The NFL Network machine threw some love Washington’s way as salve for a rough decade and uncertain future. In one of those fluff “Top 10” lists that fills the channel, NFL Net counted Redskins with two of the Top 10 Receiving Corps of all time.
The NFL Network ranked the Redskins’ “Posse” receiving corps of the 1980s as the eighth-best receiving corps (shown at 4:40 of the eight-minute video that accompanies this story). Art Monk, Gary Clark and speed burner Ricky Sanders are closest in memory to today’s Redskins fans. As NFL Net pointed out, they were the first NFL trio to each accumulate 1,000 receiving yards in a single season.
Monk was long overlooked for the Hall of Fame. Blame Jerry Rice for that. Sportscasters appended “future Hall of Famer” to Monk’s name, as in “future Hall of Famer Art Monk catches another touchtown pass.” It was Monk’s misfortune to leave the Redskins after the 1993 season just a Jerry Rice encroached on his receiving records.
Rice finished as a NFL top three each wide receiver each season from 1993 to 1996. He broke the record for career receiving yards in 1995. Everybody wanted Rice on their fantasy team in the ‘Nineties, when fantasy football blew up. And every time Rice did something on the field, sportscasters described him as “future Hall of Famer Jerry Rice.”
Poor Art faded to the background. His legion of fans who cheered him at ol’ RFK Stadium didn’t forget him or his role to position the Redskins for four super bowl appearances. Neither, apparently, did the NFL Network.
Hall of Fame receivers Bobby Mitchell and Charlie Taylor along with tight end Jerry Smith were ranked as the fifth best receiving corps of all time.
The Redskins of the ‘Sixties were, well, a real sucky team—only 39 wins in the Bill McPeak-Otto Graham years (1960-’68). But they were the most fun to watch sucky team in football history, thanks to Sonny Jurgensen and his receiving corps of Taylor, Mitchell and smith.
Washington put its resources in the offense. The team’s approach to defense seemed to be Sam Huff and some other guys.
That’s not quite fair to cornerbacks Pat Fisher, Johnny Sample and grunts like Joe Rutgens. But there wasn’t enough talent on “D” to balance the receivers, who were asked to outscore teams the defense could not stop.
How important were the fifth-best receiving corps of all time to Washington’s history? Washington’s unbroken string of sell-outs was born in that era, thanks to them. They were the legends Redskins kids heard about while growing up. Quite an accomplishment given the record. That’s why Dan Graziano, the NFC East blogger for ESPN.com, labeled Redskins fans as the best fan base in the division in his post today.
Graziano writes: “I have lived among Eagles fans. I have lived among Giants fans. I have ample experience with a wide variety of people who are passionate about their teams — Red Sox fans in Boston, Chiefs fans in Kansas City, Red Wings fans in Detroit, to name a few. And I have never, ever, ever encountered a group of people more intensely invested in the fortunes of their favorite team than the fans of the Washington Redskins.”
The NFL Network named George Allen (Rams, Redskins) the Fifth Most Motivational Coach of All-Time. Allen is deservedly well remembered in these parts. He left DNA traces in the vicinity, too.
Son and namesake, George Allen, is the former governor and former U.S. Senator of Virginia. Son Bruce carries the hopes of every Redskins fan for a return to the glory his father built.
Everytime you lose, you die a little bit. Not all of your organs. Maybe just your liver. ~George Allen
Breaks me up every time.
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