NFL team season (won Super Bowl)
The 1991 season was the Washington Redskins' 60th in the National Football League (NFL), their 55th representing Washington, D.C., and the eleventh under head coach Joe Gibbs.
The Redskins were coming off two consecutive 10–6 seasons and looking to return to the playoffs for a second straight season. Not only did the Redskins improve their position, but they also put together a season that is considered by some to be one of the best any team has ever played. Washington won a franchise record-tying 14 games, the best record in the league, and their two losses (to two of their division rivals) were by a combined five points. The Redskins ended their campaign as world champions, knocking off the defending AFC Champion Buffalo Bills 37–24, in Super Bowl XXVI.
The Redskins led the league in scoring with 485 points and allowed the second-fewest points (224) in the league in 1991.[1] (As of the 1991 season, this was the third-highest total in NFL history, and still ranks in the top 20 all-time.) They had a +18 turnover ratio, also best in the NFL. In 2016, Chris Chase of USA Today ranked the team as the greatest to ever win a Super Bowl.[2] As of 2023, this is Washington's most recent appearance in the NFC Championship Game and the Super Bowl. In addition, this is also Washington's most recent season winning more than 10 regular season games.
Statistics site Football Outsiders ranks the 1991 Redskins as the best team they have measured (from 1986 to present).[3][4] The team ranked No. 15 on the 100 greatest teams of all time presented by the NFL on its 100th anniversary.[5][6]
The season
Quarterback Mark Rypien had an outstanding year. His 8.5 yards per pass attempt was second in the league, and his 3,564 passing yards were best in the NFC and fourth in the league. Running back Earnest Byner's 1,048 rushing yards were 5th best in the NFL.[7] The Redskins had two wide receivers who went over 1,000 yards receiving in 1991: Gary Clark (1,340) and Art Monk (1,049).[8]
The Redskins beat the Buffalo Bills 37–24 to win Super Bowl XXVI. The team is also the last Super Bowl champion to never trail in any of their playoff victories. The Redskins' Super Bowl XXVI win was their first in a non-strike season.[9] With the championship, coach Joe Gibbs also became the first head coach to win three Super Bowls with three different quarterbacks.[10]
In 2007, ESPN.com ranked the 1991 Redskins as the 4th greatest team in NFL history,[11] noting, "you can look at two stats to get a pretty good idea of just how great a team is: yards gained per pass attempt, and yards allowed per pass attempt. The 1991 'Skins topped the NFL in each category, with Mark Rypien averaging 8.5 yards per attempt, while his colleagues on Washington's defense allowed only 6 yards per attempt.... The 'Skins outscored their opponents 485–224, and they had a tough schedule. After going 14–2, they romped through the NFC playoffs, beating the Falcons 24–7 and demolishing the Lions 41–10 on their way to the Super Bowl. In the Big Game, the 'Skins beat the cursed early-1990s Bills 37–24."
Statistics site Football Outsiders has ranked the 1991 Redskins as the greatest team in their ratings history,[12] stating that the team "may have been the most well-rounded team in NFL history. [...] A lot of the best teams in NFL history got a little extra boost by picking on an easy schedule, but not Washington. They had an average schedule, and a harder-than-average schedule of opposing defenses. One reason for that: 1991 was not only the year of the best overall team in [their rating system's] history. It was also the year of the best defense in [their system's] history, which showed up on Washington's schedule twice: the 1991 Philadelphia Eagles."
Draft
1991 Washington Redskins Draft | Round | Selection | Player | Position | College |
| 1 | 17 | Bobby Wilson | DT | Michigan St. |
| 3 | 76 | Ricky Ervins | RB | USC |
| 6 | 159 | Dennis Ransom | TE | Texas A&M |
| 7 | 188 | Keith Cash | TE | Texas |
| 8 | 215 | Jimmy Spencer | DB | Florida |
| 9 | 243 | Charles Bell | DB | Baylor |
| 10 | 270 | Cris Shale | P | Bowling Green |
| 11 | 299 | David Gulledge | DB | Jacksonville St. |
| 12 | 326 | Keenan McCardell | WR | UNLV |
Personnel
Staff
1991 Washington Redskins staff | | Front office Head coaches Offensive coaches | | | Defensive coaches Special teams coaches - Special Teams – Wayne Sevier
Strength and conditioning - Strength – Dan Riley
- Assistant Strength – Steve Wetzel
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[13]
Roster
1991 Washington Redskins roster | |
| | Quarterbacks Running backs Wide receivers Tight ends | | Offensive linemen Defensive linemen | | Linebackers Defensive backs Special teams | | Reserve lists
Practice squad
47 active, 12 inactive, 5 practice squad
Rookies in italics
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Preseason
Regular season
Schedule
Game summaries
Week 1
Week 1: Detroit Lions at Washington Redskins
| Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Lions | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Redskins | 21 | 14 | 7 | 3 | 45 |
at RFK Stadium • Washington, D.C.
- Date: September 1, 1991
- Game time: 8:00 p.m. EDT
- Game weather: Clear; 76 °F (24 °C)
- Game attendance: 52,958
- Referee: Gordon McCarter
- TV announcers (TNT): Skip Caray (play-by-play) and Pat Haden (color commentator)
- Pro-Football-Reference.com
Week 2
Week 2: Washington Redskins at Dallas Cowboys
| Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Redskins | 7 | 13 | 3 | 10 | 33 |
| Cowboys | 14 | 7 | 3 | 7 | 31 |
at Texas Stadium • Irving, Texas
Week 3
Week 3: Phoenix Cardinals at Washington Redskins
| Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Cardinals | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Redskins | 7 | 7 | 14 | 6 | 34 |
at RFK Stadium • Washington, D.C.
- Date: September 15, 1991
- Game time: 1:00 p.m. EDT
- Game weather: Clear; 76 °F (24 °C)
- Game attendance: 54,662
- Referee: Tom White
- TV announcers (CBS): James Brown (play-by-play) and Randy Cross (color commentator)
- Pro-Football-Reference.com
Week 4
Washington would not beat the Bengals again until 2020.
Week 4: Washington Redskins at Cincinnati Bengals
| Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Redskins | 3 | 21 | 3 | 7 | 34 |
| Bengals | 7 | 3 | 14 | 3 | 27 |
at Riverfront Stadium • Cincinnati
- Date: September 22, 1991
- Game time: 1:00 p.m. EDT
- Game weather: Partly cloudy; 59 °F (15 °C)
- Game attendance: 52,038
- Referee: Stan Kemp
- TV announcers (CBS): Dick Stockton (play-by-play) and Merlin Olsen (color commentator)
- Pro-Football-Reference.com
| Scoring summary |
| Quarter | Time | Drive | Team | Scoring information | Score | | Plays | Yards | TOP | WSH | CIN | | 1 | 10:20 | | | | Redskins | 40-yard field goal by Lohmiller | 3 | 0 | | 1 | 0:58 | | | | Bengals | Brooks 5-yard touchdown run, Breech kick good | 3 | 7 | | 2 | 9:08 | | | | Redskins | Riggs 1-yard touchdown run, Lohmiller kick good | 10 | 7 | | 2 | 5:38 | | | | Bengals | 46-yard field goal by Breech | 10 | 10 | | 2 | 3:48 | | | | Redskins | Riggs 1-yard touchdown run, Lohmiller kick good | 17 | 10 | | 2 | 2:13 | — | — | — | Redskins | Mitchell 66-yard punt return for a touchdown, Lohmiller kick good | 24 | 10 | | 3 | 12:01 | | | | Redskins | 26-yard field goal by Lohmiller | 27 | 10 | | 3 | 6:12 | | | | Bengals | Taylor 1-yard touchdown run, Breech kick good | 27 | 17 | | 3 | 1:37 | | | | Bengals | Taylor 34-yard touchdown run, Breech kick good | 27 | 24 | | 4 | 9:48 | | | | Bengals | 25-yard field goal by Breech | 27 | 27 | | 4 | 2:02 | | | | Redskins | Riggs 7-yard touchdown run, Lohmiller kick good | 34 | 27 | | "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. | 34 | 27 | |
Week 5
Week 5: Philadelphia Eagles at Washington Redskins
| Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Eagles | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Redskins | 0 | 10 | 3 | 10 | 23 |
at RFK Stadium • Washington, D.C.
- Date: September 30, 1991
- Game time: 9:00 p.m. EDT
- Game weather: Clear; 64 °F (18 °C)
- Game attendance: 55,198
- Referee: Bob McElwee
- TV announcers (ABC): Al Michaels (play-by-play), Dan Dierdorf and Frank Gifford (color commentators)
- Pro-Football-Reference.com
Week 6
Week 6: Washington Redskins at Chicago Bears
| Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Redskins | 0 | 10 | 0 | 10 | 20 |
| Bears | 0 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 7 |
at Soldier Field • Chicago
- Date: October 6, 1991
- Game time: 1:00 p.m. EDT
- Game weather: Partly cloudy; 43 °F (6 °C)
- Game attendance: 64,961
- Referee: Bernie Kukar
- TV announcers (CBS): Pat Summerall (play-by-play) and John Madden (color commentator)
- Pro-Football-Reference.com
Week 7
Week 7: Cleveland Browns at Washington Redskins
| Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Browns | 7 | 0 | 10 | 0 | 17 |
| Redskins | 7 | 14 | 7 | 14 | 42 |
at RFK Stadium • Washington, D.C.
- Date: October 13, 1991
- Game time: 1:00 p.m. EDT
- Game weather: Clear; 55 °F (13 °C)
- Game attendance: 54,715
- Referee: Tom Dooley
- TV announcers (NBC): Charlie Jones (play-by-play) and Todd Christensen (color commentator)
- Pro-Football-Reference.com
Week 9
Week 10
Week 10: Houston Oilers at Washington Redskins
| Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | OT | Total |
| Oilers | 0 | 6 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 13 |
| Redskins | 0 | 3 | 3 | 7 | 3 | 16 |
at RFK Stadium • Washington, D.C.
- Date: November 3, 1991
- Game time: 1:00 p.m. EST
- Game weather: Cloudy; 48 °F (9 °C)
- Game attendance: 55,096
- Referee: Gerry Austin
- TV announcers (NBC): Marv Albert (play-by-play) and Paul Maguire (color commentator)
- Pro-Football-Reference.com
Week 11
Week 11: Atlanta Falcons at Washington Redskins
| Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Falcons | 3 | 0 | 14 | 0 | 17 |
| Redskins | 7 | 21 | 7 | 21 | 56 |
at RFK Stadium • Washington, D.C.
- Date: November 10, 1991
- Game time: 1:00 p.m. EST
- Game weather: Cloudy; 39 °F (4 °C)
- Game attendance: 52,641
- Referee: Dale Hamer
- TV announcers (CBS): James Brown (play-by-play), Randy Cross (color commentator) and Lesley Visser (sideline reporter)
- Pro-Football-Reference.com
| Scoring summary |
| Quarter | Time | Drive | Team | Scoring information | Score | | Plays | Yards | TOP | ATL | WSH | | 1 | 9:52 | | | | Falcons | 31-yard field goal by Johnson | 3 | 0 | | 1 | 5:43 | | | | Redskins | Orr 9-yard touchdown reception from Rypien, Lohmiller kick good | 3 | 7 | | 2 | 7:28 | | | | Redskins | Clark 61-yard touchdown reception from Rypien, Lohmiller kick good | 3 | 14 | | 2 | 1:55 | | | | Redskins | Rypien 4-yard touchdown run, Lohmiller kick good | 3 | 21 | | 2 | 0:37 | | | | Redskins | Clark 19-yard touchdown reception from Rypien, Lohmiller kick good | 3 | 28 | | 3 | 14:41 | | | | Falcons | Haynes 75-yard touchdown reception from Tolliver, Johnson kick good | 10 | 28 | | 3 | 12:18 | | | | Falcons | Rison 15-yard touchdown reception from Tolliver, Johnson kick good | 17 | 28 | | 3 | 10:13 | | | | Redskins | Monk 19-yard touchdown reception from Rypien, Lohmiller kick good | 17 | 35 | | 4 | 12:12 | | | | Redskins | Clark 82-yard touchdown reception from Rypien, Lohmiller kick good | 17 | 42 | | 4 | 10:00 | | | | Redskins | Monk 64-yard touchdown reception from Rypien, Lohmiller kick good | 17 | 49 | | 4 | 0:52 | | | | Redskins | Interception returned 15 yards for touchdown by Collins, Lohmiller kick good | 17 | 56 | | "TOP" = time of possession. For other American football terms, see Glossary of American football. | 17 | 56 | |
Week 12
| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | | • Redskins | 7 | 10 | 10 | 14 | 41 | | Steelers | 0 | 0 | 0 | 14 | 14 | |
Week 13
| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | | • Cowboys | 0 | 14 | 0 | 10 | 24 | | Redskins | 7 | 0 | 0 | 14 | 21 | |
Week 14
| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | | • Redskins | 7 | 0 | 14 | 6 | 27 | | Rams | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 6 | |
Week 15
| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | | • Redskins | 0 | 0 | 14 | 6 | 20 | | Cardinals | 0 | 14 | 0 | 0 | 14 | |
Week 16
| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | | Giants | 3 | 7 | 7 | 0 | 17 | | • Redskins | 7 | 17 | 3 | 7 | 34 | |
Week 17
| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | | Redskins | 3 | 10 | 3 | 6 | 22 | | • Eagles | 7 | 0 | 0 | 17 | 24 | |
Standings
Playoffs
Schedule
Game summaries
NFC Divisional Playoffs: vs Atlanta Falcons
NFC Divisional Playoffs: Atlanta Falcons at Washington Redskins
| Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Falcons | 0 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 7 |
| Redskins | 0 | 14 | 3 | 7 | 24 |
at RFK Stadium • Washington, D.C.
- Date: January 4, 1992 (Sat)
- Game time: 12:30 p.m. EST
- Game weather: Heavy rain with strong winds; 49 °F (9 °C)
- Game attendance: 55,181
- Referee: Red Cashion
- TV announcers (CBS): Verne Lundquist (play-by-play), Dan Fouts (color commentator) and Lesley Visser (sideline reporter)
- Pro-Football-Reference.com
| Game information |
- Falcons
- Chris Miller
17/32, 178 Yds, 4 INT - Tracy Johnson
8 Rush, 33 Yds, TD - Andre Rison
7 Rec, 62 Yds
| - Redskins
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NFC Championship Game: vs Detroit Lions
NFC Championship Game: Detroit Lions vs Washington Redskins
| Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Lions | 0 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 10 |
| Redskins | 10 | 7 | 10 | 14 | 41 |
at RFK Stadium • Washington, D.C.
- Date: January 12 (Sun)
- Game time: 4 p.m. EST
- Game weather: Clear skies; 40 °F (4 °C)
- Game attendance: 55,858
- Referee: Bob McElwee
- TV announcers: Pat Summerall (play-by-play), John Madden (color commentator)
- Box Score
Super Bowl XXVI: vs Buffalo Bills
Statistics
Passing
Rushing
Receiving
| Player | G | Rec. | Yards | Y/G | Avg. | TD |
| Art Monk | 16 | 71 | 1,049 | 65.6 | 14.8 | 8 |
| Gary Clark | 16 | 70 | 1,340 | 83.8 | 19.1 | 10 |
| Ricky Sanders | 16 | 45 | 580 | 36.3 | 12.9 | 5 |
| Earnest Byner | 16 | 34 | 308 | 19.3 | 9.1 | 0 |
| Ricky Ervins | 16 | 16 | 181 | 11.3 | 11.3 | 1 |
| Terry Orr | 16 | 10 | 201 | 12.6 | 20.1 | 4 |
Kicking
| Player | FGM | FGA | Pct. | XPM | XPA | Pct. |
| Chip Lohmiller | 31 | 43 | 72.1 | 56 | 56 | 100.0 |
Awards and records
Milestones
- November 10, 1991 – Mark Rypien threw for 442 yards and 6 touchdowns against the Atlanta Falcons, despite being taken out of the game in the middle of the 4th quarter;[14] when Atlanta did the same, their third-string quarterback, a rookie named Brett Favre, made his NFL debut – and his first pass was intercepted and returned for a touchdown. On that same day, Warren Moon of the Houston Oilers threw for over 400 yards as well in an overtime win over the Dallas Cowboys.
Best team ever
In 2010, ESPN conducted a "super league," consisting of the best Super Bowl winning teams of all time; the 1991 Redskins finished the regular season in first place with a record of 14-2 and beat the 1992 Dallas Cowboys in the "Super Bowl" to be named the greatest team of all time.[15] Football Outsiders also has them ranked as the best team in NFL history based on their advanced analysis.[16]
References
- ^ Pro-Football-Reference.com: 1991 Washington Redskins
- ^ Chase, Chris (January 27, 2016). "Ranking all 49 Super Bowl champions, from best to worst". USA Today. Retrieved January 30, 2016.
- ^ Football Outsiders: 1991 DVOA Ratings and Commentary, published July 16, 2012, spanning 1991–2011 seasons.
- ^ [1] Team Efficiency Ratings 1991
- ^ "NFL Top 100 Teams". Pro Football Reference.
- ^ "100 Greatest Teams: Numbers 100-1 SUPERCUT". NFL.com.
- ^ Pro-Football-Reference.com: 1991 NFL Leaders and Leaderboards
- ^ Pro-Football-Reference: 1991 Washington Redskins
- ^ The Redskins previously won the Super Bowl after the 1982 and 1987 seasons, both shortened by strikes
- ^ Joe Theismann, Doug Williams and Mark Rypien
- ^ ESPN.com, Page 2 – The List: Greatest NFL teams of all time, 2007
- ^ Football Outsiders: 1991 DVOA Ratings and Commentary, published July 16, 2012, spanning 1991–2011 seasons.
- ^ Washington Redskins 1991 Press Guide. pp. 3–36.
- ^ "YouTube". YouTube. Archived from the original on April 7, 2017. Retrieved November 28, 2016.
- ^ http://promo.espn.go.com/espn/promotions/nfl/superleague/?gameId=121 Archived 2011-01-30 at the Wayback Machine "Redskins win on dramatic final play"
- ^ "Historical DVOA Estimates | Football Outsiders". www.footballoutsiders.com. Retrieved September 26, 2020.
External links
Washington Commanders |
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- Formerly the Boston Braves (1932), Boston Redskins (1933–1936), Washington Redskins (1937–2019), and Washington Football Team (2020–2021)
- Based in Landover, Maryland
- Headquartered in Ashburn, Virginia
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| Rivalries | |
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| Division championships (15) | |
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| Conference championships (5) | |
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| League championships (2) | |
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| Super Bowl championships (3) | |
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Washington Commanders seasons |
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Formerly the Boston Braves (1932), Boston Redskins (1933–1936), Washington Redskins (1937–2019), and Washington Football Team (2020–2021) |
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Bold indicates NFL Championship or Super Bowl victory Italics indicates NFL Championship or Super Bowl appearance |
Washington Redskins Super Bowl XXVI champions |
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