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| In with the old: The original Over-the-Hill Gang — from left, Mo Pottios, Ron McDole, Richie Petitbon, Diron Talbert and Jack Pardee — was central to Allen's teams, making key defensive plays like Talbert's sack of Green Bay's Jerry Tagge. (Richard Darcey/The Washington Post) | |
With Harraway running 57 yards for a touchdown and Kilmer throwing 50 yards for another, the Redskins prevailed, 20-16. "This was the first time we were a team, really a team," veteran guard Ray Schoenke, a holdover from the awful 1960s and a former Cowboy himself, exulted in the locker room. "This was the football we always wanted to play. There was a closeness, a magnificent, sustained effort with everyone pulling together."
When the team returned to Dulles International Airport later that night, more than 5,000 fans were there to greet them. Two more wins followed, giving the Redskins a 5- 0 start. Allen and his players were becoming the toast of the town. When the coach walked in the door at Duke Zeibert's old L Street restaurant the night after beating the Cardinals a second time, 20-0, Allen got a standing ovation. Even after the Redskins had been dealt their first loss, a 27-20 defeat by the Kansas City Chiefs in Game 6, more than 20,000 fans were at Dulles to welcome home their team.
"This team had a different personality than what people in Washington were used to," Pardee said. "It used to be Sonny Jurgensen and the bomb. With us, it was scrap, cling, hold on, battle. It was like the old Green Bay teams. We'd wait patiently and then somebody — it could come from anybody on the offense, defense or special teams — would make the big play."
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Other Pages in Chapter 3: 79, 80, 81, 82, 83, 84, 85, 86, 87, 88, 89, 90, 91, 92, 93, 94, 95, 96, 97, 98, 99, 100, 101, 102, 103, 104, 105, 106, 107, 108, 109, 110, 111, 112
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Table of Contents Introduction Chapter 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 Names, Numbers Trivia Quiz Index |
