Garceau: Hail No To The Redskins Vs The Ravens
When it comes to rivalries The Ravens have the Steelers and the Redskins have the Cowboys, so let's not get confused and call Sundays game a rivalry. Sure both teams play in Maryland just a fly ball apart, and yes it can be fun for area fans to place a friendly bet on their favorite team in this one, but truth be told the Ravens vs Redskins game will never amount to much more than just another game on the schedule.
The two teams play in opposite conferences, in different divisions and meet only once every four years. So for every eight times the Ravens play the Steelers, the Bengals and Browns will play Washington once.
There's not a whole lot of history here, the Ravens have won three of the five games played between the two and the teams have only played in Baltimore one time but we do have some Ravens/Redskins memories.
10/26/97 Ravens win 20-17 in Washington:
The Ravens were in their second season when they played the Redskins for the first time. This game was played in a steady rain and the Ravens played old-school run in the mud football. Baltimore RB Bam Morris had a day carrying 36 times for 176 yards and a TD. Washington's late drive to win the game ended when Bennie Thompson tipped a pass that Ray Lewis intercepted to seal a 20-17 Ravens win.
10/15/00 TD drought in Super Bowl Season:
Baltimore's only points came on a 51-yard Matt Stover field goal. This was the third of five consecutive games that the Ravens failed to score a touchdown in a season they won the Super Bowl, crazy! The Redskins Stephen Davis scored the game's only TD with a 33-yard run in the 4th quarter. The Ravens best chance for 6 came on a first and goal from the 1 right before the half but fizzled when a Tony Banks pass for Shannon Sharpe was intercepted. Redskins win in Washington 10-3.
10/10/04 Reed Gets Offensive:
Kyle Boller threw 3 second quarter interceptions and the Ravens were down 10-0 at halftime. Midway through the third quarter Ed Reed made the kind of game-changing play Hall of Fame players make. With his offense going nowhere fast Reed turned the game around with a strip-sack of QB Mark Brunell; Reed ran the fumble in for a 22-yard TD to cut the lead to 10-7. Two minutes later B.J. Sams returned a Redskins punt 78 yards for a TD and the Ravens went on to win 17-10. The Ravens defense was dominant holding Joe Gibbs offense to only 107 total yards.
12/9/12 Franchise Altering Day
So many stories in this game; with the Redskins trailing by eight on their final drive in regulation rookie Kirk Cousins came off the bench and hit Pierre Garcon for an 11-yard touchdown pass with 29 seconds remaining, Cousins then ran a quarterback draw for the 2-point conversion to tie the game. In overtime Kai Forbath kicked a 34-yard game-winner, color it Burgundy and Gold 31-28. Cousins replaced fellow rookie Robert Griffin III who left late in game with a knee injury after being tackled by Haloti Ngata. The Redskins brilliant rookie would never be the same. The day after this loss the Ravens fired offensive coordinator Cam Cameron and replaced him with quarterbacks coach Jim Caldwell. The Ravens went on to win the Super Bowl.