Redskins vs. Steelers History, Anecdotes, and Fan Memories

[kleese]

This is an interesting one because the franchises have a very rich history against each other, but the overwhelming majority of ES wasn't even alive when most of the meetings took place.

The following records exclude the years prior to the Redskins moving to DC.

--Redskins lead all time series 37-28-3

--Redskins won the first meeting 34-24 in Oct of 1937

--Redskins have longest win streak at 12 games (1938-1945)

--From 1937 through 1969 the teams met at least once a season every year except for 1943

--The Steelers moved to the AFC as part of the merger in 1970 and the teams have only met 9 times since

--If you are counting that's 59 meetings in the first 32 years and 9 meetings in the next 41 years

--The Redskins are 3-6 in those 9 meetings since 1970

--The 70's era Steelers beat them twice (1973, 1979) with both meetings coming in Pittsburgh. The Gibbs I era teams then went 3-0 vs the Steelers, but we haven't won since; losing the last four meetings

--Teams have only played twice in Washington over the past 40+ years (1988, 2008)

--In those 4 losses, the Redskins HIGHEST point total was 13... They have failed to hit double digits in any of the past three meetings

My Memories:

--I generally have at least a vague recollection of every game played since the mid 80's, but for some reason I have no recall of the 1985 or 1988 games.... The one in 1988 is especially odd because I was pretty locked in by then. But I literally have nothing in the mental vault there. Both were high scoring games and both were wins, but I don't remember any of it.

--1991 at Three Rivers.... Remember this one vividly. My parents went to Rio De Jenerio that fall and asked if I wanted to go... I would have missed several days of school, but I also would have missed two Redskins games, so I decline and stayed home with neighbors. I stayed at my friend's house, but went home several times per day to watch the dog. I watched the Steelers game that day in my gameroom in an empty house which I thought was pretty cool. We rolled Pitt that day like we did many lesser teams in 91. Monk had a big day and the game was over early. Pretty sure this was Chuck Noll's final season.

--1997... The first of what would become many frustrating losses in 1997... We were 1-0 after a good opening week win at Carolina... We really outplayed the Steelers on the road that day, but Gus kept throwing picks... We still held a late lead before The Bus scored a TD to put Pitt ahead 14-13. I know Gus threw a pick in the end zone that day but I can't remember if he did so in the 4th or not. Anyway, it was a one point loss that easily could have been a 10 point win. Another Norv era game where our opponent to waited around for us to implode.

--2000: We blew the season already in previous weeks, so this game (played on a Sat afternoon) had no meaning for us. My wife (fiancé at the time) graduate from college that day and I only saw bits and pieces of this one. All I remember is that we got stomped.

--2004: Vague memories... Watched it from a sports bar in Houston. This was the year where our D was stellar but we couldn't score at all; this game for that mold. Pretty close on the scoreboard much of the game, but we never had a chance. Sean Taylor had a memorable hit on the sideline- was it Willie Parker? An ugly 16-7 loss.

--2008: Many fans were skeptical of our 6-2 start that year and this game validated those thoughts. We got off to a solid start, but Pitt just clobbered us after the first quarter. Big Ben started moving the ball and then once he got hurt, Byron Leftwich did just fine. Kinda knew our season might in trouble after this one. This Monday Nighter is of course also remembered also the "Steeler fan invasion" game.

[Hitman21ST]

Something I didn't know until a few days ago, Ben Roethlisberger has never thrown a touchdown against our defense. Not thinking that streak will continue, but one can hope, right?

[hail2skins]

I remember my first attended-in-person NFL game was preseason at RFK against the Steelers in either 1974 or 1975. The next time I would go to RFK would be in 1986 for a late-season tilt against the Giants.

Yeah, don't really remember a lot of the other games. I think Bubby Brister was the Steelers QB in 1988. I don't even remember seeing many of the games as they were played after that. In '91 I was driving back from my grandma's house, but do remember a highlight of Gary Clark making a sensational one-handed diving catch. Don't remember the '97 game at all. In '00, was disgusted after the Skins had given up the previous week against Dallas and just listened to bits and pieces on the radio....recall Steelers broadcaster Myron Cope was dissing Snyder. In '04 I attended the game before the Steelers one, which was a loss to Philly during their Super Bowl appearance year. The Steelers game was Thanksgiving weekend and I think I was flying while the game was underway.

Unfortunately, I did see the '08 game live and in person......my mother and I got to our seats very early and she saw all of these yellow towels being waved and said, in astonishment, "I don't remember seeing those being given away"

I'm predicting a Steelers win, 27-24, on a late FG by Suisham. As usual, must-see RG3!

[Switchgear]

I watched the 91 game with a Steelers fan. When the Skins went up 41-14, he was pretty pissed. How dare they score so many points. That win put the team at 11-0. What a season.

My wife's a Steelers fan, the 2004 game I said her team would probably win but their fans would be frustrated because the Skins seemed like a worse team than they really were. Nailed that one.

[MWCREDSKINS]

1991 was the perfect game. Rypien was outstanding and 2 of the most amazing catches ever spurred us to a 41-14 win. Art Monk with an amazing toe dance for a TD then Gary Clark with a diving 1 hand grab to keep a drive going, I miss those days

[Yeen80]

I just remember the pasting we took in 2008 under Jim Zorn. That loss began our fall from grace after the 6-2 start

---------- Post added October-27th-2012 at 01:55 PM ----------

Im pretty sure that in that 1997 game against the Steelers Gus threw a silly pick in the end zone to Levon Kirkland at the end of the 1st half that cost us points

[Cooleyfan1993]

This is an interesting one because the franchises have a very rich history against each other, but the overwhelming majority of ES wasn't even alive when most of the meetings took place.

The following records exclude the years prior to the Redskins moving to DC.

--Redskins lead all time series 37-28-3

--Redskins won the first meeting 34-24 in Oct of 1937

--Redskins have longest win streak at 12 games (1938-1945)

--From 1937 through 1969 the teams met at least once a season every year except for 1943

--The Steelers moved to the AFC as part of the merger in 1970 and the teams have only met 9 times since

--If you are counting that's 59 meetings in the first 32 years and 9 meetings in the next 41 years

--The Redskins are 3-6 in those 9 meetings since 1970

--The 70's era Steelers beat them twice (1973, 1979) with both meetings coming in Pittsburgh. The Gibbs I era teams then went 3-0 vs the Steelers, but we haven't won since; losing the last four meetings

--Teams have only played twice in Washington over the past 40+ years (1988, 2008)

--In those 4 losses, the Redskins HIGHEST point total was 13... They have failed to hit double digits in any of the past three meetings

My Memories:

--I generally have at least a vague recollection of every game played since the mid 80's, but for some reason I have no recall of the 1985 or 1988 games.... The one in 1988 is especially odd because I was pretty locked in by then. But I literally have nothing in the mental vault there. Both were high scoring games and both were wins, but I don't remember any of it.

--1991 at Three Rivers.... Remember this one vividly. My parents went to Rio De Jenerio that fall and asked if I wanted to go... I would have missed several days of school, but I also would have missed two Redskins games, so I decline and stayed home with neighbors. I stayed at my friend's house, but went home several times per day to watch the dog. I watched the Steelers game that day in my gameroom in an empty house which I thought was pretty cool. We rolled Pitt that day like we did many lesser teams in 91. Monk had a big day and the game was over early. Pretty sure this was Chuck Noll's final season.

--1997... The first of what would become many frustrating losses in 1997... We were 1-0 after a good opening week win at Carolina... We really outplayed the Steelers on the road that day, but Gus kept throwing picks... We still held a late lead before The Bus scored a TD to put Pitt ahead 14-13. I know Gus threw a pick in the end zone that day but I can't remember if he did so in the 4th or not. Anyway, it was a one point loss that easily could have been a 10 point win. Another Norv era game where our opponent to waited around for us to implode.

--2000: We blew the season already in previous weeks, so this game (played on a Sat afternoon) had no meaning for us. My wife (fiancé at the time) graduate from college that day and I only saw bits and pieces of this one. All I remember is that we got stomped.

--2004: Vague memories... Watched it from a sports bar in Houston. This was the year where our D was stellar but we couldn't score at all; this game for that mold. Pretty close on the scoreboard much of the game, but we never had a chance. Sean Taylor had a memorable hit on the sideline- was it Willie Parker? An ugly 16-7 loss.

--2008: Many fans were skeptical of our 6-2 start that year and this game validated those thoughts. We got off to a solid start, but Pitt just clobbered us after the first quarter. Big Ben started moving the ball and then once he got hurt, Byron Leftwich did just fine. Kinda knew our season might in trouble after this one. This Monday Nighter is of course also remembered also the "Steeler fan invasion" game.

i didnt think the season was in trouble after that loss in 08. in the next game (against the cowboys at FedEx Field), we started out great and then lost 14-10. then we were 6-4, but still not out of the playoff race quite yet.

[DC9]

i didnt think the season was in trouble after that loss in 08. in the next game (against the cowboys at FedEx Field), we started out great and then lost 14-10. then we were 6-4, but still not out of the playoff race quite yet.

I think he was referring to the fact that the book was out on how to stop us. Load the box and stop CP and force JCam to throw against the blitz... which he couldn't. I was one of those fans who thought it was over after that game too. We also had a lot of missed opportunities in that game that showed how cherry a coach Zorn was.

I think it's curious that we haven't played the Steelers much. I wish I could say I have a ton of memories, or even that I saw one of the scrimmages up in Frostburg... but other than the 91-present games... I was too young to remember all that well. Here's to change!

[kleese]

The 1997 game was painful. It really encapsulated everything about the Norv years. We outplayed the Steelers that day. As Yeen mentioned, the stupid pick in the end zone was huge....it was always something with Norv's teams; some missed opportunity or brain camp proves costly. I could write a book on how we totally jacked up the 1997 season...it started that day in Three Rivers.

---------- Post added October-27th-2012 at 02:33 PM ----------

i didnt think the season was in trouble after that loss in 08. in the next game (against the cowboys at FedEx Field), we started out great and then lost 14-10. then we were 6-4, but still not out of the playoff race quite yet.

Technically, we were still in it...and technically we'd still be in it up until we lost in Cincy a month or so later. But that Steelers game exposed us badly...we looked in shaky in wins against the Browns and Lions prior and Pitt dismantled us. Good teams don't get run like that by other good teams....it's why I'd be concerned right now if I was a Niners fan....shouldn't get pasted by the Giants like that.

[Mr. Sinister]

I sort of remember the last game at Heinz. I remember Randle El killing us on special teams (back in the days when he beasted on special teams). I don't think he scored a TD (we may have shoe string tackled him at the 5-10 yd line or something) but he gave them insane field position on a couple drives. IIRC Bettis ran fairly well, and we couldn't do jack on offense with Ramsey.

And Willie Parker got armageddon'd by Sean Taylor on a return, and fumbled. I remember one of the commentators going on about his "Fast Willie" nickname, and the other one said something like "I bet it's more like Sore Willie after that hit." Taylor absolutely destroyed him. Maybe someone can find that clip.

[balki1867]

--1991 at Three Rivers.... Remember this one vividly. My parents went to Rio De Jenerio that fall and asked if I wanted to go... I would have missed several days of school, but I also would have missed two Redskins games, so I decline and stayed home with neighbors. I stayed at my friend's house, but went home several times per day to watch the dog. I watched the Steelers game that day in my gameroom in an empty house which I thought was pretty cool. We rolled Pitt that day like we did many lesser teams in 91. Monk had a big day and the game was over early. Pretty sure this was Chuck Noll's final season.

I have the most bizarre vague memory of this game. I was sitting in the basement (10 years old) with my dad watching and CBS cut to a wide shot of the whole stadium. It was still fairly early in the season, so the Three Rivers' grounds crew hadn't yet turfed over the baseball field, so there was an football field drawn over the baseball field. Most normal people wouldn't be wowed by that but at 10 years old I thought it was the coolest thing in the world.

(And to think, 20 years later, it's next-to-impossible to even see that. I think even the Oakland Colosseum temporarily turfs over the baseball field when the Raiders are playing.)

EDIT: Never mind, I didn't realize that game didn't happen till mid-November.

[Win4us]

Something I didn't know until a few days ago, Ben Roethlisberger has never thrown a touchdown against our defense. Not thinking that streak will continue, but one can hope, right?

Wow, yeah i def see him getting out of that funk tomorrow. Freeing struggling opposing players out of dry spells is what our team does.
Fingers crossed the Haz can get the D to somewhat show up though.

[BRAVEONTHEWARPATH93]

I remember going to every preseason game we played against them but not much regular season wise except 08.

I knew we weren't ready for the big time but still expected playoffs...I learned how the NFL really worked that year. We were scraping by ****** teams and got murdered by real squads.

[Yeen80]

Let me clarify, I know that the 08 season didnt "end" after that game, but as DC9 said, I had this feeling in my gut that we couldn't really beat the "good" teams that would get us into the playoffs. The Steelers exposed everything wrong with Zorn's team. If I remember correctly, our only 2 wins after that 6-2 start were at a terrible Seattle team, and an ugly 10-3 home win against the Eagles where Landry stopped Reggie Brown at the one yard line as time expired. In that stretch, we were outplayed badly by the Steelers, Giants, Ravens, and Bengals. The Steelers game just started it all.

[WheresRickySanders83]

I have the most bizarre vague memory of this game. I was sitting in the basement (10 years old) with my dad watching and CBS cut to a wide shot of the whole stadium. It was still fairly early in the season, so the Three Rivers' grounds crew hadn't yet turfed over the baseball field, so there was an football field drawn over the baseball field. Most normal people wouldn't be wowed by that but at 10 years old I thought it was the coolest thing in the world.

(And to think, 20 years later, it's next-to-impossible to even see that. I think even the Oakland Colosseum temporarily turfs over the baseball field when the Raiders are playing.)

EDIT: Never mind, I didn't realize that game didn't happen till mid-November.

Even though today's playing surfaces are safer and more aesthetically pleasing--not to mention conducive to better played games--I miss the idiosyncrasies of various teams' fields. I miss watching the Skins play in Texas Stadium during the day, with half of the field in the sun, the other in the shade, and those huge, splotchy water stains on the field. I miss watching the Skins play at the Vet--the numbers seemed to be much smaller, and the field had all of these patches and you wondered what was going on in the stands and how the field must feel like concrete to the players. I miss watching the Skins play at the Meadowlands and trash blowing all over the field. Of course, I miss watching the Skins play at RFK and the way the cameras seemed to be at field level because of the stadium's small size (sort of like watching Duke play at Cameron Indoor).

As for Pittsburgh memories, I was 13 during the 1991 season and remember Gary Clark's ridiculous one-handed catch (it was on Youtube for a while, but has since been removed). I also remember us playing the Steelers seemingly every year in the preseason during Gibbs I.

Also, guys, I figured you might enjoy this--the intro to the Steelers-Redskins game in 1988. Miss those old school, no frills intros (both NBC and CBS).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5T4Lc6LMcuI