Hogs Haven

The Washington Redskins have faced the Dallas Cowboys 100 times in what I consider to be the greatest rivalry in all of sports. It’s amazing to believe that the Redskins have come out on the losing end on 60 of those occasions. 3 games stick out to me during my 30 years of rooting for Redskins…this is one of them.

It was December 18, 2005 and the 7-6 Redskins were hosting the 8-5 Cowboys with serious playoff implications on the line. Just 2 weeks earlier the playoffs seemed like a pipe dream for the Redskins. The Redskins were 5-6 after an overtime loss to the Chargers in which they blew a 17-7 4^th quarter lead. But, Joe Gibbs had rallied the Skins to two straight road wins and Skins fans felt the momentum growing…"WE WANT DALLAS."

Truth be told, Bill Parcels got the best of Joe Gibbs on most occauusions during their NFC East battles over the years…but on this day the Cowboys were completely out-coached. The game was over before it ever began. Gregg Williams found exactly what he wanted in the Dallas offense, an immobile QB with a long delivery who could always be found in the pocket. On the first play from scrimmage Phillip Daniels would deflect a Drew Bledsoe pass that would be intercepted by Cornelius Griffin giving the Redskins excellent field position. The early introduction of Daniels to Bledsoe would prove to be a preview of things to come. Daniels would add 4 sacks and a fumble recovery during the course of the game.

A few plays after the Griffin interception Mark Brunell would hook up with Chris Cooley on an 8 yard TD to make the score 7-0. Again, this was a preview of things to come…Cooley and Brunell would combine for three 1^st half TD’s with Brunell also tossing a 4^th passing TD to Mike Sellers to make the halftime score 28-0. Game. Set. Match. The Cowboys would reluctantly come out for the 2^nd half but no one cared at that point. Redskins fans were too busy calling all their Cowboys fans to talk shit. "How does that medicine taste?" Suck it, Cowboy fans! Final Score, Redskins 35 Cowboys 7. Parcells couldn’t get off the field and out of town quick enough…‘Mama’s Don’t Let Your Baby’s Grow Up To Be Cowboy’s’ played over the stadiums PA system.

Clinton Portis rushed 23 times for 112 yards while Ladell Betts added 44 yards and a TD on the ground. Santana Moss was effective in spreading the field gaining 73 yards on 2 catches. The rest of the Redskins offense was Brunell to Cooley.

On defense Daniels led the way along with Marcus Washington. Washington seemed to be around the ball all day and finished with 2 sacks, a forced fumble and an interception.

The Redskins would handily beat the Giants and the Eagles to make the playoffs where they would defeat the Tampa Bay Bucs on the road before losing to the Seahawks. The Cowboys would miss the playoffs after losing to the Rams on the final week of the season.

I. Want. Dallas.

Cheers and Hail