NFL Classic Rewind: Last-Second FG Miss Gives NFC East Title to Redskins
The last game of the 1984 regular season for the St. Louis Cardinals and Washington Redskins had significant playoff implications as well as the potential for some NFL history.
The winner of the game would be crowned NFC East Champions and would host a divisional playoff game after first-round bye.
But the stakes were even higher for the 9-6 Cardinals because if they lost the game, they would not make the playoffs.
St. Louis had one of the most explosive offenses as the Cardinals scored 30 or more points seven times during the season thanks to quarterback Neil Lomax who entered the Redskins game having thrown for over 4,000 yards and wide receiver Roy Green, who as the league’s leader in receiving yards with 1,359 yards on 70 receptions and 10 touchdowns.
The Cardinals also had a flair for the dramatic as they pulled out three victories in the final ten seconds courtesy of kicker Neil O’ Donoghue who made game-winning field goals in those three wins, including a 21-yard field goal to give St. Louis a 26-24 win over the Redskins in Week 8 of the season.
While the Week 16 game was crucial for the Redskins, it was not deadly as they already secured a playoff spot with a loss to the Cardinals only meant they had to play in the NFC Wild Card Game the following weekend.
The Redskins got off to a slow start in the 1984 season as they lost their first two games of the season to start 0-2, but bounced back to win 10 of their next 13 games to enter the game with the Cardinals with a 10-5 record.
The Redskins were led by quarterback Joe Theismann and running back John Riggins, who had helped Washington, get to the previous two Super Bowls, but the Washington player with the best season in 1984 was wide receiver Art Monk.
Monk had been a solid receiver through his first four seasons with the Redskins, but in 1984 he took the league by storm as though 15 games of the season, he caught 95 passes for 1,236 yards and five touchdowns.
Not only did Monk led the league in receptions, but he needed seven catches in the last game of the season to break Charley Hennigan’s single season record of most receptions in a season, which Hennigan set in 1964 as he caught 101 passes with the Houston Oilers.
Monk got closer to the record on the Redskins’ second drive of the game when he caught a 23-yard touchdown pass from Theismann, which followed a 44-yard completion to tight end Clint Didier, to give Washington a 6-0 lead (kicker Mark Moseley missed the extra point).
In the second quarter, the Redskins forced a turnover when Cardinals running back Ottis Anderson fumbled the ball after he caught a screen pass from Lomax, with Redskins cornerback Vernon Dean recovering at the Washington 48-yard-line.
Art Monk became the first wide receiver since the AFL-NFL merger to catch over 100 receptions in a season.
Nine plays later, Theismann found Monk again for a touchdown, this time from 13 yards out and after Moseley made the extra point, the Redskins had a 13-0 lead.
Midway through the quarter, the Cardinals got on the board when Lomax snuck it in from one yard out, one play after cornerback Wayne Smith intercepted a Theismann pass and returned it 12 yards to set up the touchdown which cut the Washington lead to 13-7.
After the Cardinals touchdown, the Redskins would score 10 points to end the half, a five-yard touchdown run by Riggins which was set up by a 60-yard pass to Calvin Muhammad and then a 21-yard field goal by Moseley following a blocked punt to give Washington a 23-7 lead at halftime.
Trailing by 16 points, Lomax and the Cardinals came out passing in order to trim the deficit and save their postseason hopes.
The Cardinals got three points on their first drive of the second half as O’ Donoghue kicked a 30-yard field goal to cut the lead to 23-10, then after forcing a Redskins punt, Lomax threw a pass over the middle to Green, who made the catch and then outran Redskins cornerback Darrell Green, the NFL’s fastest man, for a 75-yard touchdown that put the Cardinals within a touchdown at 23-17 with 8:14 left in the third quarter.
On the ensuing Redskins possession, the Redskins would not only increase the lead, but Monk would make his record-breaking 102nd catch, a 36-yard reception that put Washington inside the Cardinals’ 20-yard-line and set up a 37-yard field goal to make it 26-17 in favor of the Redskins.
The Cardinals got those three points back early in the fourth quarter after a 34-yard field goal by O’ Donoghue cut the lead to 26-20 and after forcing a Redskins punt, got the ball back on their six-yard-line with over eight minutes to play.
That is where Lomax led the Cardinals on a six-play, 94-yard drive with Lomax going 5-of-5 on the drive for 82 yards, the last pass completion going for 18 yards and a touchdown to Green and with O’ Donoghue’s extra point, the Cardinals had their first lead of the game at 27-26 with 6:15 to play in the game.
Behind for the first time, the Redskins drove to inside Cardinals territory where they faced a 3rd-and-19 at the St. Louis 47-yard-line.
That is where Monk made his biggest catch of the day, a 20-yard reception to give the Redskins a first down at the Cardinals’ 27-yard-line.
Monk would finish his historic day with 11 receptions for 136 yards, setting his new record for most receptions in a single season with 106 receptions, a record that would stand for eight years.
After Monk’s key third down catch, Riggins ran the ball three straight times for six yards and caused to the Cardinals to use up their timeouts.
Neil Lomax's 467 yards, 314 on 25-of-28 passing in the second half alone, wasn't enough for the Cardinals
Then on fourth down, Moseley came onto the field and kicked a 37-yard field goal that put the Redskins ahead 29-27 with 1:33 remaining.
Now with no timeouts, the Cardinals took over at their own 20-yard-line and 1:27 to try and get into range for O’ Donoghue to make another game-winning field goal in the final seconds.
While the Redskins had the lead and time on the clock, they had been unable to stop Lomax who up to that point had completed 19 of 22 passes for 267 yards in the second half alone.
With the Redskins defense only rushing three and playing six defensive backs, Lomax would complete five straight passes to put St. Louis at the Washington 38-yard-line with 21 seconds to go.
The Cardinals needed one more completion to get into reasonable range for O’ Donoghue, and they got that completion, but it was only for five yards to Danny Pittman and he failed to get out of bounds.
With no timeouts, O’ Donoghue and the field goal unit had to rush onto the field in hopes of getting a kick off before the clock expired.
The Cardinals were able to snap the ball before the clock struck zero, but O’ Donoghue’s kick was wide right and the Cardinals’ season was over.
The Cardinals never seemed to recover from the bitter 29-27 bitter defeat at RFK Stadium, as they would encounter three straight losing seasons before the franchise moved to Phoenix in 1988 and it would not be until 1998 when the Cardinals finally made the playoffs.
As for the Redskins, the win gave them the NFC East title and earned them a home playoff game against the Chicago Bears in the Divisional Playoffs but their hopes of reaching a third straight Super Bowl were shattered as the Bears upset the Redskins,23-19.
The following season, the Redskins lost Theismann after his famous leg injury at the hands of Giants linebacker Lawrence Taylor, which ended Theismann’s career and Riggins who also retired after the 1985 season.
Monk would remain with the Redskins for nine more seasons and was a part of their Super Bowl winning teams in 1987 and 1991, then broke the all-time career receptions record with his 820th catch in a 1992 Monday night game against the Denver Broncos.
Monk would finish his career with the Philadelphia Eagles in 1995, and then retired after 16 NFL seasons with 940 receptions for 12, 721 yards and 68 touchdowns.
Thirteen years later, Monk was inducted into the Pro Football Hall-of-Fame.
I used to be questioning if you wish to be a guest poster on my site? and in commerce you may include a link your submit? Please reply everytime you get an opportunity and I will ship you my contact particulars – thanks. Anyway, in my language, there won’t be much good supply like this.
I’ve just tested windows 7 software phone. I think, it’s not crap however there is greater Operating System No multitasking. No copy and paste. You’ll be telling me this thing can’t go on the internet.I mean, what type of “smartphone” is this ? Does it’s antenna even work?
Your webpage doesn’t show up correctly on my blackberry – you might want to try and repair that
It’s a blow day to be able to read an section that is so clearly researching and written. I admire very much enjoyed this information content. Your layout is excellent. I will come back again.
Hello there! This is my 1st comment here so I just wanted to give a quick shout out and say I really enjoy reading through your blog posts. Can you recommend any other blogs/websites/forums that go over the same topics? Thanks a ton!
Hey there! I know this is somewhat off topic but I was wondering if you knew where I could get a captcha plugin for my comment form? I’m using the same blog platform as yours and I’m having difficulty finding one? Thanks a lot!
Today, I went to the beachfront with my kids. I found a sea shell and gave it to my 4 year old daughter and said “You can hear the ocean if you put this to your ear.” She put the shell to her ear and screamed. There was a hermit crab inside and it pinched her ear. She never wants to go back! LoL I know this is entirely off topic but I had to tell someone!
Great blog! Do you have any helpful hints for aspiring writers? I’m planning to start my own site soon but I’m a little lost on everything. Would you advise starting with a free platform like WordPress or go for a paid option? There are so many choices out there that I’m totally confused .. Any ideas? Kudos!
I’m not sure why but this blog is loading extremely slow for me. Is anyone else having this issue or is it a issue on my end? I’ll check back later on and see if the problem still exists.
After reading your entry I was instantly reminded of “When defeat comes, accept it as a signal that your plans are not sound, rebuild those plans, and set sail once more toward your coveted goal.” — Napoleon Hill
Hi, I think your site might be having browser compatibility issues. When I look at your blog site in Safari, it looks fine but when opening in Internet Explorer, it has some overlapping. I just wanted to give you a quick heads up! Other then that, wonderful blog!
Always keep in mind “Imagination is more important than knowledge. For knowledge is limited to all we now know and understand, while imagination embraces the entire world, and all there ever will be to know and understand.” – Albert Einstein
Hey just wanted to give you a quick heads up. The words in your content seem to be running off the screen in Safari. I’m not sure if this is a format issue or something to do with internet browser compatibility but I figured I’d post to let you know. The design and style look great though! Hope you get the issue resolved soon. Thanks
Heya i?m for the primary time here. I came across this board and I find It truly useful & it helped me out a lot. I am hoping to offer one thing back and aid others like you aided me.
I just added this blog site to my feed reader, excellent stuff. Can’t get enough!
Appreciating the time and energy you put into your website and detailed information you present. It’s nice to come across a blog every once in a while that isn’t the same unwanted rehashed material. Great read! I’ve saved your site and I’m adding your RSS feeds to my Google account.
I’m curious to find out what blog platform you happen to be working with? I’m having some minor security problems with my latest website and I would like to find something more safe. Do you have any recommendations?
I’m truly enjoying the design and layout of your website. It’s a very easy on the eyes which makes it much more pleasant for me to come here and visit more often. Did you hire out a designer to create your theme? Exceptional work!
Hi I am so delighted I found your weblog, I really found you by mistake, while I was looking on Google for something else, Anyways I am here now and would just like to say thank you for a remarkable post and a all round exciting blog (I also love the theme/design), I don’t have time to look over it all at the minute but I have bookmarked it and also added in your RSS feeds, so when I have time I will be back to read much more, Please do keep up the superb job.
Hello! Do you know if they make any plugins to assist with Search Engine Optimization? I’m trying to get my blog to rank for some targeted keywords but I’m not seeing very good success. If you know of any please share. Thank you!
It’s a pity you don’t have a donate button! I’d most certainly donate to this superb blog! I suppose for now i’ll settle for book-marking and adding your RSS feed to my Google account. I look forward to fresh updates and will share this site with my Facebook group. Chat soon!
I’m not sure why but this weblog is loading extremely slow for me. Is anyone else having this issue or is it a problem on my end? I’ll check back later and see if the problem still exists.
Everyone loves what you guys tend to be up too. This type of clever work and reporting! Keep up the awesome works guys I’ve you guys to my personal blogroll.
You can definitely see your expertise in the paintings you write. The world hopes for even more passionate writers such as you who are not afraid to mention how they believe. Always go after your heart.
I do believe all the ideas you’ve introduced for your post. They’re very convincing and can certainly work. Nonetheless, the posts are too short for novices. May just you please extend them a bit from subsequent time? Thank you for the post.
Thank you for every other informative blog. The place else could I get that kind of information written in such an ideal approach? I’ve a challenge that I’m simply now running on, and I’ve been on the glance out for such information.
I loved up to you’ll obtain carried out proper here. The sketch is tasteful, your authored subject matter stylish. nonetheless, you command get got an edginess over that you would like be turning in the following. sick for sure come further in the past once more since precisely the similar just about very continuously inside of case you shield this increase.
Hi! I know this is kinda off topic but I’d figured I’d ask.
Would you be interested in trading links or maybe guest authoring a blog post or vice-versa?
My blog discusses a lot of the same subjects as yours and I think we could greatly benefit from each other.
If you happen to be interested feel free to shoot me an e-mail.
I look forward to hearing from you! Great blog by the way!
Hi Dear, are you in fact visiting this web site on a regular basis,
if so after that you will definitely get pleasant experience.
Hmm it looks like your site ate my first comment (it was extremely long) so I guess
I’ll just sum it up what I wrote and say, I’m thoroughly enjoying your
blog. I as well am an aspiring blog writer but I’m still new to the whole thing. Do you have any helpful hints for rookie blog writers? I’d certainly appreciate it.
Hi there, I discovered your website by way of Google even as searching for a similar subject, your site came up, it seems great.
I’ve bookmarked it in my google bookmarks.
Hi there, simply become aware of your weblog thru Google, and found that it is truly informative. I am going to be careful for brussels. I will be grateful in the event you proceed this in future. A lot of folks will be benefited from your writing. Cheers!
I drop a comment when I appreciate a post on a site or if I have something to contribute to the
conversation. Usually it’s caused by the passion displayed in the article I read. And after this post NFL Classic Rewind: Last-Second FG Miss Gives NFC East Title to Redskins | Sports Then and Now. I was excited enough to drop a comment 🙂 I actually do have 2 questions for you if it’s okay.
Is it only me or do a few of these responses appear like they are coming from brain dead people?
😛 And, if you are posting at other social sites, I would like to follow everything fresh you have to post.
Could you list every one of your community pages like your twitter feed,
Facebook page or linkedin profile?
Remember how you used to loathe and detest having to rake those ghastly piles of leaves.
” Slimple’s™ scientists searched the globe for natural ingredients that met the company’s high standards for weight loss efectiveness and healthfulness. Furthermore, there are diuretics available in the market that you can buy.
my homepage … wholesale hcg
So, if you are really looking forward to get rid of all your skin problems
in a natural way, get all solutions on. Oils such as jojoba,
linseed, evening primrose, and shea butter moisturizes.
But who has the time to go through all that information.
Take a look at my web page; toppik hair building fibers in redmond wa
In December 2012, she was half way through her reconstructive procedure and has since become a
symbol of hope for women suppressed by the Taliban, urging
women to “never give up and don’t lose hope,” that “what happened, it’s part of me, part of my life and its all the time in my mind and with me. Interestingly enough, pictures of her as a younger woman show that she’s adorable, and post surgery she is just beautiful. The physical and external benefits are very obvious.
My homepage hair and nails (Kurt)
When using this product regularly, most users also notice new growth in areas that were previously thinning.
It is possible that combining the two hair loss products in a regimen can address the hair loss problem
from two fronts. Hair loss is of concern to most people at one point in their lives.
Here is my web-site: igrow hair rejuvenation helmet review
Goood blog post. Icertainly love this site.
Keep it up!
My web-site … local seo sites review
The plus however is that it is not Oompa Loompa orange, just a small little hue of it,
but not a bad one in the least. The DHA in these sunless tanning
products reacts with the cells in the outermost layer of the skin to produce a natural looking tan. This person can evenly spray the
hard to reach areas like the back, back of knee caps and neck.
Visit and learn how to create perfect updos for short hair or long
for any special occasion – your wedding, prom, formal event, and even graduation hair styles.
Simone Emmons has been a professional, licensed spray tan technician and teacher and has now helped numerous entrepreneurs
find a business in Airbrush Tanning. Also, you’ll need to endure
a bit of trial and error to find the right one for your complexion.
Most sprays tend to leave a very unsightly orange cast to the
skin, instead of a healthy bronze. The entire spray tanning process is over in less than a minute.
They serve the general public with everyday tanning kits and they
also serve the tanning industry by providing
gallon sized containers for airbrush and spray tan salons.
Let the color develop for about three hours, and then add bronzer for cheeks, nose, and forehead to complete the perfect look.
Feel free to visit my web blog the best spray tan
Water is your organic cleaner so you should always be effectively moisturized.
Calvert states, it requires a great deal of planning and preparation, as
well as a lengthy recovery time (a three to five week hospital stay, with about six weeks of home rest
prior to returning to work). The physical and external benefits are very obvious.
Look at my web-site – nose job tip
This will make your details simple and easy so that employer can go through it at first
instance. In a photography business in particular, here are a number
of items that are assets to be listed for your business.
Understand that when you enter a major tax franchise or chain your taxes are most likely
being prepared by a trained.
Feel free to visit my web-site – charles brandon Fort Lauderdale CPA
Just follow the instructions, every person can fix these problems.
Being aware of when and if you have to call up a plumbing contractor is the first step in a quick
and efficient repair which can last for years. Do not just ask
any plumber to come over and do some immediate repairs.
my site jenco plumbing pompano beach fl
Then, you only need to exfoliate again once you see patches or
you are beyond getting touched up. Sally Hansen Airbrush Legs instant spray-on makeup, dries in 60 seconds, came in shades tan glow, medium glow and
deep glow 4. In this type, you just fix this particular machine within your
shower, and then you enter inside as white-colored and omit as bronze.
After some practice, creating curls with a flat iron is very fast and
easy. However, if you must, you should avoid bra, socks and knickers as they can leave
marks. When someone receives an airbrush tanning in the salon,
what to expect: a period of time. To steer clear of this additional cost and also trouble, you can buy your very own spray machines, so that you could tan your skin layer
in the comfort spot. Drag queens also tend to favour this type of foot
wear, which I can understand, as generally as a group they are hardly subtle; mincing about with feather boas, silver eye shadow and gold
lamé mini skirts. Your body will be sprayed with a substance that will cause your skin to darken because of chemical reaction. Tanning booths might not be any better for your skin than direct sunshine, but lotions and sprays are definitely a good idea.
Look at my homepage instant Spray tan
However, under the Old Covenant, there were likewise instituted
seven annual Sabbaths, with their own prophetically didactic significance.
Sarasota real estate investing requires lot of work, so you need to give your time, effort,
knowledge, abilities and patience. At first it will take great effort
to keep this neutral alignment.
my web page: annuity advisor
There are also several mundane electronic items that
should be added to a college dorm shopping list
to make a dorm feel more like home. bad preparation before or after your tan, or your skin acting up.
Frederick Mohs in the 1930’s who began this treatment for skin cancer.
Here is my webpage :: best Dark fake tan
And many people who had had these experiences did not talk about them for fear of embarrassment or having their sanity questioned.
In general I advise to wait for an email, but if someone catches your eye and winks at you, go ahead and respond.
A right to manage provides conscientious tenants the opportunity to manage their own living environment.
my website news
Houseboats in Echuca are ideal houseboats which have the accommodations that
allow you to relax and explore the lake with
all the comforts of any regular home. At times, your sailing instructor may need to issue
an order and have it followed immediately. A camera
and photo album are another way for a family to record their boating trips.
Check out my homepage: rustoleum deck restore reviews
s darkened, so be sure to be safe rather than sorry, and don. You can buy swimsuits in floral and island prints
to add more fun to your look at the beach. Why bother to spend tens of thousands of dollars, after all, on something you may only need to use
for a limited time.
my webpage … tan
If this is the case pull it out and bend each of the metal prongs outward a little.
This includes the actual purchase price of the building, and
most of the closing and settlement expenses, such as Realtor’s fees, surveys,
deed preparation, points, loan origination fees, attorney fees, and appraisal fees.
Whatever form of finish end result you’re looking for with your kitchen area you will
find a selection of fabulous kitchen area styles that may fit your desires flawlessly.
Here is my blog … fort lauderdale my liquid plumber reviews
Furthermore, feeding live food is difficult as all live meals have a much higher risk in bringing bad bacteria or microorganisms that maybe harmful to your fish.
With the high temperature sensitivity of some perishable goods, it’s easy to
understand why so many companies rely on vacuum insulated panels such a Thermo – Cor to ensure
the quality of their products. Another important application of second law of thermodynamics
is found in refrigerators and heat pumps, which are based on the principle of reversed Carnot cycle
or reversed Carnot theorem.
Feel free to surf to my page … dock dock box depot