Redskins 27, Saints 24
November 6, 1988
RFK Stadium
The second Flashback Friday brings you a game against the second opponent the Redskins will face in 2008 (hey, I might be on to a pattern here).
With the mention of Dexter Manley here earlier this week, I remembered this very Dexter moment from 1988.
RFK Stadium--Chip Lohmiller's 23-yard field goal with 47 seconds left gave the Redskins the lead, but they couldn't rest easily until the Saints' Morten Anderson missed a 49-yard attempt with four seconds on the clock as they hung on to beat New Orleans.
The key and most memorable moment of this contest, however, was not a placekick, not even a pass or a run. It was provided by Dexter Manley and, well, here's the story.
The Saints had broken on top 24-17 after having been tied at halftime. Early in the fourth quarter, they were in position to make it a very difficult uphill struggle for the Redskins to pull this one out with possession at the Washington 20. After a third down incompletion, it appeared that Anderson would come in to attempt a near-automatic 37-yard field goal. New Orleans tackle Jim Dombrowski changed all of that, though, when he took a swing at Manley. Dexter did not retaliate and the dead ball foul made Anderson's attempt a 52-yarder, which was partially blocked.
As it turns out, Dombrowski was the one retaliating as, after the play, Manley had spit in the offensive player's face. "He suckered me and I bought into it," said Dombrowski.
"I think I might have sneezed on him," said a coy Manley.
Even after the expectoration situation, the Redskins still trailed by a touchdown and were backed up at their own six. The combination of Doug Williams to Ricky Sanders took care of that little problem. Sanders turned a little hitch pass into a 42-yard gain and later found a seam between a pair of defenders to catch Williams' eight-yard touchdown pass to tie the game with 6:35 to play.
Washington got the ball back less than a minute later on its own 31 and embarked on the winning drive. A pass to tight end Don Warren picked up 32 yards. Then Timmy Smith was called upon to pick up some yardage and burn off some clock as he handled the ball on the next seven plays, six of them runs. Art Monk scooted to the five on a reverse and then Lohmiller was called in. Anderson's attempt at the end was wide and short and the Redskins got away with the win.
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