One little point: Theismann walks off the field after the 35-34 loss to Dallas that ended the Redskins' 1979 season. (Richard Darcey/The Washington Post)

"One little point takes us from the division champs to the outhouse," Pardee said. It was little consolation that he would be named NFL coach of the year by the Associated Press or that he had taken a team many thought would be fortunate to finish .500 to a 10-6 record.

For the Redskins, it would be their eighth winning season in the 1970s and the team's first winning decade since the 1940s. The redskins had posted a 91-52-1 record over the ten years, made the playoffs five times and played in their first Super Bowl. Clearly, the tradition of excellence to which Vince Lombardi had pointed the way had become fully ingrained. But the best was still to come.

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

Table of Contents Introduction Chapter 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 Names, Numbers Trivia Quiz Index

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