By Rich Tandler
Warpath Confidential Historian
The Redskins were underdogs coming in and they trailed the Broncos 10-0 entering the second quarter of Super Bowl XXII. But the second quarter became The Quarter.
Super Bowl XXII
Jan. 31, 1988
Jack Murphy Stadium
San Diego, California
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t the end of the first quarter of Super Bowl XXII, the game was playing out exactly as the pundits hyping John Elway as a one-man team had thought.
On Elway’s very first play from scrimmage, he went deep to receiver Ricky Nattiel for a 56-yard touchdown. On Elway’s second possession, it was Elway again—this time catching a pass from RB Steve Sewell to set up a field goal for Elway’s team to make it 10-0.
While the Elways, actually the Denver Broncos, stalled offensively their next two possessions, the Redskins’ offense sputtered too. It seemed to be only a matter of time before The Great Elway would put the Redskins away.
Then Washington took possession at its own 20 with a minute gone in the second quarter or, as it came to be called, The Quarter.
“It was the finest quarter of football I’ve ever been associated with,” said Joe Gibbs. Coaches sometimes exaggerate, but not here.
Williams had gone out with a twisted knee the previous series, but he returned here. After a week of hype about being the first black man ever to start at quarterback in a Super Bowl—and enduring questions like “Have you been a black quarterback all your life?”—it was time for Williams, the other signal caller in this game, to shine.
The play that got The Quarter started wasn’t supposed to be a bomb; it was a seven-yard pattern called Charley Hitch. “It wasn’t a deep call,” said Williams. “Ricky just felt the pressure (from cornerback Mark Haynes) and adjusted. He blew by him.” Williams hit the receiver in stride at midfield and Sanders ran untouched for the score. Score 10-7 Denver, drive 80 yards, one play, 10 seconds.
Denver went three and out and Washington took over at its own 36. After Timmy Smith, a surprise starter at running back, gained 19 yards on a second down run, Williams hit receiver Gary Clark on an out pattern at the goal line. Score 14-10 Washington, drive 64 yards, five plays, 2:44.
“Doug was hitting everything,” said Clark. “That helped open Timmy up.”
Denver missed a field goal before Smith took a handoff and burst off the right side. Tackle Joe Jacoby sealed off the inside and Smith was off to the races. Fortunately, he was racing Denver’s Tony Lilly, a slow-footed safety. Smith easily won the duel and got down the sideline for the 58-yard touchdown run. Score 21-10, drive 74 yards, two plays, 51 seconds.
Denver went three and out again and the Redskins went sixty yards on three passes, all of them intended for Sanders. The first was overthrown, but the next two found their targets. After gathering in one for a 10-yard gain to midfield, Sander fielded Williams’ perfect strike in stride at the ten and coasted in for the score. The scoreboard read 28-10, drive 60 yards, three plays, 52 seconds.
After the Broncos punted, Smith tore off 43 yards into Denver territory. Williams took it from there, going to Sanders twice for 21 then seven yards. From the seven he hit tight end Clint Didier in the back of the end zone for the TD. Score 35-10, drive 79 yards, seven plays, 1:10.
The Redskins intercepted Elway with seven seconds left in the half, but Williams took a knee to end The Quarter. In just 5:47 of possession time and 18 plays, the Redskins gained 357 yards and ran up the most points ever scored in one quarter of a postseason game. Smith gained 122 yards on the ground and Williams passed for 228 yards, 168 of them to Sanders.
The Redskins rooters who had gathered in San Diego found themselves hoarse from singing “Hail to the Redskins” so many times in such a short period of time. The Elway fans, vocal in the game’s opening minutes, had no such problems.
If it was a prizefight, they would have called it here, but NFL rules required that the teams take the field for the second half. After all, there were all of those expensive commercials that had to be run.
All that remained was for Smith to run up his rushing yardage total to 204, a Super Bowl record; for Sanders to gain the rest of his Super Bowl record 193 receiving yards; and for Williams to be announced as the game’s MVP.
The Redskin defense made sure the Broncos didn’t mount a miracle of their own, pounding Elway often and shutting down his team.
“I was blessed,” said Williams afterward. The rest of the team and its fans felt the same way.
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