Redskins vs. Falcons History, Anecdotes, and Fan Memories

[kleese]

--Redskins lead the regular season series 14-6-1

--Redskins lead the playoff series 1-0 (1991)

--Redskins won the first meeting in October of 1966, 33-20

--Falcons did not win in Washington until 1994

--Including playoffs, the Redskins own the longest streak in the series (5 games) from 1989-1993

--Teams did not meet in the season 1995-2002, the longest drought in the series

--Redskins are 5-4-1 at Atlanta (1-1 in the Georgia Dome) and 10-2 at home (including playoffs) although the 2 losses have come in each of the past two meetings in DC (1994 and 2006).

--Games have generally not been all that close...7 of the previous 8 meetings have been decided by 7 or more points

My Memories:

Another oppoent for which the history is hardly rich....not a lot to see here, but a few do stand out:

1987: Very vague memories here...Falcons won at Fulton County Stadium 21-20...a missed extra point helped do us in and I remember Gerald Riggs scoring the go ahead touchdown for the Falcons late in the game.

1989: Also in Atlanta, this was one year before I learned about satellite dishes and going to sportsbars, so I followed this game via the in-game updates of whatever game was on locally that day. It was a wild affair with both QBs pushing the 400 yard passing mark. Late afternoon game nearing Christmas, Redskins won 31-30, but I want to say we were officially eliminated from playoff contention that day?

1991: Everything from 1991 stands out to me, and this one is pretty vivid. We were absolutely on fire that day. Rypien just kept dropping back and throwing post patterns to the Posse' for touchdowns. We embarrassed Atlanta that day 56-17. Rypien had three TD passes of 60 yards or more and he finished with 450 yards total. A backup QB named Brett Favre came in to mop things up for the Falcons...he promptly three to picks...one of which was returned for a TD.

1991 (playoffs): The infamous "Seat Cushion Game" played in the mud and the muck. We had a lot of pretty wins in 1991, but this was not one of them. It was workmanlike. We only led 14-7 at the half, but I had no doubts at all that eventually we'd wear them down. We made some adjustments in the second half and Atlanta couldn't get anything going. Ultimately, 6 turnovers doomed the Falcons to a 24-7 loss. In addition to the seat cushions raining down, I also have an image of our long snapper, John Brandes doing some crazy dance on the sidelines.

1992: Only remember this because it was played on my 15th birthday. Desmond Howard took a punt to the house, but Deion went 99 on the ensuing kickoff to offset the points. Kurt Gouviea picked off Chris Miller in the end zone to preseve a 24-17 win.

1994: A 27-20 loss in RFK, only remember it because we wore our throwbacks that day.

2003: If there was a "high point" in the Spurrier/Ramsey era this was it. We went to the Georgia Dome for the first time ever and improved to 2-0 on the year with a 33-31 win after getting down 17-0 early. Not gonna lie, I thought 2003 was going to be a big year after that win (356 passing yards from Ramsey??). Of course it was all fool's gold, but that was a good day.

That's really all I've got...our two most recent loss to the Falcons both came later in the year in terrible seasons for the Redskins when the game didn't really matter.

[Mr. Sinister]

Don't really remember anything eventful, other than the Mike Smith/ D Hall scrum.

Honestly, what I remember most is how we absolutely harassed Vick in a meaningless preseason game back in '04. Being my 16 year old self, I immediately started making plans for the parade route in DC after we won the SB. I was at least right about our defense that year, though.

[frostyj]

Can't remember if it was the 91 playoff game or not, but MC Hammer was there and him and Glanville left the game a couple min early. The chanting of "Jerry, Jerry, Jerry" as they left the field.

[Mr. Sinister]

Can't remember if it was the 91 playoff game or not, but MC Hammer was there and him and Glanville left the game a couple min early. The chanting of "Jerry, Jerry, Jerry" as they left the field.

Lol, I saw that on "America's Game." The fans were heckling the hell out of him, too.

[kleese]

Poor Glanville just didn't stand a chance against Gibbs....

[Gibbs Hog Heaven]

The '91 games. But then ALL that season stands out as clear as day like it was yesterday.

Greatest single team in football history IMHO. But then I am slightly biased on the subject.

Hail.

[scruffylookin]

Poor Glanville just didn't stand a chance against Gibbs....

He seemed to do pretty well in the House of Pain beat down in 1988. But certainly those 91 Falcons had no chance against the 91 Skins. Especially that Red Gun offense against Richie's defense.

For me Skins vs. Atlanta

1983 preseason- I actually do have a very very very vague memory of Darrell Green returning a punt for a touchdown in his very first NFL action. It's more an impression. Nothing specific. I have yet to see this play ever again.

1983 regular season-this was a typical 1983 rout for the Skins. They built a 34-0 lead and dominated. Atlanta scored a bunch of cosmetic points and got cosmetic yards in the 4th to make the final score alot closer than the game.

1984 regular season-this was a monday night game where the Skins struggled for a while with the Falcons. Gerald Riggs had a good night for Atlanta. Nothing really stood out about this game other than the Skins getting a much needed win after dropping two in a row at St. Louis and at New York.

1985 regular season-the high point of the season under Joe Theismann. The Skins destroyed Atlanta with both George Rogers and Keith Griffin running for over 100 yards. Art Monk caught his first TD of the season. This game also illustrated just how similar the Falcons tried to be to the Skins. With Dan Henning as their coach, their offense was the same and at one point late in this contest they had Bob Holly at QB, Joe Washington at running back on passing downs (with big back Riggs the rest of the time and Charlie Brown at WR.

1987 regular season-I actually don't remember too much about this one and don't have it in my collection. I know we lost and that in and of itself was a shocker at the time. Looking back, I still don't know how the Skins won the Super Bowl in 1987. That team really wasn't a top shelf team that season.

1989 regular season- great see saw game. Skins jump them early. Then Atlanta builds a 17pt lead and then the Skins storm back to win. This game is notable because Ryp got hurt early and had to leave. This allowed Doug Williams to get in for a little while in the first half and he threw his last td of his career. Ryp came back to lead the comeback and the win.

1991 regular season- what is funny about this game was how close it was early with Atlanta blocking 2 punts I believe. But that secondary, missing Deion, could not keep up with Clark and Monk that day.

1991 post season-it's been covered

1992 regular season-this game had the Brian Mitchell throw back to Desmond Howard for Howard's first TD. I thought it was the beginning of great things. Oh well.

1993 regular season-Monte Coleman had one of the great single game performances for a defender in this one. I think he had 2.5 sacks, an interception and a fumble return for a TD that sealed the last win of the Richie season.

1994 regular season-Started off great with the offense under John Friesz humming along and the defense keeping Jeff George in check. But the roof caved in in the 2nd half. Heath Shuler threw his first career pick in mop up duty late in this one.

1997 preseason- I remember this one because the Skins starters looked so awful that Norv kept them in there into the 4th quarter (I think). Skins ended up winning but it was really only thanks to the starting offense scoring points against the scrub Falcons

2003 regular season-started the season 2-0 with this win and Patrick Ramsey looked like he was going to be a star. Both Coles and Gardner shined as the Skins came back.

2004 preseason-great memory of Dog Killer getting his ass beat to a pulp. So much so that he had to be pulled for fear of getting hurt.

2006 regular season-I remember Betts had a huge first half and not much in the second.

2009 regular season-don't remember much about this one other than CP going out for the season with an injury and MeAngelo embarrassing an already embarrassed franchise and fan base.

[Old Bay]

Only thing I can sort of remember from antiquity is Glanville not shaking Gibbs' hand after a game. I think that was with the Falcons, but maybe it was with the Oilers?

[RFKFedEx]

MC Hammer was at the peak of his performing career when the 2 Legit To Quit Falcons came to RFK in 1991. I mean he was huge at the time.

Hammer hadn't yet changed his name to 'Hammer' and he was still rocking the MC portion of his name. That was Atlanta's best football season ever to date, until they reached the SB 7 years later.

[BRAVEONTHEWARPATH93]

I remember the 2006 game because I was in 8th grade and I bet my friend (a Falcons/Vick fan...now a Dal-ASS fan smh) we would win before the season because I was so sure that we would dominate in 2006...Needless to say, I avoided him for a few weeks lol

[pjfootballer]

I was at the last game in the GA Dome. That dome is pretty dark and dull looking on the inside. 31-17 loss. Turner ran all over us that game. I think he had over 130 yards IIRC.

[Boss_Hogg]

1991: Everything from 1991 stands out to me, and this one is pretty vivid. We were absolutely on fire that day. Rypien just kept dropping back and throwing post patterns to the Posse' for touchdowns. We embarrassed Atlanta that day 56-17. Rypien had three TD passes of 60 yards or more and he finished with 450 yards total. A backup QB named Brett Favre came in to mop things up for the Falcons...he promptly three to picks...one of which was returned for a TD.

My first Redskins game.

[LightningBuggs]

1975...in Atlanta, I think. I have vague memories of Ron McDole blocking a potential game-tying FG on last play in what was a cardiac season for the Skins.

[kleese]

Only thing I can sort of remember from antiquity is Glanville not shaking Gibbs' hand after a game. I think that was with the Falcons, but maybe it was with the Oilers?

He thought we ran up the score that day. He said something to the affect of "they tried to rip out our souls" or something ridiculous like that. Love it.

[Diss]

I'm gonna show my age a little here, but the first full season I really remember is the 1978 season under Jack Pardee. I was just a little kid, but that was the year when my fanhood went super nova.

The 'Skins started out 6-0 that year, including an incredibly emotional 9-5 win over Dallas on Monday Night football, one of the best games I've ever seen, despite the lack of scoring.

Then, the bottom fell out.

Pardee went from 6-0 to, at the last game of the season, against the Falcons in Atlanta, 8-7.

Anyway, despite the collapse, the Redskins still had slim playoff hopes if they beat Atlanta. It was a back and forth game, as I remember, and the Redskins took a late lead. But of course, the Falcons drove down the field as time was running out, and they had one shot at a game-winning field goal.

They kicked, and it was ... NO GOOD! Maybe the 'Skins would sneak into the playoffs after all!

But ... on the field was a yellow flag. Offsides, Redskins.

Atlanta gets another shot.

You guessed it - this one is right through the uprights and the Redskins are officially eliminated.

I was devasted. So much so, that I even WROTE A LETTER to Redskins Park, addressed to the Redskins in general.

I remember saying stuff like, "I can't believe you could jump offsides on such an important play! What's wrong with you guys," etc., etc.

I gave the letter to my dad, and he said he'd mail it for me. A few years later, I found out he never did. He must've had a big laugh about it.

Anyway, have not been a Falcons fan ever since.