Mount Rushmore Plays

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Since 1932, the Washington Redskins/Football Team has established themselves as one of the core franchises in the NFL.

Granted, the last 20 odd years or so have been tough on fans, but with three Super Bowl championships under their belt and 23 players/coaches in the Hall of Fame, we have had our fair share to be proud of.

When we talk about the greatest moments in this franchise's history, it's easy to recall Doug Williams' performance winning Super Bowl XXII, the '91 team's utter dominance en route to capturing Super Bowl XXVI, the return of Joe Gibbs to coaching, or Art Monk's enshrinement in Canton. The list goes on and on.

This season, with the WFT sitting at 6-9 and facing an opportunity to clinch the division on Sunday at Philadelphia, there are a few signature plays that have helped put the team in the position it currently sits. These include Antonio Gibson's 23 yard TD icing the Thanksgiving game while waving to the Dallas defender, Chase Young's hit on Joe Burrow at the goal line causing a fumble and turnover, Cam Sims' one handed catch at Pittsburgh in a tie ball game on 3rd and 4 to basically set up the game winning field goal, and Chase Young's and Kam Curl's defensive TDs in the San Francisco game.

Let's use these signature plays from 2020 as a springboard to reflect on the greatest individual plays in the WFT's franchise history.

In your opinion, what are your personal four "Mount Rushmore Plays" in your time as a fan? What four individual plays gave you the greatest sense of joy and celebration? While there is definitely one obvious one depending on people's age, I think there is the potential for a lot of variety as well. Let's hear what you have to say as we celebrate the WFT's past.

In saying all this, here is hoping that we can add a few more great plays to this list tomorrow night vs. the Eagles!
 
Riggins 4th and 1 in the Super Bowl. This is a no brainer.




Darrel Green's punt return against the Bears in the 87 playoffs. This play has always stood out to me. It's always the first play I think of when I think of Darrell Green.




Williams to Sanders (the first TD) in Super Bowl XVII. That was the play that got it going.




Brunell to Santa Moss on MNF (the second TD). After a more than a decade of being mostly losers and never expecting a comeback, and raising my expectations for Gibbs, this is the game that got me believing there was something special in the works. I know this season ended poorly in Seattle, but this season also had the only playoff victory this millennium. (The previous win was the 1999 season even though it happened in early 2000).

 
Not the greatest video quality - but I was on the sidelines with Eric Leichter (Blade) for this one. We literally ran down the sideline with ST to the endzone. I confess, I had tears in my eyes realizing Gibbs had gotten us back to the playoffs in an incredible season.

 
Great thread idea - and I may create a 'Redskins Mount Rushmore Plays' category in our Media Library for these...
 
Monday Night Miracle is on the list along with the ST fumble return vs Philly. In addition to those...



 
I'm going to go off the board with a few of mine and include a few dark horses...

I am too young to comment on any huge plays from our earliest Super Bowl seasons such as Darryl Grant's TD vs. Dallas in the NFC Championship, or the obvious Riggins TD.

1. Vikings/Redskins NFC Championship game. 4th and 4 from the Redskins 6 yard line with just over a minute to play and the Vikings down 7. Darrell Green creates enough contact to break up a Wade Wilson pass and helps the Redskins clinch a spot in the Super Bowl.



2. Timmy Smith's 58 yard run to put the Redskins up 21-10 against the Broncos in the Super Bowl. To me, this play iced the game. It illustrated just how dominant the Hogs were and how well they could impose their will upon an opponent.



3. Kurt Gouveia's interception off Jim Kelly at the start of the 3rd quarter of Super Bowl XXVI. With the Redskins up 17-0 at halftime, Gouveia's INT and subsequent return to the Bills' 2 yard line essentially knocked out the Bills. Gerald Riggs would punch it in for a score and the 'Skins would go up 24-0. To me, the Gouveia INT characterized the greatness of the '91 team. The much heralded Bills offense was completely shut down by a collection of lunch pail players who in my opinion formed the greatest single-season team performance in NFL history.



4. Clinton Portis' first carry as a Redskin, resulting in a 64 yard touchdown. For me, this play was more about the return of Joe Gibbs. I just knew when Clinton took that one to the house that we were going to be in good hands with Coach Gibbs after the misery we previously endured as fans.

 
4. Clinton Portis' first carry as a Redskin, resulting in a 64 yard touchdown. For me, this play was more about the return of Joe Gibbs. I just knew when Clinton took that one to the house that we were going to be in good hands with Coach Gibbs after the misery we previously endured as fans.




Man I was at that game and we all LOST it.

This is fun but man there are so many MEMORABLE plays that may or may not have had any actual meaning behind them.

Clinton Ports ran a TD where hurdled a defender and held onto the back of Mike Sellars jersey to give himself enough balance to dive into the endzone
He also had a play where he STONED Sheldon Quarles on a blitz and knocked him out COLD.
 
Was in the stands for CP's first carry too. That didn't suck :)
 
They made it rain before making it rain was even a thing :)
 
1) John Riggins 4th and 1
2) Darrell Green's punt return vs the Bears
3)Darryl Grant's INT for a TD in the 82 NFC Title game



4)Sean Taylor's leap into the endzone vs Philly
 
Great thread idea and lots of good candidates already here. I'm going to think about it some but my first gut reactions are

  1. Riggins 4th and 1. Seals our first Super Bowl.
  2. Daryll Grant's interception for a TD.
  3. Green's punt return for a TD.
  4. Sean Taylor's blocked FG return (with facemask penalty) to set up last second FG win against Dallas. His against Philly was awesome but for some reason it's always the Dallas play I think about.
 
Others:

Darrell Green running Tony Dorsett down on MNF as a rookie in 1983. You could tell he was going to be a star in the league.

Brian Mitchell returning the opening kickoff for a TD against the Lions to open the 1991 season. Mat Millen said over the summer this team was talented and ready to win big. He had that one right.

Mark Moseley's long field goal in a driving snow at RFK to beat the NY Giants 15-14 in 1982. So many of those early victories in 1982 were due to Moseley's field goals - they were the only points we scored in a 13-9 win over the Eagles.

John Riggins' 185 yard effort against the Minnesota Vikings in the playoffs after the 1982 season. The NFL today pre-game folks were convinced Minnesota was going to win because all they had to do was stop the run! :p

The Redskins 20-6 revenge game victory over the Eagles in the 1990 playoffs in Philly as an answer to the Body Bag game. The signature play was tough guy Wilber Marshall not slowing up on Randall Cunningham at the sideline and knocking him into the trainer's tables.
 
Others:

Darrell Green running Tony Dorsett down on MNF as a rookie in 1983. You could tell he was going to be a star in the league.

Brian Mitchell returning the opening kickoff for a TD against the Lions to open the 1991 season. Mat Millen said over the summer this team was talented and ready to win big. He had that one right.

Mark Moseley's long field goal in a driving snow at RFK to beat the NY Giants 15-14 in 1982. So many of those early victories in 1982 were due to Moseley's field goals - they were the only points we scored in a 13-9 win over the Eagles.

John Riggins' 185 yard effort against the Minnesota Vikings in the playoffs after the 1982 season. The NFL today pre-game folks were convinced Minnesota was going to win because all they had to do was stop the run! :p

The Redskins 20-6 revenge game victory over the Eagles in the 1990 playoffs in Philly as an answer to the Body Bag game. The signature play was tough guy Wilber Marshall not slowing up on Randall Cunningham at the sideline and knocking him into the trainer's tables.
I was just coming in to add Moseley's FG in the snow that sent us to three playoffs. 42 yarder back in the day where FGs over 40 were a 50/50 proposition and 50 yards was unheard of. I also believe that FG set the then NFL record for 21 consecutive FGs.
 
Two words....fifty gut
 
Man I was at that game and we all LOST it.
Was in the stands for CP's first carry too. That didn't suck :)

Was there as well. I also lost it. It was one of the loudest moments I’ve ever experienced at a Redskins game. Gibbs first game back, Portis first game, and Sean Taylor’s first game. I remember watching Taylor on the sidelines itching to get into the game. He stayed right next to the coach the whole time he wasn’t in the game waiting to get the call.
 
Moseley's performance in the regular season in 1982 has been underrated by many. He accounted for the winning points in a number of games and without his streak we would not have been 8-1 heading into the playoffs.
 

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