Super Bowl XXII (Broncos vs. Redskins): An Ultimate Recount of the Game

Today we have Super Bowl XXII, which was held on January 31, 1988, between the third-time AFC champion Denver Broncos and the fourth-time NFC champion Washington Redskins at Jack Murphy Stadium in San Diego, California, the second straight Super Bowl in southern California. If you’re looking for the full story of this 1987 season, pick up my Great Eighties book and you’ll learn more than you ever wanted to know about that year and the rest of the eighties.

As always, we have a pop quiz, and then homework at the end of the episode. The pop quiz question for today is: what individual record set in this Super Bowl still stands today? The answer will come at the end of the podcast.

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Prelude to Super Bowl XXII

1987 was the “Year of the Scab.” The NFL Players Association went on strike two weeks into the season, and instead of canceling a bunch of games as in 1982, the NFL decided to go along with replacement players after one week of canceled games.

The result? Absolute nobodies playing in real NFL games that counted in league statistics. Some players chose to cross the picket line; that meant that you had replacement players going up against actual NFL stars.

The defending Super Bowl champion New York Giants went 0-3 in the replacement games and finished in last in the NFC East as a result. Meanwhile, the Washington Redskins went 3-0 in the replacement games – and they didn’t have a single-player cross the picket line. The replacement Redskins’ performance helped their team finish 11-4 in 1987.

The Redskins went 11-4 and easily won the NFC East, but they were on the road for their first playoff game against Chicago. They beat the Bears 21-17, but instead of going to San Francisco for the NFC Championship Game, they were coming back home. Why? Because 8-7 Minnesota pulled off one of the greatest upsets in playoff history by beating the 13-2 49ers 36-24.

Washington became the first team in the double wild card era to go on the road for the divisional round and come back home for the conference championship. After surviving a late Vikings drive that could have sent the game to overtime, the ‘Skins won 17-10 and advanced to their third Super Bowl in six seasons.

The ‘Skins had a real quarterback controversy. Jay Schroeder, who had a fantastic year in 1986, started most of the games and threw for 1,878 yards and 12 touchdowns, but also ten interceptions.

Late in the season, Redskins head coach Joe Gibbs benched Schroeder and inserted Doug Williams. He threw for 1,156 yards and 11 touchdowns while completing over 56 percent of his passes and only throwing five interceptions. Williams was a history maker; he became the first black quarterback to play in a Super Bowl when Washington knocked off Minnesota to go to Super Bowl XXII.

Running back George Rogers led the team with 613 rushing yards and six touchdowns, but he was nursing an injury going into the Super Bowl. Receiver Gary Clark led the team with 56 catches for 1,066 yards and seven touchdowns. Ricky Sanders was a bit of a forgotten man, having only the fourth-most catches on the team and just three touchdown grabs. But everything would be turned on its head in San Diego.

As for Denver, it was much of the same as in 1986. The Broncos were the number-one seed in a very watered-down AFC. They finished 10-4-1, which was good enough for the #1 seed in the conference. Only Cleveland really posed any threat to them. The Broncs crushed the Oilers 34-10, then took a big lead in the AFC Championship Game over the Browns. But the Browns battled back, cutting the deficit to seven points. With time running out, Browns running back Earnest Byner fumbled, and the Broncos recovered. The Broncs won it 38-33 and advanced to their second straight Super Bowl and third all-time.

Quarterback John Elway was named NFL MVP in 1987, though you could make a case that he didn’t deserve it – Jerry Rice had monster numbers while only playing 12 games. Elway threw for just under 3,200 yards and 19 touchdowns, for a passer rating of 83.4. I know those stats sound pedestrian, but keep in mind that Elway and Dan Marino, and Joe Montana were just beginning to revolutionize the quarterback position.

With running back Sammy Winder rushing for 741 yards and six touchdowns, and Vance Johnson catching 42 passes for 684 yards and seven touchdowns, the Broncs had quite a stable of offensive playmakers.

Super Bowl XXII: First Quarter

Legendary Green Bay Packers receiver Don Hutson tossed the coin to start Super Bowl XXII. It came up heads and the Redskins won the toss. They got the ball to start the game, but they wouldn’t hold it long.

Running back Timmy Smith, a surprise starter over Rogers, took the first two carries of the game for small gains. Clark then dropped a pass from Williams that would have given the ‘Skins a first down. They punted it away. Elway wasted no time in launching a bomb on the Broncos’ first play of scrimmage. Receiver Ricky Nattiel hauled it in for a 56-yard touchdown, and Denver led 7-0. It was the fastest touchdown in Super Bowl history (at the time).

Sanders slipped down on the kickoff return, which became a trend; players were slipping and sliding all through the first half. Williams completed a pass to Smith, and Smith then ran for a first down on his next carry. But the Redskins were soon forced to punt, and Steve Cox punted it down to the 33.

On came Elway. On his second pass of the drive, he hit receiver Mark Jackson for a 32-yard gain over the middle. Next came a trick play. Running back Steve Sewell went back to throw, and he passed to Elway for a 24-yard gain. Elway’s catch was the first reception by a quarterback in a Super Bowl.

Unlike the famous one that happened 30 years later, though, this one would not be remembered. Elway got stopped short of the first down on a third-down draw, on which defensive tackle Dave Butz made the stop. The Broncos settled for a 24-yard Rich Karlis field goal to go up 10-0.

The game almost got completely out of hand when Sanders fumbled the ensuing kickoff. After a scrum of rugby proportions, the officials gave the ball to Washington. Perhaps head coach Joe Gibbs wouldn’t have put Sanders back in there for any kickoff returns anymore, but he didn’t have to make that decision. The Broncos wouldn’t kick off again in this game.

Williams found receiver Art Monk for a 40-yard gain, but the drive stalled after Sanders got hit for a loss on a reverse. A couple of incompletions later, Cox punted it down to the 28. Broncos running back Gene Lang burst for a couple of first downs, getting into Washington territory.

Elway then shoveled the ball to Sewell, who got a first down at the 30. The Broncos would have added to their advantage if not for a big mistake by Elway. He dropped back 18 yards behind the line of scrimmage, trying to avoid a sack, and he ended up being sacked back there by defensive back Alvin Walton. The Broncos ended up having to punt.

Smith broke off a 26-yard run for the ‘Skins, but it got called back by a holding penalty. Later in the possession, Williams got sacked back at his own 24 and hyperextended his knee. He was in excruciating pain, but the officials didn’t pay attention to the fact that he had fumbled the ball and Denver had recovered it.

Williams came off the field for the remainder of the series, but the Redskins offense should have completely come off as well since this was a fumble clearly recovered by Denver. In the end, the ‘Skins punted it down to the Denver 43.

Super Bowl XXII: Second Quarter

After a roughing the passer penalty, the Broncos got a first down, and the quarter changed. That would be nothing but bad news for Denver. The Broncs punted, and Mike Horan’s kick went into the end zone for a touchback. It took Washington just one play to strike. Williams came back into the game and threw a bomb to Sanders, and he hauled it in for a Super Bowl record-tying 80-yard pass. Touchdown, Washington Redskins! That made it 10-7.

The Broncos went three-and-out, and a suddenly churning Washington offense got going again. Williams threw to tight end Don Warren over the middle for nine yards, then Smith pounded up the middle for 19 more. Running back Kelvin Bryant ran for six yards, then Williams went to the end zone. He found a diving Gary Clark in the left side of the end zone. Touchdown, Washington Redskins! Washington now led for the first time, 14-10.

Elway moved the Broncos back down the field, throwing a shovel to Winder for a first down at the 47. He then scrambled for a first down on third down, getting to the 26. The Broncos settled for a field goal try, though, and Karlis missed the 43-yard attempt wide to the left.

It took Washington nearly no time to strike back. Williams first hit Clark for 16 yards. Then Smith burst down the right sideline and no one was able to catch him. Touchdown, Washington Redskins! His 58-yard scoring run made it 21-10.

Stop me if you’ve heard this one before: Denver went three-and-out. Washington took over at their own 40. Williams nearly had a pass intercepted by defensive back Mark Haynes. It fell incomplete, and Williams took advantage of his second chance by hitting Sanders over the middle for a first down at midfield.

Next, Williams threw a bomb to Sanders down the right sideline. Touchdown, Washington Redskins! It was now 28-10, and the ABC crew of Al Michaels, Frank Gifford, and Dan Dierdorf began to brace for what was going to be a meaningless second half.

But not only was this game a rout, it’d just become more of a rout. Elway was intercepted by defensive back Barry Wilburn. After the two-minute warning, Smith blasted for another big gain down the left sideline all the way to the Denver 35. Sanders caught two passes, and he moved to 177 receiving yards for the first half, more than any other player had caught in a single Super Bowl game.

Two plays later, Williams threw to the left corner of the end zone, where tight end Clint Didier hauled in the pass. Touchdown, Washington Redskins! The ‘Skins got an interception from defensive back Brian Davis late in the half, and they went to the locker room leading 35-10.

Super Bowl XXII: Third Quarter

The entire second half was garbage time. Neither team put very much effort into their play in the second half. The Redskins were too busy celebrating, and the Broncos were simply trying to get this embarrassment over with.

As a result, the third and fourth quarter play was hard to watch. I’ll spare you the details and get to the highlights. Elway threw another interception to Wilburn, which set up a 46-yard field goal attempt for Ali Haji-Sheikh. He missed it off the right upright, and Washington’s lead remained at 25.

Williams himself then threw an interception when trying to go to the end zone; defensive back Jeremiah Castille picked him off. Elway then threw a fourth interception, but this one didn’t count since he was hit late and the ‘Skins were called for roughing the passer. The third quarter ended with no one adding any points.

Super Bowl XXII: Fourth Quarter

But early in the fourth quarter, Smith took over the game. He burst for a big gain down to the 10, then scored two plays later from three yards out. Touchdown, Washington Redskins! Smith went over 200 rushing yards for the game, and the ‘Skins won 42-10.

It was their second Super Bowl win, putting them at 2-2 in Super Bowls. As for Denver, they dropped to 0-3 in the big game.

Super Bowl XXII: Aftermath and Awards

There’s no doubt who deserved MVP of this game; Doug Williams’s amazing performance won him the award. He threw a record-tying four touchdown passes, a record-breaking yardage total of 340, and a passer rating of 127.9.

You could make an argument for Timmy Smith, who rushed for a Super Bowl record of 204 yards and two touchdowns, but keep in mind that a lot of that came in garbage time. Smith’s 204 yards rushing remains the most by any running back in a Super Bowl, which is our pop quiz answer. He and Ricky Sanders could argue it out for the honor of being second best in this game; I give that award to Smith. Also, Smith is my pick for “best player you’ve never heard of.”

Because Smith flamed out in his career, and this ended up being the only good performance of his career. He later had legal problems, and he never fulfilled his potential. Elway was the Most Valuable Player on the losing team, despite the fact that he threw three picks and almost a fourth. It was his brilliance that got the Broncos up 10-0 in the blink of an eye. If he had only gotten some help from his defense, maybe he could have kept it close. But Elway just didn’t have the support necessary to keep his team in this game.

The Least Valuable Player would be Sammy Winder. As the top running back for the Broncos, he needed to contribute much more than he did. Instead, he ran for only 30 yards and caught one pass for 26 yards on three targets. That’s not going to get the job done. Winder wasn’t the only Bronco who struggled on this day, but he was one of those who failed expectations badly.

The biggest play of this game was the fumble recovery by Washington of Sanders’s lost ball on the third Denver kickoff. If Denver recovers that ball, they’re in a great position to go up 17-0. But the ‘Skins somehow came out of there with the ball, and as a result, they were able to weather the Bronco storm long enough until their offense exploded in the second quarter.

The biggest play no one remembers is Williams’s fumble on the play on which he got hurt. That ball should have belonged to Denver. If it is called correctly, maybe the Broncos do go down and make it 17-0 after all and change the entire complexion of the game. That’s one of those plays that replay should have been able to fix, but instant replay was still in its infancy at the time.

Homework

My homework for you is to read the incredible autobiography of Doug Williams, with the help of Bruce Hunter. It’s called QuarterBlack: Shattering the NFL Myth. Williams takes on the issues, prejudices, and labels that came with him playing quarterback in a league where most QBs were white.

Doug Williams is one of my football heroes, and of any non-Packer, he’d be in the top 10 of guys I’d like to meet.

Williams paved the way for future successful black quarterbacks, like Super Bowl XXXIX runner-up Donovan McNabb, Super Bowl XLVIII champion Russell Wilson, and Super Bowl LIV champion Patrick Mahomes, to name a few.

Next time, we go to a brand new stadium in Miami, Joe Robbie Stadium, where every seat is supposed to give a perfect view of the game. The matchup will be one we’ve seen before: Cincinnati vs. San Francisco. Who will come out on top in a tense, low-scoring battle?

You know the answer already, of course, but if you want to know the whole story of that season, you ought to pick up my book, Great Eighties: A Journey Through Another Amazing Decade in Pro Football History at my website, tommyaphillips.com. Until next time, so long!

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Lombardi Memories is a show that takes you back in time, into January or February, to the greatest one-day spectacle in all of sports. This is the every-other-Tuesday podcast that looks back at each and every one of the 50-plus Super Bowls and tells the story of who won and why. Tommy A. Phillips is your host on this Super Journey. He’s an author of multiple NFL books. You can purchase below.