the league with 115 points. Stenerud would also lead the NFL in field goal accuracy in 1981 (91.7%).

Regular Season Highlights: After the miracle season of 1989, the second losing season in a row under Green Bay Packers’ Head Coach Lindy Infante meant the end of the line. Their 1991 record of 4-12, the second twelve loss season in four years, left the Packers in fourth place behind the 12-4 Detroit Lions, the 11-5 Chicago Bears, and the 8-8 Minnesota Vikings in the NFC Central. Green Bay had to be glad the 3-13 Tampa Bay Buccaneers were in their division as they accounted for half the team’s wins.

After starting the season 2-6, both victories over the hapless Buccaneers in Weeks 3 (15-13) and 9 (27-0), Infante was probably lucky he lasted the whole year. When Green Bay finished the second half of the season with an identical 2-6 record, beating only the Indianapolis Colts in Week 13 (14-10) and the Vikings in the finale (27-7), Infante’s fate was sealed. The Packers endured three three-game losing streaks over the course of the season and only once, in a Week 14 loss to the Atlanta Falcons (35-31), scored more than 30 points in a game.

It didn’t help that Infante’s starting quarterback, Don Majkowski, was again out for half the season, primarily with a hamstring injury. Years later, Majkowski disclosed that 1990’s shoulder injury never totally healed, hampering him in 1991 and during the remainder of his career. Over nine games and eight starts, Majkowski completed just 115 of 226 attempts (50.9%) for 1,362 yards, 3 touchdowns, and 8 interceptions. His dismal QB Rating of 59.3 was the worst of his five year career.

Former Chicago QB Mike Tomczak, signed as a Plan B free agent when Green Bay released third year backup QB Anthony Dilweg, started seven games in his only year with the Packers. Tomczak, in his seventh season, completed 128 of 238 attempts (53.8%) for 1,490 yards, 11 touchdowns, 9 interceptions, and a QBR of 72.6. QB Blair Kiel, a holdover from 1990, started one game, the last of his six year career. During his three seasons with the Packers, Kiel completed 80 of 135 attempts for 865 yards, 5 touchdowns, and 4 interceptions for a QBR of 78.2.

The best thing Green Bay had going for them, no matter who was throwing the football, continued to be fourth year WR Sterling Sharpe. Sharpe again led the team in receiving, catching 69 passes for 961 yards (13.9 yards per reception) and 4 touchdowns. Still, it was a down year for Sharpe, with his lowest totals since his rookie season. For the third straight year, WR Perry Kemp finished second in receiving yards (583). He also finished third in receptions (42). In total, the passing game was the worst of Infante’s tenure, with just 2,943 yards, 19th in the league.

Unfortunately, the ground game, dismal in 1990, continued its struggles in 1991. Not only didn’t a single running back rush for more than 100 yards in a game, the team as a whole couldn’t break the 100 yard mark for the first 11 games. Only second year RB Darrell Thompson, with 93 yards, rushed for more than 76 yards in a game. Thompson finished the season as the Packers leading rusher, with 471 yards on 141 attempts (3.3 yards per carry) and a single touchdown. Fourth year RB Keith Woodside was the second leading rusher, with 84 carries for 326 yards, also scoring just a single touchdown. Overall, Green Bay finished 22nd in rushing, gaining just 1,389 yards.

Third year RB Vince Workman had the second most catches on the team (46) and only the third most rushing yards (237). But he was a difference maker when it came to touchdowns. Workman accumulated 11 total (7 rushing, 4 receiving), making him Green Bay’s second leading scorer with 66 points. Only third year K Chris Jacke had more points (85), converting 18 of 24 field goals (75%) and all 31 of his extra points. Workman was the only offensive player with a Top 10 finish in any NFL category. Overall, Green finished 22nd in scoring with 273 points, slightly less than 1990.

After a contract dispute, defensive standout Tim Harris was traded to the San Francisco 49ers on September 30 for two second round draft choices (1992 and 1993). Surprisingly, despite the loss of Harris, the Packers fared slightly better defensively in 1991, finishing 7th against the run (1,546), 17th against the pass (3,266), and 18th in scoring defense, allowing 313 points versus 347 the year before. For at least one season, second year LBs Tony Bennett and Bryce Paup filled Harris’ shoes, leading the team with 13 and 7.5 sacks respectively. But, in the end, improvement on defense wasn’t nearly enough to overcome an offensive collapse.

Team President Bob Harlan had suspected from the beginning of his tenure in 1989 that the franchise was on a path of continued mediocrity, despite a winning record in his first year. Based on experience gained during two decades in Green Bay’s front office, Harlan ultimately came to believe that only a dramatic organizational overhaul would change the team’s fortunes. Unfortunately for Infante, part of this overhaul would include another coaching change. The head coach was fired on December 22, one day after the end of the 1991 season, despite three years remaining on his contract.

The Washington Redskins finished with the NFL’s best record at 14-2, winning the NFC East and the NFC’s top playoff seed. Detroit won the NFC Central with a 12-4 record, good for the second seed. The New Orleans Saints won the NFC West and the third seed with a 11-5 record. Chicago (fourth seed), the Dallas Cowboys (fifth seed), and Atlanta at 10-6 (sixth seed) were the NFC’s Wild Card teams.

Both Chicago and Dallas finished with an 11-5 record but the Bears earned the fourth seed based on a better conference record (9-3 to Cowboys’ 8-4). Meanwhile, Atlanta finished ahead of the 10-6 San Francisco 49ers in the NFC West based on a head-to-head sweep and won the third Wild Card ahead of the 10-6 Philadelphia Eagles based on a better conference record (7-5 to Eagles’ 6-6). Detroit had its best season since the 1970 NFL-AFL merger, appearing in the playoffs for the first time since 1983. Meanwhile, Dallas returned to the playoffs for the first time since 1985.

Meanwhile, the Buffalo Bills again finished with the AFC’s best record at 13-3, winning the AFC East and the AFC’s top playoff seed. The Denver Broncos finished with a 12-4 record, winning the AFC West and the second seed. The Houston Oilers won the AFC Central with an 11-5 record and the third seed. The 10-6 Kansas City Chiefs (fourth seed), the 9-7 Los Angeles Raiders (fifth seed), and the 8-8 New York Jets (sixth seed) were the AFC’s Wild Card teams. New York finished ahead of the 8-8 Miami Dolphins in the AFC East based on a head-to-head sweep.

Denver recovered from 1990’s 5-11 disaster to once again win the AFC West, their third in five years. For the first time in five years, the New York Jets qualified for a playoff berth after beating Miami in the last game of the season. In 2004, Football Outsiders’ Mike Tanier named the 1991 New York Jets as one of the “worst playoff teams ever”. New Orleans won their first ever division title, reaching the post-season for the second consecutive year. Atlanta completed its most successful season in almost a decade with the team recording a winning record for the first time in eight years.

The World Champion New York Giants became the eighth team in NFL history to enter a season as the defending Super Bowl champion and miss the playoffs. They also became the first organization in NFL history to do so twice, missing out on the playoffs a season after winning Super Bowl XXI as well. The 1991 season also marked the first time since 1983 that the Giants entered the season with a new head coach. Bill Parcells retired following New York’s victory in Super Bowl XXV. General Manager George Young chose to promote Ray Handley, the team’s running backs coach, to the head coach position instead of Defensive Coordinator Bill Belichick.

Belichick, architect of 1990’s Super Bowl winning defense, left the Giants soon after to become Head Coach of the Cleveland Browns. New York’s NFC Championship Game opponent, San Francisco, also did not qualify for the post-season for the first time since the strike shortened 1982 season. QB Joe Montana missed the entire regular season with an elbow injury suffered during the pre-season, paving the way for reserve QB Steve Young to take over as the team’s starting quarterback. The move led to a quarterback controversy that ultimately resulted in Montana’s departure in 1993.

Finally, Buffalo RB Thurman Thomas won the NFL Most Valuable Player Award as well as Offensive Player of the Year. New Orleans’ LB Pat Swilling won Defensive Player of the Year. New England Patriots’ RB Leonard Russell won Offensive Rookie of the Year and Denver LB Mike Croel won Defensive Rookie of the Year. Detroit Head Coach Wayne Fontes, in his third full season after taking over for Darryl Rogers with five games remaining in 1988, won Coach of the Year.

Post Season Highlights: In the AFC Wild Card Playoffs, the fifth seed Los Angeles Raiders traveled to Arrowhead Stadium to play the fourth seed Kansas City Chiefs. The Central Division Champion and third seed Houston Oilers hosted the sixth seed New York Jets in the Astrodome. In the NFC, the fourth seed Chicago Bears hosted the fifth seed Dallas Cowboys in Soldier Field. The NFC West Champion and third seed New Orleans Saints hosted the sixth seed Atlanta Falcons in the Louisiana Superdome. Winners would advance to their respective Divisional Playoffs.

On December 28, Kansas City Chiefs’ QB Steve DeBerg, in his last season with the Chiefs, completed an 11 yard touchdown pass to WR Fred Jones in the second quarter. This proved to be the difference in Kansas City’s narrow win over their long time rival, the Los Angeles Raiders.

This was Kansas City’s first post-season win since Super Bowl IV in 1969. Los Angeles started rookie QB Todd Marinovich over seven year veteran QB Jay Schroeder. Marinovich, who performed well in a loss to the Chiefs the week before, threw four interceptions in the wild card rematch, including the one that set up DeBerg’s touchdown. Kansas City’s defense managed to hold the Raiders to just six points despite losing star LB Derrick Thomas. Thomas was diagnosed with a rapid heartbeat and rushed the hospital near the end of the first half.

The Chiefs controlled most of the first quarter with Barry Word rushing for 36 yards on 13 carries. But they missed a chance to score when their normally reliable kicker, Nick Lowery, missed a 33 yard field goal. Marinovich promptly gave Kansas City another scoring chance with his first interception. However, the Chiefs ensuing drive ended with another Lowery missed field goal, this time from 47 yards, early in the second quarter. On Los Angeles’ next drive, Kansas City intercepted Marinovich again, returning the ball 29 yards to the Raider 11 yard line.

On the next play, DeBerg put the Chiefs up, 7-0, with an 11 yard touchdown pass to Jones. Marinovich finally managed to put together a 10 play, 65 yard drive late in the second quarter. K Jeff Jaeger’s 33 yard field goal cut the score to 7-3 with 26 seconds left in the half. Marinovich continued to find his rhythm in the second half, leading the team 62 yards in 11 plays with their first drive of the third quarter. RB Nick Bell, who finished the game with 107 yards, gained 46 yards on 8 carries. Jaeger finished the possession with his second field goal, this time from 26 yards out, making the score 7-6.

Later in the quarter, Los Angeles appeared to be headed for the go ahead score. But Kansas City managed to recover a Marcus Allen fumble and subsequently drove 61 yards to the Raiders’ 1 yard line. Los Angeles’ defense held the Chiefs to an 18 yard Lowery field goal, increasing the lead to 10-6 early in the fourth period. The Raiders responded with a drive to Kansas City’s 25 yard line. But, after Marinovich was sacked for an 8 yard loss, the Chiefs intercepted the rookie for a third time, returning it 23 yards. But again, Los Angeles’ defense held firm, forcing a punt.

The Raiders now had one last chance to win the game. Marinovich’s 28 yard completion to TE Ethan Horton and 8 yard strike to RB Steve Smith moved the ball to the Kansas City 24 yard line. But a barrage of penalties stopped them cold. RT Steve Wright was flagged for a face mask and a false start on consecutive snaps. An offensive pass interference penalty on WR Tim Brown left the team facing 1st and 30 from their own 41 yard line. On the next play, Marinovich’s pass bounced off the hands of Horton for Kansas City’s fourth interception of the day with 2:15 left in regulation. The Chiefs subsequently ran out the clock to preserve a 10-6 defensive struggle.

Later that day, Atlanta Falcons’ QB Chris Miller, a Pro Bowler for the first time in 1991, completed the game winning 61 yard touchdown pass to WR Michael Haynes with only 2:41 left in the contest, defeating the New Orleans Saints. For the day, Miller completed 18 of 30 passes for 291 yards and 3 touchdowns.

New Orleans scored first after a 78 yard drive. QB Bobby Herbert, returning as the starter after sitting out the entire 1990 season in a contract dispute, completed five passes, the last a 26 yard touchdown to WR Floyd Turner, for a  7-0 lead. On the Saints next possession, they again drove down the field, this time to the Falcons’ 3 yard line. But TE Mike Tice dropped a catchable pass and DB Deion Sanders subsequently intercepted Herbert’s pass in the end zone. Instead of being up by 14 points, New Orleans’ lead remained at seven.

The Saints extended their lead to 10-0 with a Morten Andersen 45 yard field goal early in the second period. A few minutes later, Atlanta got a huge break when an apparent fumble by RB Mike Rozier was ruled down on contact and instant replay couldn’t reverse it. On the next play, Miller threw a 24 yard touchdown pass to WR Andre Rison to cut their deficit to 10-7. With only 37 seconds left in the half, Atlanta tied the game at 10-10 on K Norm Johnson’s 44 yard field goal.

However, Saints’ RB Fred McAfee returned the ensuing kickoff 39 yards, with a facemask penalty against Sanders adding five more yards, giving New Orleans the ball on the Falcons’ 41 yard line. On the next play, Herbert completed a 26 yard pass to RB Dalton Hilliard, enabling New Orleans to retake the lead before halftime, 13-10, on Andersen’s 35 yard field goal. Atlanta then started off the second half with a 9 play, 80 yard drive to take their first lead of the game, 17-13, on Miller’s 20 yard scoring pass to Haynes.

But the rest of the third quarter belonged to the Saints. New Orleans consumed a franchise playoff record 10:49 by driving 80 yards in 19 plays, going back up 20-17 with a 1 yard touchdown run by Hilliard. However, in the fourth period, the Falcons came roaring back. First, they tied the score, 20-20, on Norm Johnson’s 36 yard field goal with 7:43 left in the game. The next time Atlanta got the ball, Haynes caught a short slant from Miller and raced 61 yards to the end zone for a 27-20 lead. The Saints last chance for victory reached the Falcon 35 yard line. But Hebert threw an interception to end the threat and Atlanta had their first playoff win since 1980.

On December 29, the Dallas Cowboys jumped to a 10-0 first quarter lead and held on to win their first playoff game in nine years over the Chicago Bears. Although Chicago outgained Dallas in total yards, 372-288, and first downs, 26-15, the Cowboys forced three turnovers and three sacks while giving up none of their own. The defense also forced two turnovers on downs inside their own 10 yard line.

Dallas set up the first score of the game by forcing Chicago QB Jim Harbaugh to fumble on the opening drive. The Cowboys took advantage with a 27 yard Ken Willis field goal for a 3-0 lead. Dallas then blocked a punt and recovered it at the Chicago 10 yard line, setting up a 1 yard touchdown by RB Emmitt Smith, for a 10-0 lead. In the second quarter, Chicago moved the ball 68 yards to the Cowboys’ 2 yard line. On 3rd and 1, Harbaugh was stuffed for no gain. Rather than kick a short field goal, Head Coach Mike Ditka decided to go for the touchdown.

But RB Neal Anderson was stopped and a promising drive ended with no points for the Bears. This experience would be repeated later when Chicago drove 77 yards, again to the 2 yard line, with rookie RB Darren Lewis rushing 4 times for 37 yards and catching a pass for 11 yards. On 2nd and goal, Dallas tackled Anderson at the 1 yard line and then dropped him for no gain on the next play. This time, rather than try another fourth down conversion, the Bears settled for K Kevin Butler’s 19 yard field goal to make the score 10-3 with just 15 seconds left in the half.

In the third quarter, Butler further narrowed the gap to 10-6 with a 43 yard field goal. But Dallas responded with a 75 yard, 14 play drive. QB Steve Beuerlein, in his first year as a Cowboy, threw a 3 yard touchdown pass to TE Jay Novacek for a 17-6 lead. Beuerlein, starting in place of star QB Troy Aikman, injured in a Week 13 upset of the Washington Redskins, was signed late in the pre-season as Aikman’s backup. In the fourth quarter, Chicago drove to the Dallas 7 yard line, only to again turn the ball over on downs, with Harbaugh’s fourth down incompletion.

Following a punt, the Bears managed to score their first touchdown on Harbaugh’s 6 yard touchdown pass to WR Tom Waddle, cutting the score to 17-13. Their defense then forced a three and out, giving Chicago a chance to drive for the winning touchdown. However, this was made difficult by Mike Saxon’s 52 yard punt, which pinned the Bears back on their own 4 yard line, with 1:50 left in regulation. Three plays later, Bates intercepted a Harbaugh pass on the Chicago 16 yard line, enabling the Cowboys to run out the clock, sealing their 17-13 victory.

Later in the day, after leading 14-10 at halftime, the Houston Oilers stopped the New York Jets twice inside the 5 yard line in the second half to preserve their victory.

Houston got the ball first and four time Pro Bowl QB Warren Moon, now in his eight year with the Oilers, got them rolling all the way to the end zone. Despite two fumbled snaps on the drive, Moon completed 8 of 10 passes for 64 yards, including a 24 yarder to WR Haywood Jeffries. The 16 play, 80 yard drive took 9:14 off the clock and ended with Moon’s 5 yard touchdown pass to WR Ernest Givins for a 7-0 lead.

New York had to punt on their first possession but got the ball back with great field position, intercepting Moon’s pass on Houston’s 39 yard line. The Jets made the most of their opportunity with a nine play drive to tie the score at 7-7 early in the second quarter. Eight year veteran QB Ken O’Brien threw a 10 yard touchdown pass to WR Al Toon, who made an athletic catch in the back of the end zone while barely managing to keep his feet in bounds. But Houston came back later in the period, intercepting a long pass from O’Brien on their own 25 yard line.

Moon cashed in, completing passes to Hill and Givins for 20 and 35 yards before Givins’ 20 yard touchdown reception gave the Oilers the lead, 14-7, with 3:56 left in the half. New York ended up punting on their next possession, returning the ball to Houston. But, at the 1:10 mark, the Oilers’ Al Del Greco missed a 46 yard field goal wide right. New York had one more chance to score before halftime. O’Brien completed a pair of passes to Toon for 36 total yards on a drive to the Houston 16 yard line. Raul Allegre kicked a 33 yard field goal to cut the Jets deficit to 14-10 at the half.

New York next took the opening kickoff of the second half and marched to the Oilers’ 8 yard line. But O’Brien threw his second interception, ending a promising threat. Houston took the ball back at their own 3 yard line. Despite two sacks by New York on the drive, Moon completed 7 of 8 passes, including a 17 yarder to RB Lorenzo White, moving the team close enough for Del Greco to make a franchise postseason record 53 yard field goal, increasing the Oilers lead to 17-10.

The Jets responded with a drive to Houston’s 3 yard line. Facing 4th and inches, RB Freeman McNeil tried to advance the ball but was tackled for no gain, giving the ball back to the Oilers. Late in the fourth period, New York had another chance to score when they forced a fumble while sacking Moon, recovering it on Houston’s 26 yard line. But again, the Jets turned the ball over on downs. With just over a minute left, New York managed to get the ball back for one last drive. But, on the game’s final play, Houston intercepted a third O’Brien pass, preserving a 17-10 victory.

In the Divisional Playoffs, the NFC East Champion and top seed Washington Redskins hosted the sixth seed Atlanta Falcons in RFK Stadium. The AFC Central Champion Houston Oilers traveled to Mile High Stadium to play the AFC West Champion Denver Broncos. Meanwhile, the AFC East Champion and top seed Buffalo Bills hosted the fourth seed Kansas City Chiefs in Rich Stadium. The NFC’s fifth seed Dallas Cowboys traveled to the Pontiac Silverdome to play the NFC Central Champion Detroit Lions. Winners would advance to their respective Conference Championship games.

During their regular season meeting, the Washington Redskins defeated the Atlanta Falcons, 56-17, with QB Mark Rypien throwing for 446 yards and 6 touchdowns. Atlanta starting QB Chris Miller and CB/KR Deion Sanders missed that initial meeting. On January 4 1992, the score was closer, but the result was the same. Under rainy and muddy conditions, the Falcons’ pass happy run-and-shoot offense turned the ball over six times. Miller, who had problems all game with his footing, threw four interceptions and was sacked four times. Meanwhile, the Redskins held the ball for over 36 minutes, scoring two touchdowns in a span of 3:11 in the second quarter.

After a scoreless first quarter, Washington took a 7-0 lead, driving 81 yards to score on RB Ricky Ervins’ 17 yard rushing touchdown. Redskins’ DE Charles Mann next forced a fumble that was recovered by Washington on the Falcons’ 39 yard line. Following two runs by RB Ernest Byner for 11 yards, Rypien completed a 26 yard pass to WR Ricky Sanders down to the 2 yard line. RB Gerald Riggs ran the ball into the end zone on the next play to put the Redskins up 14-0 with 9:25 left in the first half.

Washington then squandered multiple chances to build a three score lead. First, a Washington blitz caused Miller to throw a wobbly pass that was intercepted by the Redskins on the Atlanta 29 yard line. But, after driving to the 10 yard line, Rypien returned the favor with an interception by Falcons’ S Brian Jordan. Washington quickly got a second chance to score after a second Miller interception. But this drive also ended with no points due to a missed 37 yard field goal attempt by K Chip Lohmiller.

Atlanta then drove 80 yards to score on Tracy Johnson’s 1 yard touchdown run with 57 seconds left in the half. The Redskins quickly advanced the ball into Falcons’ territory but Lohmiller missed a second field goal attempt, this time from 44 yards out, as the quarter expired. Despite three turnovers, Atlanta trailed only 14-7 at the half. Early in the second half, Washington nearly faced disaster when long snapper John Brandes bounced his snap to P Kelly Goodburn. But Goodburn managed to pick the ball up and kick it 37 yards.

The play turned out to be crucial as the Redskins’ defense forced the Falcons to go three and out on their next possession. Brian Mitchell returned Scott Fulhage’s 34 yard punt 26 yards to the Atlanta 18 yard line. Washington only managed to move the ball 11 yards, but this time Lohmiller cashed in with a 24 yard field goal, extending the Redskins’ lead to 17-7. The third quarter ended just over six minutes later, shortly after a missed 45 yard field goal attempt by Falcons’ K Norm Johnson. This turned out to be the Falcons’ last chance to get back in the game.

Two minutes into the fourth quarter, Atlanta fumbled and Washington recovered on their own 48 yard line. The Redskins then ground out a 52 yard drive to put the game away. Ervins rushed for 28 yards and Rypein converted two third downs with completions to WR Gary Clark. Although he threw an incomplete pass on third down from the 8 yard line, Falcons’ DB Deion Sanders was penalized for holding, resulting in a 1st and goal from the 4 yard line. Riggs then took the ball into the end zone with two carries, the second a 1 yard touchdown, giving Washington a 24-7 win.

Later that day, trailing 24-23 with 2:07 left in the game, QB John Elway led the Denver Broncos from their own 2 yard line to a game winning 28 yard field goal with 16 seconds remaining to defeat the Houston Oilers. Denver converted two fourth downs during the course of the drive.

Houston jumped to a quick 14-0 lead with Warren Moon’s two touchdown passes to WRs Haywood Jeffires and Drew Hill, one for 15 and the other for 9 yards. Denver came back with a 10 yard touchdown pass from Elway to WR Vance Johnson. But David Treadwell missed the extra point for a 14-6 deficit. Moon responded by throwing a 6 yard touchdown to WR Curtis Duncan, extending the Oilers’ lead to 21-6 early in the second quarter. However, Denver S Steve Atwater’s subsequent interception of a Moon pass before the end of the period gave the Broncos another scoring opportunity.

Greg Lewis’ 1 yard run touchdown after an 88 yard drive brought the Broncos within eight points, 21-13, at halftime. In the second half, each team scored a field goal, a 49 yarder by Denver’s Treadwell and a 25 yarder by Houston K Al Del Greco, maintaining the Oilers’ lead going into the fourth quarter. The Broncos then marched 80 yards to score on another Lewis’ 1 yard touchdown, further narrowing Houston’s lead to a single point, 24-23. The drive included a fumbled snap by Elway, which he recovered and turned into a 26 yard completion on 4th and 4.

Denver’s defense subsequently forced an Oiler punt for the first time in the game. Greg Montgomery’s 44 yard kick was downed on the 2 yard line. From there, Elway started off the game winning drive with a 22 yard pass to WR Mike Young. The Broncos were forced into back-to-back fourth downs but Elway converted each one. First, he ran for 7 yards and then completed a 44 yard pass to Johnson at Houston’s 21 yard line. One play later, Treadwell kicked a 28 yard field goal for a hard fought 26-24 Denver victory.

On January 5, the Buffalo Bills avenged their 33-6 Monday night thrashing by the Kansas City Chiefs, eliminating them from the playoffs. The Bills’ offense outgained the Chiefs, 448-213. Buffalo’s defense was aided by the return of DE Bruce Smith and DT Jeff Wright. Both had missed almost the entire regular season with injuries, including their prior meeting with Kansas City. The offense was bolstered by the return of injured WR Don Beebe, who caught 6 passes for 78 yards, as well as WR James Lofton.

Buffalo crushed Kansas City early, jumping out to a 24-0 lead early in the third quarter. Bills’ QB Jim Kelly threw for 278 yards and 3 touchdown passes; a 25 yarder to WR Andre Reed, a 53 yarder to Reed, and a 10 yarder to Lofton. Buffalo K Scott Norwood, who had missed five of his last six field goal attempts at the end of the regular season, added a 33 yard score, going a perfect 3 for 3 with two field goals in the second half. Any chance for a Kansas City comeback ended when starting QB Steve DeBerg was knocked out of the game in the second period with a sprained thumb.

Backup QB Mark Vlasic proceeded to throw four interceptions in the second half. The Chiefs gained only 77 yards on the ground with their leading rusher, Barry Word, gaining just 50 yards. Kansas City did not cross midfield until 5:34 remained in the third quarter when LB Lonnie Marts intercepted a Kelly pass and returned it 12 yards to the Bills’ 43 yard line. The Chiefs subsequently scored on a 3 yard Word touchdown run for a 24-7 deficit at the end of three quarters.

Norwood and Davis then finished off the Chiefs in the final period. Norwood converted two field goals (20 and 47 yards) and Davis added a touchdown (5 yard run) for a 37-7 advantage. Kansas City managed only one more drive into Buffalo territory, scoring on a 10 yard pass from Vlasic to WR Fred Jones late in the game. The Bills 37-14 domination of the Chiefs was their third playoff win in two years. Reed finished with 4 receptions for 100 yards and 2 touchdowns while RB Thurman Thomas recorded 100 rushing yards.

Meanwhile, Detroit Lions’ QB Erik Kramer led the Lions to their first and, to date, only post-season victory since 1957. Kramer completed 29 out of 38 passes for 341 yards and 3 touchdowns. Dallas Cowboys’ backup QB Steve Beuerlein was held to just 7 of 13 completions for 91 yards with 1 interception before being replaced by a now healthy Troy Aikman. But Aikman was unable to lead the team to any points after not playing for the past six weeks. Overall, Detroit outgained the Cowboys in total yards, 421-276, and forced four turnovers without losing any of their own.

On their opening drive, Dallas was forced to punt. Kramer, in his first year with the Lions, then completed passes to WRs Herman Moore, Mike Farr, and Willie Green for gains of 11, 13, and 13 yards before finishing the 68 yard drive with a 31 yard touchdown pass to Green and a 7-0 lead. The Cowboys responded with a pair of completions from Beuerlein to WR Michael Irvin for 35 yards. An 18 yard run by RB Emmitt Smith set-up a 28 yard Ken Willis field goal, cutting the lead to 7-3.

But the next time Dallas had the ball, Detroit DB Melvin Jenkins intercepted Beuerlein’s pass, returning it 41 yards for a touchdown, extending the Lions lead to 14-3. The Cowboys responded with another 28 yard Willis field goal but Detroit countered with K Eddie Murray’s 36 yard field goal for a 17-6 halftime lead. Near the end of the second quarter, Dallas Head Coach Jimmy Johnson benched Beuerlein in favor of Aikman. Unfortunately, the change did not improve the Cowboys fortunes. On the final two plays of the period, Aikman was sacked before throwing an interception to close out the first half.

Dallas’ fortunes didn’t improve in the third quarter. Kramer finished an 80 yard drive with a 6 yard touchdown pass to Green for an eighteen point lead, 24-6. The Lions then recovered another Aikman fumble on the Cowboys’ 27 yard line. Kramer’s 7 yard touchdown pass to Moore further extended the lead to 31-6. In the fourth quarter, RB Barry Sanders, who had been held to just 22 rushing yards up to this point, put the finishing touch on Detroit’s 38-6 victory with a 47 yard touchdown run.

On January 12, for the second consecutive year, the Buffalo Bills hosted the AFC Championship at Rich Stadium against the Denver Broncos. The Detroit Lions traveled to RFK Stadium to play the Washington Redskins for the NFC Championship, Detroit’s first championship game appearance in the Super Bowl era. Winners would represent their respective conferences in Super Bowl XXVI.

In the AFC, the Buffalo Bills relied on missed field goals by the Denver Broncos, and some key plays from their defense, to edge the Broncos in a knock down, drag out defensive drama. Both teams displayed devastating pass rushes that limited their offenses to meager, hard fought yardage throughout the game.

The score was 0-0 at the half, even though Denver advanced into Buffalo territory on all five of their first half possessions. After the first three drives of the game ended in punts, Vance Johnson gave Denver good field position with a 13 yard return to their 49 yard line. The Broncos then drove to the Bills’ 34 yard line. But three consecutive plays for negative yardage, including a big sack on third down, pushed them all the way back to their own side of the field.

After a punt, Denver quickly got another scoring chance. Their defense deflected Buffalo QB Jim Kelly’s pass at the line of scrimmage and NT Greg Kragen made a diving interception on the Bills’ 29 yard line. But, again, Denver ended up with negative yardage and failed to score when K David Treadwell was wide right on a 47 yard field goal attempt. Buffalo finally drove into Bronco territory for the first time in the game but ultimately had to punt. Denver then went on a rough back and forth drive, featuring numerous penalties, negative plays, a John Elway fumble that he recovered himself, and an interception overturned by replay review.

Despite all this, Denver managed to reach the Bills’ 16 yard line. But Elway’s fumble and recovery lost the team five yards and a third down sack by DE Bruce Smith pushed them back another eight yards. On the next play, Treadwell missed a 42 yard field goal attempt, this time hitting the right upright. Denver returned Buffalo’s next punt 10 yards to midfield. On the Broncos’ first play, RB Steve Sewell gained 26 yards on a screen pass. After two tackles near the line of scrimmage, Elway was stopped on a QB draw.

On fourth down, Treadwell missed for a third time, hitting the right upright from 37 yards out. Buffalo finished the half with just three first downs a week after racking up 29 first downs in their win over the Kansas City Chiefs. Early in the third quarter, Elway, in his ninth season at the helm of the Denver offense, suffered a deep thigh bruise that limited his mobility. Meanwhile, the Bills finally managed to mount a sustained drive. Aided by a 16 yard run from WR Andre Reed on a reverse play, they drove all the way to the Broncos’ 27 yard line.

However, continuing the trend of the day, Buffalo failed to capitalize when DB Tyrone Braxton intercepted Kelly’s third down pass. But, on Denver’s ensuing possession, the Bills defense made the defining play of the day. With the Broncos facing 2nd and 10 at their own 19 yard line. Elway attempted a middle screen pass to Sewell but it was tipped by Buffalo into the arms of LB Carlton Bailey. Bailey broke Elway’s tackle and returned the ball 11 yards for what would be the Bills only touchdown of the game.

Buffalo carried a slim 7-0 lead into the fourth quarter. As Elway’s injury worsened, he had to be replaced by backup QB Gary Kubiak. Kubiak managed to again lead Denver into Bills territory. But this time they turned the ball over on downs when Buffalo tackled RB Mike Young on the Bills’ 23 yard line, one yard short of a first down on 4th and 11. After being totally dominated up to this point, Buffalo’s offense got untracked with a pivotal 25 yard third down completion by Kelly to TE Keith McKeller. A few runs by hobbled RB Thurman Thomas and a 10 yard catch by Reed carried the Bills to within field goal range.

With 4:18 left in the game, Buffalo K Scott Norwood made a 44 yard field goal to increase their lead to 10-0. Kubiak, playing in his last NFL game, started out the Broncos next drive with an 11 yard scramble. He followed this with a completion to Vance Johnson at midfield. Another completion to Johnson moved the ball to the Bills’ 43 yard line. WR Mark Jackson next caught a pass from Kubiak for a first down at the 39 yard line. Following an encroachment penalty and an incompletion, Johnson made his fourth reception of the drive, a spinning mid-air catch on the Buffalo 10 yard line.

Kubiak finished the 8 play, 85 yard drive with a 3 yard touchdown run on a quarterback draw. This cut the Buffalo lead to 10-7 with less than two minutes left. Denver DB Steve Atwater then recovered the ensuing onside kick on the Broncos’ 49 yard line. But on the next play, Buffalo forced and recovered a fumble from Sewell with 1:28 left. Denver subsequently forced the Bills to punt but there was only 17 seconds left when they started their drive from the Broncos’ 20 yard line. Kubiak completed two passes to move his team near midfield. However, the next play ended inbounds and the clock ran out to preserve a 10-7 Buffalo victory.

In the NFC, the Washington Redskins had beaten the Detroit Lions, 45-0, in their season opener. The Lions had future Hall of Fame RB Barry Sanders, who missed their first meeting with an injury, but it didn’t help. Washington crushed Detroit once again. QB Mark Rypien completed 12 of 17 passes for 228 yards and 2 touchdowns. Lions’ QB Erik Kramer was sacked five times and Sanders, who rushed for 1,548 yards during the season, was held to just 44 yards on 11 carries.

Washington forced two turnovers on the Lions’ first two possessions, jumping to a 10-0 lead just 4:02 into the game. On Detroit’s first play of the game, Kramer fumbled and the Redskins recovered the ball on the Lions’ 10 yard line, setting up RB Gerald Riggs’ 2 yard touchdown. Then, Washington’s K Chip Lohmiller made a 20 yard field goal after LB Kurt Gouveia intercepted a Kramer pass, returning it 38 yards to the Detroit 10 yard line. In the second period, Kramer led the Lions 75 yards in 11 plays to score on his 18 yard touchdown pass to WR Willie Green, cutting the lead to 10-7.

However, the Lions’ score was immediately countered by the Redskins’ 73 yard drive and a 3 yard touchdown run by Riggs, restoring their 10 point lead, 17-7. Detroit drove 76 yards to score on K Eddie Murray’s 30 yard field goal to cut Washington’s halftime lead to 17-10. But that was as close as the Lions would come. The Redskins scored 24 unanswered points in the second half, starting with Lohmiller’s 28 yard field goal, extending their advantage to 13-7. The score was set up by Rypien’s 45 yard completion to TE Terry Orr.

On Detroit’s second drive of the third period, they moved the ball 45 yards to the Washington 21 yard line. But, on 3rd and 5, Kramer was sacked for a 5 yard loss and Murray’s subsequent 44 yard field goal attempt was blocked. Rypien completed a 31 yard pass to WR Art Monk on the Redskins ensuing drive. He followed it up with a 45 yard touchdown pass to WR Gary Clark, giving Washington a 27-10 lead at the end of three quarters. Rypien added a 21 yard touchdown pass to Monk in the fourth quarter for a 34-10 advantage. DB Darrell Green finished off the scoring by returning an interception 32 yards for a score, sealing a 41-10 Redskin victory.

Thus, the Washington Redskins would play the Buffalo Bills in Super Bowl XXVI. For Buffalo, it was their second consecutive Super Bowl appearance after losing to the New York Giants the previous year. Washington was seeking its third Super Bowl victory, a feat achieved by only three other teams in NFL history (Pittsburgh Steelers, Oakland Raiders, San Francisco 49ers).

Super Bowl Highlights: On January 26 1992, at HHH Metrodome in Minneapolis MN, the NFC Champion Washington Redskins, led by 11 year veteran Head Coach Joe Gibbs, played the AFC Champion Buffalo Bills, led by fifth year Head Coach Marv Levy, in Super Bowl XXVI. For Minneapolis, it was their first time hosting the Super Bowl and just the second time a Super Bowl was held in a cold weather climate.

Washington was led by QB Mark Rypien, Gibbs’ third different starting Super Bowl quarterback since he won his first championship in 1982. Rypien spent his first two years in the league on the Redskins’ injured reserved list, watching from the sidelines as Washington won their second NFL title behind the quarterbacking of veteran Doug Williams in Super Bowl XXII. When starting QB Jay Schroeder lost his job to Williams late in the 1987 season and was subsequently traded to the Los Angeles Raiders in 1988, Rypien became Williams’ backup. Schroeder had replaced long time starting QB Joe Theismann in 1985 after a career ending leg injury.

In Week 4 against the Phoenix Cardinals, Rypien got his first professional start, subbing for an injured Williams. He threw for 303 yards and 2 scores in a 30-21 loss. The seven year veteran started five more games, going 3-3, appearing in a total of nine contests. Rypien threw for 1,730 yards and 18 touchdowns, finishing with three more touchdowns than Williams. But the team ended the 1988 season at 7-9, their first losing record under Gibbs. In 1989, Rypien was named the starter ahead of the aging Williams, the ninth and final season of his career.

Rypien emerged as a Pro Bowl quarterback, throwing for 3,768 yards and 22 touchdowns. But his numbers declined in 1990 when he was able to start only 10 games. Both seasons, the Redskins finished with a winning record, 10-6, but missed the playoffs. Fully healthy in 1991, Rypien propelled Washington to their third Super Bowl in 10 years under Gibbs leadership. He finished with an NFC leading 3,564 passing yards and 28 touchdowns while completing 249 of 421 attempts (59.1%) with only 11 interceptions.

In just his third year as a starter, Rypien earned the second highest QB Rating in the league (97.9) behind only San Francisco 49ers’ QB Steve Young (101.8). He was aided by several great targets in WRs Gary Clark, Art Monk, and Ricky Sanders. Four time Pro Bowler Clark was the main deep threat on the team, catching 70 passes for 1,340 yards (19.1 yards per reception) and 10 touchdowns. Clark finished 2nd overall in receiving yards and yards per reception as well as 5th in receiving touchdowns. On the other side of the field, Monk was just as reliable.

The 12 year veteran caught 71 passes for 1,049 yards and 8 touchdowns. His 71 receptions gave him a career total of 801, just 18 behind the all-time record held by former Seattle Seahawks’ WR Steve Largent. Sanders was also a big element in the passing game, catching 45 passes for 580 yards and 5 touchdowns. The Redskins’ primary weapon out of the backfield was former Cleveland Browns’ RB Earnest Byner, now in his eighth season. He ranked 5th in the league with 1,048 rushing yards on 274 attempts (3.8 yards per rush), earning him a second straight Pro Bowl berth.

Byner also caught 34 passes for 308 yards and scored 5 total touchdowns. Rookie RB Ricky Ervins proved to be a major asset to the running attack, rushing 145 times for 680 yards (4.7 yards per carry). When Washington was near the goal line, they usually relied on RB Gerald Riggs, who rushed for 248 yards and scored 11 touchdowns, tied for 3rd highest in the league. The Redskins’ offensive line, known as “The Hogs”, was led by All-Pro OT Jim Lachey and Pro Bowl OG Mark Schlereth, along with four time Pro Bowl veteran OG Russ Grimm. The Hogs allowed just nine sacks, by far the fewest in the league.

Even Washington’s special teams unit was a big threat. Brian Mitchell led the league in both punt return yards (600) and touchdowns (2) while finishing 2nd overall with a 13.3 yards per return average. He also gained 583 yards on 29 kickoff returns (20.1 yards per return), finishing 3rd overall in combined return yards (1,183). K Chip Lohmiller led the league in scoring (149 points), converting 31 of 43 field goals (72.1%) and all 56 of his extra points. Overall, Washington finished 1st in scoring (485), 5th in passing (3,692), and 7th in rushing (2,049).

Meanwhile, the Redskins’ defense ranked 2nd in the league in points allowed (224) while ranking 3rd overall in rushing yards (1,346) and 9th in passing yards allowed (2,947). All-Pro DB Darrell Green and Pro Bowl LB Wilber Marshall recorded 5 interceptions each. Marshall, in his fourth year with Washington, also compiled 5.5 sacks and forced 4 fumbles. S Brad Edwards was a big factor in the secondary, recording 4 interceptions. Up front, their line was anchored by DE Charles Mann, who recorded 11 of Washington’s 50 sacks. DE Fred Stokes also made a big impact, with 6.5 sacks, 2 fumble recoveries, and an interception.

Buffalo’s narrow one point loss in Super Bowl XXV didn’t slow them down in 1991. The Bills’ no-huddle “K-Gun” offense once again dominated the NFL by gaining a league leading 6,525 yards (3,871 passing and 2,381 rushing), scoring 458 points, second only to Washington. The leaders of the offense, six year veteran QB Jim Kelly and RB Thurman Thomas, in his fourth year, both had the best seasons of their careers. Kelly, selected All-Pro for the first time in 1991, completed 304 of 474 attempts (64.1%) for 3,844 yards, a league leading 33 touchdowns, only 17 interceptions, and a QBR of 97.6.

Thomas, named All-Pro for the second straight season, rushed for 1,407 yards on 288 carries for a league leading 4.9 yards per rush. He also caught 62 passes for 620 yards, second on the team in receptions. His 12 total touchdowns tied him for 4th most in the league. For his efforts, Thomas won both the NFL Offensive Player of the Year and Most Valuable Player awards. With 2,067 yards from scrimmage, Thomas led the league for the third consecutive season. Both Kelly and Thomas finished in the league’s Top 5 in just about every passing and rushing category respectively.

Like Washington, Buffalo also had more than one threat in their backfield. Former Green Bay Packers’ RB Kenneth Davis rushed for 624 yards, caught 20 passes for 118 yards, and scored 5 total touchdowns. The Bills also had several major weapons in their passing game. WR Andre Reed led the team with 81 receptions for 1,113 yards (13.7 yards per catch) and 10 touchdowns, finishing in the Top 5 in both catches and touchdowns. Reed also rushed 12 times for 136 yards.

On the other side of the field, another former Packer, 14 year veteran WR James Lofton, recorded 57 receptions for 1,072 yards and 8 touchdowns. Lofton’s 18.8 yards per catch was the 4th highest in the league, earning him his eighth and final Pro Bowl appearance. Lofton finished the year just 55 yards short of the all-time receiving yardage record, also held by Steve Largent (13,089 yards). TE Keith McKeller, like Thomas in his fourth season, was a big contributor, with 44 receptions for 434 yards. WR Don Beebe, in just his third year, contributed 32 catches, 414 yards, and 6 touchdowns.

However, the Bills had big problems on defense during most of the season. Buffalo ranked 27th out of 28 teams in yards allowed (5,458), 19th in points allowed (318), and recorded only 31 sacks. A big reason was the loss of three time All-Pro DE Bruce Smith and DT Jeff Wright for a majority of the year with injuries. One of the few bright spots on the Bills’ defense was three time Pro Bowl LB Cornelius Bennett, who recorded 78 tackles, 9 sacks, and 2 fumble recoveries. Another Pro Bowl linebacker, Darryl Talley, led the team with 90 tackles and 5 interceptions while also recovering two fumbles. Fifth year veteran CB Nate Odomes was the leader of the secondary, with 5 interceptions, 66 tackles, and a fumble recovery.

At the end of an extremely sloppy first quarter, the game was scoreless, despite featuring the two highest scoring teams in the league. Miscues began right from the start. First, the opening kickoff had to be redone because Buffalo K Brad Daluiso kicked the ball before referee Jerry Markbreit signaled to begin play. Then, after Washington was forced to punt, Thurman Thomas missed the first two plays of Buffalo’s first drive because he had misplaced his helmet.

Later in the period, Washington drove 89 yards and appeared to score a touchdown on a pass from Mark Rypien to Art Monk. But it was nullified by instant replay with the officials ruling Monk’s foot was out of bounds when he caught the ball. This was the first time a touchdown had been negated by instant replay in a Super Bowl. The Redskins tried to salvage the drive with a field goal attempt, but holder Jeff Rutledge fumbled the snap.

On Buffalo’s first play after the botched attempt, Jim Kelly gave Washington another chance to score by throwing an interception to the Redskins’ Brad Edwards, who returned the ball 21 yards to the Bills’ 12 yard line. But Rypien promptly gave the ball back, throwing an interception to DB Kirby Jackson on the third play of Washington’s drive. In the second quarter, the Redskins began to take over the game. First, a 41 yard completion from Rypien to Ricky Sanders and a 19 yard run by Earnest Byner set up Chip Lohmiller’s 34 yard field goal, giving Washington a 3-0 lead.

The Redskins’ defense subsequently forced Buffalo into a three and out on their ensuing possession. P Chris Mohr’s 23 yard punt sailed out of bounds at the Washington 49 yard line. The Redskins then drove 51 yards in 5 plays, capped by Byner’s 10 yard touchdown reception from Rypien, for a 10-0 lead. On the Bills next drive, Washington’s Darrell Green intercepted a second Kelly pass at the Redskins’ 45 yard line. Three plays later, Rypien completed a 34 yard pass to Gary Clark to the Buffalo 15 yard line.

A 14 yard run by Ricky Ervins set up Gerald Riggs’ 1 yard touchdown run, expanding Washington’s lead to 17-0. Buffalo had a chance to drive for a score late in the second quarter. With 1:46 left in the half, Bills special teams star Steve Tasker downed Mohr’s 48 yard punt at the Redskins’ 1 yard line. Washington gained zero net yards, and Buffalo got the ball back at the Redskins’ 41 yard line. From there, Kelly completed a 21 yard pass to Keith McKeller to the 20 yard line.

But, after an incomplete pass and an 8 yard sack by Wilber Marshall, Edwards broke up a third down pass intended for Andre Reed. On the play, Edwards could have been penalized for pass interference but no call was made. In disgust, Reed threw his helmet to the ground, drawing a 15 yard unsportsmanlike conduct penalty. Out of field goal range, the Bills were forced to punt. As the teams ran off the field at halftime, Marv Levy confronted field judge Ed Merrifield, who had missed the pass interference call and then threw the unsportsmanlike conduct flag against Reed.

The Redskins increased their lead to 24-0 just 16 seconds into the second half. LB Kurt Gouveia intercepted a third Kelly pass on the first play of the third quarter and returned it 23 yards to the Bills’ 2 yard line. One play later, Riggs scored his second touchdown of the game. Washington’s 24-0 lead midway through the third quarter tied the Miami Dolphins in Super Bowl VIII for the largest shutout lead in Super Bowl history. Buffalo finally got some momentum going with their next few drives.

First, the Bills drove 77 yards to the Redskins’ 3 yard line, aided by a 43 yard completion from Kelly to Don Beebe. Washington kept Buffalo out of the end zone, but Scott Norwood kicked a 21 yard field goal to cut the deficit to 24-3. Then, aided by a 29 yard pass interference penalty on Redskins’ CB Martin Mayhew in the end zone, the Bills drove 56 yards in 6 plays. A 1 yard touchdown run by Thomas narrowed the Washington lead to 24-10. But Buffalo’s hopes of a comeback faded when the Redskins advanced 79 yards in 11 plays on the ensuing drive to score on Clark’s 30 yard touchdown reception from Rypien.

Washington now led 31-10 with 1:24 left in the third quarter. Three plays after receiving the kickoff, Kelly fumbled the ball while being sacked and it was recovered by the Redskins. After the turnover, Washington drove to the Bills’ 7 yard line, increasing their lead to 34-10 with Lohmiller’s 25 yard field goal on the second play of the fourth quarter. On Buffalo’s ensuing drive, Kelly was sacked for a 9 yard loss, threw an incomplete pass, and then threw his fourth interception of the game. With his second interception, Edwards returned the ball 35 yards to the Bills’ 33 yard line.

Five plays later, Lohmiller kicked his third field goal with 11:36 left, increasing the Redskins’ lead to 37-10. With the game almost completely out of reach, Buffalo managed to respond with a 15 play, 79 yard drive, cutting the score to 37-17 on a 2 yard touchdown pass from Kelly to TE Pete Metzelaars. Then, after recovering an onside kick, the Bills drove 50 yards and scored another touchdown, this time a 4 yard reception by Bebe from Kelly, to make the score 37-24. But Buffalo’s second onside kick attempt was unsuccessful and Washington was able to run out the clock for their third Super Bowl victory.

Rypien, who completed 18 of 33 passes for 292 yards and 2 touchdowns, was named Super Bowl MVP. Gary Clark had 7 catches for 114 yards while fellow receiver Art Monk had 7 catches for 113 yards. Clark and Monk became just the third pair of teammates to each have 100 yards receiving in a Super Bowl, joining the Pittsburgh Steelers’ John Stallworth and Lynn Swann and the Cincinnati Bengals’ Chris Collinsworth and Dan Ross. The Redskins amassed 417 yards of total offense while limiting the explosive Bills to only 283 total yards including just 43 yards rushing.

Conclusion: For the Green Bay Packers, 1991’s losing record was another low point in two and a half decades of low points. In two short years, two thirds of the Packers’ young offensive core, QB Don Majkowski and RB Brent Fullwood, both Pro Bowlers in 1989, were either gone or diminished by injury. Only All-Pro WR Sterling Sharpe remained a difference maker. On defense, the struggles continued, with the team consistently unable to resign key players. The most recent example, All-Pro LB Tim Harris, was traded away prior to the 1991 season when the two sides were unable to agree on a new contract.

Once again, Green Bay would have to start over. After suffering through five different regime changes since Vince Lombardi’s last Super Bowl winning team in 1967, there was little reason to believe the next one would fare any better. From 1968 through 1991, the Packers appeared in the postseason only twice, 1972 and the strike shortened 1982 season. A generation of Packer fans that enjoyed the Lombardi era had children (myself included) that experienced just five winning campaigns during this long, seemingly endless drought.

And these next generation fans were no longer filling the stadium like they used to. According to team historian Cliff Christl, “The stadium was selling out but the tickets were not valued and some went unused.” Christl recalled a well known line circulating in Green Bay at the time. “Right around 1990-91, a popular joke was ‘I went to the mall and left my two Packer tickets on the dashboard. I forgot to lock my car and when I came back there were two more tickets on my dash.’ That’s how (apathetic) it was.”

Bob Harlan, in his third year as the Packers’ President, agreed. “I heard from a lot of them [the fans] in mail and phone calls,” Harlan said. “I would say the main thing was that they thought we’d never again play at a high level, that maybe the league had gotten too big for Green Bay.” He was now convinced that drastic change was required across the organization in order to turn around the franchise. “Green Bay was not a destination players wanted to come to.”

Harlan continued, “We needed to change our image, our culture, get back to winning. And the only way to do that after 24 years of mediocrity was to totally change the way we ran the operation.” And with that, Harlan took action. “I went to them [the Board of Directors] and said we need to change our structure to one strong football GM [General Manager]. With assurances that the executive committee would leave the GM alone. It’s got to be done, and it’s got to be done now.”

For the past four years, Lindy Infante had coached the team and worked with General Manager Tom Braatz in a 50-50 partnership on player personnel, including roster decisions and the draft. Now, with the changes recommended by Harlan and approved by the Board of Directors, the general manager alone would have complete authority over all football operations. On November 20, Harlan decided Braatz was not the person to resurrect the franchise after years of futility. Three days after a resounding Week 12 defeat at the hands of the Minnesota Vikings, 35-21, Harlan made the unprecedented decision to relieve the GM of his duties.

Harlan wanted to give the new general manager an opportunity to evaluate the team and the organization during the season, not after. Prior to that decision, he had made a call to the New York Jets, requesting permission to talk to their Director of Player Personnel, Ron Wolf, about becoming the next Packers’ General Manager. Little did long suffering fans know that their long, dark night was coming to an end and a new era was about to dawn!

Attached is the NFL Films Super Bowl XXVI Highlight video.

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