Fans of New England, San Francisco, Green Bay and neighboring Baltimore are caught up in the moment. The teams they root for are about to host an NFL playoff game that could be the beginning of the path to the Super Bowl. It’s a great feeling for a community to be the stage for such a dramatic event, with memories that can be shared for years among a generation of fans.
There are parties and pep rallies and just an overall feeling that you may be on the verge of something great.
It’s a feeling Redskins fans once were used to here in Washington, sort of like the coming of winter. It happened 10 times over the course of Joe Gibbs’ glory years from 1981 to 1992.
Hosting a playoff game has now become a once in a generation event for Redskins fans — who have seen only one in the last 20 years, a 27-13 win over the Detroit Lions on Jan. 8, 2000, in the only playoff game at FedEx Field.
But even that didn’t have the same feel. It almost seemed like an accidental moment of glory rather than the seemingly preordained playoff runs of previous years.
The last time it felt that good here was 20 years ago — the last Super Bowl run.
Washington had marched through the regular season like a juggernaut with a 14-2 record, perhaps Gibbs’ best Redskins squad.
RFK Stadium hosted the divisional playoff contest on Jan. 4, 1992, and the town was at a fever pitch when the Atlanta Falcons came to town with their trash-talking coach, Jerry Glanville, and their mouthy superstar, Deion Sanders.
For fans, the difference between a home game and road game was the chance for the fortunate 55,000 at RFK to roar back at a loudmouth opponent while watching their beloved home team deliver a 24-7 beating.
“They tried to talk themselves into getting ready for us,” Redskins defensive end Charles Mann said. “What happened was they hit behind their words.”
MC Hammer was on the sidelines, watching as his Falcons couldn’t touch the home team.
Redskins fans poured out of the old stadium that afternoon with a belly full of satisfaction. They continued the party in watering holes like Duke Zeibert’s, knowing that they would get to do it again a week later, this time for the NFC title game, which turned out to be the final big home game.
Washington crushed the Detroit Lions 41-10. It was the last time RFK Stadium rocked like a championship palace.
“It really is a special thing,” receiver Gary Clark said after the game, likely not realizing how special it was.
This weekend in New England, Green Bay, San Francisco and Baltimore, fans will convene at their home team cathedrals, all hoping to experience that special thing — the launching of a championship run.
Examiner columnist Thom Loverro is the co-host of “The Sports Fix” from noon to 2 p.m. Monday through Friday on ESPN980 and espn980.com. Contact him at [email protected].
